On September 7, there will be a concert of Polish music at the Santa Monica Public Library to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the beginning of World War II. The program features the music of Wojciech Kilar from the score of The Pianist (2000), as well as works by Frederic Chopin, Karol Szymanowski, Grażyna Bacewicz,…Continue Reading Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the Outbreak of World War II
The Congress of the International Association of Music Libraries, Archives and Documentation Centers (IAML) took place from 14-19 July at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow. The aim of the IAML Congress was the exchange of experience and presentation of scientific achievements of librarians and archivists as well as musicologists. The IAML 2019 Congress gathered approximately…Continue Reading 2019 IAML Conference in Kraków
Gifts gathered in Poland After another sojourn in Poland during late June and July, and visits with all kinds of good friends there, PMC once again was on the receiving end of many wonderful gifts to our library. Starting the list chronologically is a newly issued crime novel, Sidła [Snares], penned by Grażyna Bacewicz, better…Continue Reading Gifts to PMC July 2019
A concert commemorating the 250th anniversary of Józef Elsner‘s birth took place on 3 June. Born on 1 June 1769, the composer, conductor, pedagogue and music culture activist represents in Polish music the classical style of the pre-Chopin period, based on a combination of the Viennese classics with elements of Polish folk music. Elsner also composed…Continue Reading 250th birth anniversary of Józef Elsner
On May 24-25 2019, the 40th General Assembly of the Members of the Polish Composers’ Union (ZKP) took place in Warsaw. New authorities were elected and a number of resolutions were adopted. Composer Juliusz Łuciuk was chosen as the honorary member of the Polish Composers’ Union. Mieczysław Kominek, musicologist and director of the Polish Music…Continue Reading 40th General Assembly of the Members of the Polish Composers’ Union
Polish composer Boguslaw Schaeffer died on July 1, 2019 in Salzburg. Born on June 6, 1929 in Lviv, he was 90 years old. Schaeffer made his compositional debut at the age of 17. Over the course of his life, he wrote about 550 pieces of music in 23 different genres, including symphonic, chamber, solo, sacred…Continue Reading Bogusław Schaeffer Obituary
There will be two special concerts in Los Angeles this weekend featuring the Darek Oles Trio: bassist Darek “Oles” Oleszkiewicz, pianist Kuba Stankiewicz, drummer Tina Raymond. Previously featured at the Paderewski Festival in Paso Robles, the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust and on prestigious recordings for Warner Music Poland, the trio will also be…Continue Reading Darek Oles Trio in L.A., July 12 & 14
New Szymanowski Book Throughout her long and intellectually rich life Teresa Chylińska, the world’s preeminent scholar of Karol Szymanowski, has authored a great number of books and even greater number of articles about this most important mid-20th century Polish composer. Chylińska’s latest book, Karol Szymanowski—Roman, którego nie było? [Karol Szymanowski—A Romance that did not happen?]…Continue Reading Gifts to PMC June 2019
The 19th Franciszek Wybrańczyk Sinfonia Varsovia to Its City Festival took place from May 31 – June 7 in Warsaw. Four concerts in three locations on both sides of the river celebrated the 85th birthday anniversary of Franciszek Wybrańczyk, founder of the Sinfonia Varsovia Orchestra and originator of the Festival. The Festival kicked off with…Continue Reading 2019 “Franciszek Wybrańczyk Sinfonia Varsovia to Its City” Festival
Organized by Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera, the International Stanisław Moniuszko Vocal Competition is the biggest competition of singers in Poland. Maria Fołtyn—Polish soprano, legendary Halka opera director, cultural organizer, and tireless promoter of Stanisław Moniuszko’s oeuvre—established the competition in 1992. Every three years, artists from around the world gather in Warsaw to present…Continue Reading Winners of the 2019 Int’l Moniuszko Vocal Competition