Polish National Chopin Competition Winners

The winners of the Polish National Chopin Competition were announced at the end of auditions held in Warsaw during the first week of February. The first three winners—Andrzej Wierciński, Łukasz Krupiński and Krzysztof Książek—will be able to bypass the first stage of the International Chopin Competition that will begin in Warsaw on October 1, 2015….Continue Reading Polish National Chopin Competition Winners

Baird Competition: First Round Results

The results of the first round of the Tadeusz Baird Competition for Young Composers were announced on January 16. The jury—including Jerzy Bauer, Zbigniew Bagiński, Krzysztof Baculewski and Sławomir Czrnecki—selected the following works: Smugi cienia [The Streaks of Shadows], Goliady, Tick!—Time (time is ticking), Trzy jedności [The Three Unities], and Ménilmontant Fluctuations. The composers’ names…Continue Reading Baird Competition: First Round Results

Game Music Accolades For Stroinski

Classically-trained Polish composer Mikolai Stroinski made the transition from casual game contributor to in-demand artist with his emotional cinematic score for “The Vanishing of Ethan Carter.” This score earned him 2 major awards at the Annual Game Music Awards 2014 (AGMA): Outstanding Contribution — Newcomer of the Year and Best Score — Orchestral / Cinematic. According to Chris…Continue Reading Game Music Accolades For Stroinski

2014 PAHA Awards

The Polish American Historical Association (PAHA) is a non-profit, tax-exempt, interdisciplinary organization devoted to the study of Polish American history and culture. Founded in 1942 and now an affiliate of the American Historical Association, PAHA promotes research and dissemination of scholarly materials focused on Polish American history and culture, and its European origins. During its…Continue Reading 2014 PAHA Awards

Moniuszko’s Songs

Pieśni Stanisława Moniuszki [Moniuszko’s songs] Elżbieta Szmytka – soprano, Levente Kende – piano Association of Polish Music The newest album released under the aegis of the Stowarzyszenie Muzyki Polskiej [Association of Polish Music] and the Agencja Ars Operae, “Stanislaw Moniuszko – Songs” is performed by outstanding artists: soprano Elżbieta Szmytka and pianist Levente Kende. [Source:…Continue Reading Moniuszko’s Songs

US Premiere of H.M. Górecki’s Symphony No. 4

A Review by Krysta Close During the weekend of January 16-18, 2015, the Los Angeles Philharmonic gave the US Premiere of Henryk Mikołaj Górecki’s Symphony No. 4, op. 85 at Walt Disney Hall in downtown Los Angeles. Due to ill health at the end of his life, Górecki was unable to complete the orchestration of…Continue Reading US Premiere of H.M. Górecki’s Symphony No. 4

70th Anniversary Of Auschwitz Liberation Around The World

January 27, 2015 marked the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the German Nazi concentration and extermination camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Over 1.1 million people were killed in Auschwitz, including nearly 1 million Jews and tens of thousands of Poles, Roma and Sinti, Soviet prisoners of war and political opponents from…Continue Reading 70th Anniversary Of Auschwitz Liberation Around The World

Nowak Leads FIU Sympony In Chopin

Maestro Grzegorz Nowak, who serves as conductor of both the Florida International University Symphony and the Chopin Foundation Orchestra in Miami, hosted a special evening of music on January 22 as part of the FIU Orchestral Masterworks Series. The evening’s program included Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in D Major, Op.35, led by guest conductor Mark Gibson,…Continue Reading Nowak Leads FIU Sympony In Chopin

Sinfonia Varsovia at La Folle Journée

  Sinfonia Varsovia performed extensively during the La Folle Journée 2015 festival, a popular event founded on strong artistic demands that was held at the La Cité Event Center in Nantes, France. From January 23-25, the ensemble performed Polish composers including Fryderyk Chopin, Zygmunt Noskowski and Henryk Mikołaj Górecki, collaborating with such international artists as…Continue Reading Sinfonia Varsovia at La Folle Journée