“Don’t Play the Music! Let the Music Play!” – M. Urbaniak On December 4, Polish musicians Michał Urbaniak and Grażyna Auguścik will come together for a concert at the Copernicus Center in Chicago. Although both have been living and performing in the US for most of their careers, this will be there first concert together…Continue Reading Urbaniak & Auguscik – First Duo Concert
Polish tenor Piotr Beczała is currently performing in the Metropolitan Opera’s production of Verdi’s Rigoletto, in the role of the licentious Duke. Serbian baritone Željko Lučić reprises his acclaimed performance of the title role in Michael Mayer’s electrifying production, set in 1960 in a Las Vegas casino, with American soprano Nadine Sierra in her Met…Continue Reading Beczała Sings Rigoletto At The Met, Vegas-Style
On 4 November 2015, the last known composition of Henryk Mikołaj Górecki, who died five years ago, will have its World Premiere in Kraków at the ICE Congress Centre. This premiere performance of Sanctus Adalbertus, as well as the celebratory Fanfara by Paweł Mykietyn that was composed especially for this occasion, will crown the celebrations…Continue Reading Górecki’s Last Work: Sanctus Adalbertus
Olimpia z Gdańska [Olympia of Gdańsk], a new opera by Polish composer Zygmunt Krauze, will be presented by the Opera Bałtycka in Gdańsk in its World Premiere performance on November 20, 2015. The main performers are Anna Mikołajczyk (Stanisława), Jan Monowid (Robespierre), and Monika Ledzion (Olimpia). As described by Director Jerzy Lech, this opera “defies…Continue Reading New Opera By Krauze
On November 6, the Ensemble KNM Berlin will feature works by Wojtek Blecharz—Counter-Earth for clarinetist and objects (2015), blacksnowfalls for timpano solo (2014), and The Map of Tenderness for cello solo (2012)—during their first portrait concert at Kunstquartier Bethanien in Berlin, Germany. Entitled “Pol(s)ka & Kontext mit Wojtek Blecharz,” the program is the first half…Continue Reading Polish Monographic Programs In Berlin
From November 10-15, the 2015 University of Louisville New Music Festival will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Grawemeyer Awards, one of the most prestigious prizes in the world. Founded by H. Charles Grawemeyer to help make the world a better place, the Awards are given annually by the University of Louisville to individuals in…Continue Reading Grawemeyer Awards 30th Anniversary
The latest edition of PWM’s quarterly music magazine, Quarta, was published in September 2015 and is now available on issuu.com. In celebration of this year’s 17th edition of the International Chopin Competition in Warsaw, the issue is entitled “Chopin, simply the best,” and has such features as: a conversation with Rafał Blecharz, the last Polish…Continue Reading New Edition Of Quarta
Presented in cooperation with the Polish Consul General of Los Angeles, Motion Trio performed on November 1 to a full house crowd at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). The group is currently in the U.S. promoting their “Polonium” album of music by 20th and 21st century Polish composers, and they will also…Continue Reading Motion Trio – West Coast Tour
Stanisław Skrowaczewski returned to conduct the London Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall on October 31, 2015, shortly after his 92nd birthday. A renowned interpreter of Bruckner, Skrowaczewski conducted Bruckner’s Symphony No.5 in B-flat major (1878 Nowak edition), following two hugely successful performances in recent years with the LPO of Bruckner’s Symphony No.3 in…Continue Reading Skrowaczewski On Tour at 92
Under the honorary patronage of the President of the Republic of Poland Bronisław Komorowski, one of the world’s leading piano competitions will begin on October 1, 2015 with a special concert featuring Martha Argerich. Seventy-eight young pianist from twenty different countries will compete in the 17th Edition of the International Chopin Piano Competition. In its 88-year history,…Continue Reading 17th International Chopin Piano Competition