For many decades now, the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Los Angeles has been—and continues to be—one of our most important partners in presenting Polish music to the American audiences. Recently, we were very pleased to receive an official letter from the Honorable Paulina Kapuścińska, congratulating us on the fortieth anniversary of the USC Polish Music Center. In her gracious note, Consul General Kapuścińska expressed her “deepest admiration for PMC’s unwavering and inspirational commitment in promoting Polish cultural heritage in America” and continued by stressing the importance of the Polish Music Center’s mission of “coaching the upcoming generations of young and gifted artists and bringing them to the American and Polish stages.” We are honored to have the Consulate’s support and patronage and their keen understanding of our work.
Another important guest graced the PMC with his presence recently. Lech Dzierżanowski, Director of the National Institute of Music and Dance [NIMiT] came on an official visit to Los Angeles. Dir. Dzierżanowski’s LA agenda included research of the Polish Music Center’s exceptional Archival Collections as well as attending two concerts presented by the AKA Duo during the March 29-30 weekend. It was, after all, director Dzierżanowski’s Institute who organized the International Polish Chamber Music Competition in Rzeszów, Poland, which unanimously awarded the First Prize to the AKA Duo in 2023. Thereafter, thanks to NIMiT and several other key PMC partners, including Polish Institute – New York, POLAM Credit Union, and Polish Center in Los Angeles who co-sponsored the AKA Duo’s U.S. tours, these two talented Japanese musicians were able to perform at the Japan House in Los Angeles and the Paderewski Festival in Paso Robles last fall, and at USC and the Holocaust Museum in Los Angeles in late March 2025.
[Photographer: Krysta Close. Part of the PMC Photo Archive – All rights reserved]