Category: Events

Oct 2024: Celebrating Henryk Wars ~ UNESCO Honors & 40 Years of PMC

The USC Polish Music Center presents the Paderewski Lecture-Recital, an annual concert event commemorating pianist, composer and statesman Ignacy Jan Paderewski by spotlighting current achievements in Polish music.  The USC Polish Music Center is home to the world-renowned archival collection of Henryk Wars (aka Henry Vars, 1902-1977), Poland’s foremost film composer of the inter-war era, whose hit tunes…Continue Reading Oct 2024: Celebrating Henryk Wars ~ UNESCO Honors & 40 Years of PMC

UNESCO Honors PMC Archives

On June 26 at the Belweder—the Presidential Palace in Warsaw—the 2024 UNESCO Pamięć Świata/Memory of the World ceremony will take place. The palace’s elegant ballroom will be filled to capacity with distinguished guests, among them Marek Zebrowski, representing the USC Polish Music Center and Dennis Mitchell, grandson of Henryk Wars (1902-1977). Poland’s President, Andrzej Duda,…Continue Reading UNESCO Honors PMC Archives

Sounds of a Bygone Era

A Review by Marek Zebrowski Sunday afternoon, April 21, marked the end of the 2023/2024 concert season organized jointly by the Holocaust Museum LA and USC Polish Music Center. The performers for this occasion were a dynamic duo of violinist Karolina Mikołajczyk and classical accordionist Iwo Jedynecki. They performed in the Childrens’ Memorial, an evocative…Continue Reading Sounds of a Bygone Era

Heartfelt Musicmaking at PMC’s Spring Concert

A Review by Marek Zebrowski The Verona Quartet (Jonathan Ong and Dorothy Ro, violins, Abigail Rojansky, viola, and Jonathan Dormand, cello) visited the USC campus for a master class on March 20 and a concert on March 23. Their sojourn at USC elicited great interest from string students and faculty, culminating in a packed auditorium…Continue Reading Heartfelt Musicmaking at PMC’s Spring Concert

April 2024: Karolina & Iwo Duo at HMLA

In another collaboration with the Holocaust Museum in Los Angeles, the Polish Music Center presents one of the brightest young stars of the Polish chamber music scene: Duo Karolina & Iwo. Both virtuosos in their own right, Karolina Mikołajczyk and Iwo Jedynecki bring great energy to the stage, highlighting not only existing repertoire for accordion…Continue Reading April 2024: Karolina & Iwo Duo at HMLA

2024 PMC Spring Concert: Celebrating Bacewicz & Szymanowski

On March 23, the USC Polish Music Center welcomes to campus the esteemed Verona Quartet, presenting the annual PMC Spring Concert in collaboration with guest pianist and USC Thornton faculty member Bernadene Blaha. Entitled “Celebrating Bacewicz & Szymanowski,” this concert features pioneering female composer and polymath, Grażyna Bacewicz, and the father of Polish modern music, Karol Szymanowski, highlighting how…Continue Reading 2024 PMC Spring Concert: Celebrating Bacewicz & Szymanowski

Cracow Duo: ‘From Polonaise to Tango’ on March 10

Beloved by Los Angeles audiences, the Cracow Duo returns to USC on March 10. Comprised of cellist Jan Kalinowski and pianist Marek Szlezer, the duo will perform an evocative collection of some of their favorite pieces, gathered from over 20 years of performing as an ensemble. Entitled “From Polonaise to Tango,” the program will range…Continue Reading Cracow Duo: ‘From Polonaise to Tango’ on March 10

Zarębski Piano Duo Returns to the US

The Zarębski Piano Duo, an ensemble formed a decade ago in Kraków and specializing in repertoire for piano four-hands, will be visiting the United States in the coming weeks. The ensemble’s pianists, Grzegorz Mania and Piotr Różański, are professors at the Bydgoszcz and Kraków Music Academies. Their anticipated return comes in connection with the annual…Continue Reading Zarębski Piano Duo Returns to the US

Antonina Styczeń’s “Americana” Recital at USC

Polish flutist, Antonina Styczeń will soon perform a recital at the USC Thornton School of Music in Los Angeles. Entitled “Americana,” her recital will highlight the American school of classical music. Her repertoire includes works by Amy Beach, Antonin Dvorak, Valeria Coleman, Michael Daugherty, and… Polish-American composer Roman Ryterband! Antonia will perform his Two Desert…Continue Reading Antonina Styczeń’s “Americana” Recital at USC

“Spring and Valentine” – Concert feat. Wojciech Kocyan with Ken Aiso

Save the date (February 11) for a heartwarming afternoon in Los Angeles with pianist Wojciech Kocyan and violinist Ken Aiso. Celebrate the upcoming Valentine’s Day and the approaching Spring season as Kocyan and Aiso perform timeless works by Ludwig van Beethoven, Fryderyk Chopin, and Claude Debussy. Sunday, February 11 | 3:00 pm“Spring and Valentine” –…Continue Reading “Spring and Valentine” – Concert feat. Wojciech Kocyan with Ken Aiso