For two weeks in February, Jan Kalinowski and Marek Szlezer conducted extensive research in the Polish Music Center’s Zygmunt and Luisa Stojowski Collection. The two performers, scholars, and faculty members at the Kraków Music Academy came to Los Angeles on a grant from their institution to survey the manuscripts of various cello and piano works…Continue Reading Cracow Duo at PMC
A Review by Marek Zebrowski On Tuesday, 24 February, the large crowd gathered in USC’s Alfred Newman Recital Hall greeted the onstage entrance of cellist Jan Kalinowski and pianist Marek Szlezer—otherwise known as the Cracow Duo—with hearty applause. Without much fuss, the two young musicians quickly launched into Chopin’s Op. 3 Polonaise and dispatched it…Continue Reading Cracow Duo Shines At Newman
This year’s PMC spring concert is a joint collaboration between the PMC, the USC Thornton School of Music’s Composition Department, and the USC School of Cinematic Arts. Entitled “Measures & Frames” and presented by Visions & Voices—USC’s Arts and Humanities Initiative—the evening will combine music and film, seeking to discover the hidden and serendipitous connections…Continue Reading Measuring Up To Film
PENDERECKI Chamber Works, Vol 1 (DUX 0780), Dedications: works for cello and piano (DUX 0986) and Polish Cello Music (DUX 0925) are 3 CDs donated by the Jan Kalinowski and Marek Szlezer of the Cracow Duo, during their recent time in the PMC. See above for discussions of their scholarly activities and performances. …Continue Reading Recent Donations
The Grand Theatre in Poznań had commissioned a new opera by Aleksander Nowak, Space Opera, czyli mężczyzna, kobieta i…. [Space Opera, or a Man, a Woman, and…], which will be premiered in Poznań on March 14, 2015. The libretto of the opera is by Georgi Gospodinow and the premiere will be conducted by Marek Moś….Continue Reading Nowak Premiere & Opera Conference In Poznań
On February 13, the World Premiere of ocean is not enough for 13 performers by Wojtek Blecharz was given by the Klangforum Wien, conducted by Clemont Power. This new work by Blecharz was commissioned as a part of Klangforum’s “impuls” program, and the premiere took place during the impuls Festival 2015. Impuls promotes and supports…Continue Reading Blecharz Premiere In Graz
Poland’s premiere music publishers, Polskie Wydawnictwo Muzyczne SA (PWM), celebrates 70 years of operations in 2015. It is appropriate that this anniversary lines up with the PMC’s own celebration of 35 years, as it was the close relationship with PWM—cultivated by PMC founder Wanda Wilk—that led to the development of the PMC’s extensive collection of…Continue Reading PWM Celebrates 70 Years
In 2015 the world will celebrate the 85th birthday of Romuald Twardowski. Born in 1930 in Vilnius, Twardowski is one of the greatest composers of Polish choral music. Apart from vocal works, he is also the author of numerous theatre and symphonic compositions. His keen sense for melodic invention, instrumentation, original form and the unique…Continue Reading Twardowski Celebrations In Lublin
On March 13, the Warsaw National Philharmonic will celebrate the 80th birthday of Maestro Tadeusz Strugała, who has long been associated with the Philharmonic and continues to serve as deputy Artisitic Director and permanent guest conductor. Since his career began 60 years ago, as an oboist with the Wrocław Symphony Orchestra, Strugała has been a…Continue Reading Strugała Anniversary
On Saturday, March 28, Polish trumpeter Tomasz Stańko and his New York Quartet (including pianist David Virelles, bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Gerald Cleaver) will take the stage at the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles. This performance will be largely dedicated to the poetry of Wisława Szymborska—the Polish poet, essayist and Nobel Laureate—who is also the…Continue Reading Stańko At Jazz Bakery In L.A.