Concert: 20th Anniversary of Poland Joining the EU

Beauty, sublimity and message: two masterpieces by Ludwig van Beethoven and Henryk Mikołaj Górecki, which have gone down in high musical culture as embodying these traits, will be performed on April 26 at the Kraków Philharmonic. This concert celebrates the 20th anniversary of Poland joining as a member of the European Union. Beatus Vir Op….Continue Reading Concert: 20th Anniversary of Poland Joining the EU

Henryk Wars at the 2024 NFM Orchestra Academy Final Concert

The concert concluding this year’s edition of the NFM Orchestra Academy will take place on April 27. It will be attended by NFM instrumentalists, participants of two orchestral academies—from the National Forum of Music in Wrocław and the Staatskapelle Berlin. The concert will be led by Chinese conductor Jong-Jie Yin, winner of the 11th Grzegorz…Continue Reading Henryk Wars at the 2024 NFM Orchestra Academy Final Concert

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

New Release by Dębicz

A new album by pianist and composer Aleksander Dębicz will be released by Warner Classics on April 19. The artist admitted that the idea for an album preview clip, entitled “Illusion,” was quite spontaneous and was made together with Dębicz’s friend, professional filmmaker Adam Andrzejewski. Here’s a tantalizing peak at Dębicz’s upcoming album, Magnolia… [Sources:…Continue Reading New Release by Dębicz

‘Paweł Szymański @ 70!’

On March 28 in Polish Radio’s Witold Lutosławski Concert Studio in Warsaw, Paweł Szymański’s 70th birthday was celebrated with a special concert entitled ‘Paweł Szymański @ 70!’. The performers included Hashtag Ensemble, Royal String Quartet, Matangi String Quartet, and soloists: Daniel Oktawian Piotrowski – countertenor, Agnieszka Podłucka, Natalia Reichert – violas, Małgorzata Sarbak – harpsichord,…Continue Reading ‘Paweł Szymański @ 70!’

Zamara at Weill Hall Performing Rentowski

The Polish-born soprano Dominika Zamara will appear as a featured guest performer at a concert at the Weill Recital Hall in New York City on April 4. She will perform Wiesław Rentowski’s Agnus Dei, dedicated to Pope John Paul II. For this occasion, Ms. Zamara will be joined by other laureates at the Fifth Annual…Continue Reading Zamara at Weill Hall Performing Rentowski

Ptaszyńska Back in Chicago

Marta Ptaszyńska, distinguished Polish composer and Helen B. and Frank L. Sulzberger Professor Emerita at the University of Chicago, will return to the UChicago campus on April 10 as a featured speaker for the Robert and Anne Gomer Lecture series. Titled “Imaginary Landscapes—Music of Marta Ptaszyńska,” the composer will discuss her most recent large scale…Continue Reading Ptaszyńska Back in Chicago

Grazyna Auguscik & Paulinho Garcia in L.A.

The Helena Modjeska Art & Culture Club of Southern California presents a unique jazz concert by famous Polish jazz vocalist Grazyna Auguscik with Brazilian guitarist Paulinho Garcia. Entitled “Polska i Brazylia,” the concert will take place on Sunday, April 7 at 7 pm at the Illusion Magic Theater (formerly known as Magicopolis) in Santa Monica.  Admission is free for Club members and…Continue Reading Grazyna Auguscik & Paulinho Garcia in L.A.