The 30th anniversary edition of the Musica Polonica Nova Festival was held between April 8-16, 2016 at the National Forum of Music in Wrocław. The 2016 theme was taken from The Romantic by Adam Mickiewicz: “Faith and love are more discerning than lenses or learning.” The Festival consisted of 11 concerts as well as meetings with composers, journalists and music critics….Continue Reading World Premieres Musica Polonica Nova
On Friday May 6th, 2016 the Department of Education at the Academy of Arts in Szczecin will host ‘Nowa Muzyka’ [New Music], a multidimensional music meeting combining live performance with music-related art and lecture at the Pałac pod Globusem. This interdisciplinary and interdepartmental project will feature an exhibition of posters compiled under the topic of “New Music” by Professor…Continue Reading World Premieres at ‘New Music’ in Szczeczin
This year’s “KODY” [Codes] Festival of Traditional and Avant-garde Music (May 11-14, 2016) in Lublin, Poland will feature the world premiere performances of two new works by Polish composers who were commissioned by the Festival. First, on May 11, RÊVE RAVE will be performed by the Wojtek Mazolewski Quintet, Halina Przebinda and Kuba Mikurda. This cross-genre performance in three acts…Continue Reading Premieres at Kody Festival
Warsaw Music Encounters (May 7-13, 2016) is an annual festival of early and new music founded and directed by composer Władysław Słowiński since 1986. In accordance with the program formula contained in the Festival’s subheading—”Early Music – New Music”—the Festival presents important early and new music compositions andpromotes the most recent works by contemporary composers, written for the…Continue Reading World Premieres at Warsaw Music Encounters
Coloratura soprano Malia Bendi Merad, one of the many scholars who visited the PMC over the last few months, contacted us in April with an interest in studying Karol Szymanowski’s 6 Songs of a Fairy Tale Princess, Op. 31. During several hours spent in our library, Bendi Merad not only poured over the score of these brilliant and…Continue Reading Szymanowski Explorations at the PMC
By Marek Żebrowski Jann Castor, an outstanding Polish rock musician, guitarist, composer, arranger, poet, sound designer and film editor, died in Hollywood on 21 April 2016 after a long illness. He was 61 years old. Born Wiesław Ruciński in Włocławek, Poland, on 27 June 1954, he began using stage name Jann Castor after emigrating from Poland…Continue Reading Hope in Hollywood
Saturday, April 2, 2016 | 8:00 p.m. Alfred Newman Recital Hall, USC (see AHF on campus map) 3616 Trousdale Pkwy, Los Angeles, CA Reception following the concert Admission is FREE and open to the public Campus Parking: $12 – enter Gate 3 at Figueroa St. & McCarthy Way (Parking Structure X) From PMC Newsletter March 2016…Continue Reading 2016: A Tribute to Roman Ryterband
The music of 20th century Polish composer Roman Maciejewski was showcased at the Warsaw Rising Museum on March 30. Organized by the Warsaw Rising Museum, PWM Edition and Polish Radio Program 2, the concert included various piano, orchestral and chamber works performed by the Chopin Piano Duo. The program emphasized the composer’s modern style, as influenced by his teacher…Continue Reading Maciejewski at the Warsaw Rising Museum
Twenty-three years after its world premiere, Witold Lutoslawski’s “Symphony No. 3” was once again performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, to whom the work was dedicated along with then Artistic Director Sir Georg Solti. The performance was conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen, who himself knew the composer well and has conducted much of his music (pictured at…Continue Reading Lutosławski at CSO
The chic Ace Gallery on Wilshire Blvd. just east of Beverly Dr. played host to the Szymanowski Quartet on Saturday evening, February 20—the Polish ensemble’s only Los Angeles appearance in their 8-concert California tour this February. The gallery offers infrequent but fantastic concerts of chamber music, regular guests in recent seasons being the Takács and Emerson String Quartets. Founded…Continue Reading Szymanowski Quartet in Beverly Hills – A Review by Lars Hoefs