A Report by Maja Trochimczyk On April 28-29 in the Paris Division of the Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN), the Second International Conference “Maria Szymanowska (1789-1831) and her Times” took place. The conference was organized by Elisabeth Zapolska Chapelle, president of the Société Maria Szymanowska in Paris. Following the pattern created for the first Conference…Continue Reading Maria Szymanowska Conference In Paris
Born This Month June 1, 1909 – Maria DZIEWULSKA, composer and theoretician (d. 2006) June 4, 1845 – Aleksander POLIŃSKI, music historian (d. 1916) June 4, 1784 – Adam CZARNOCKI, music ethnographer (d. 1825) June 5, 1865 – Felicjan SZOPSKI, composer and music critic (d. 1939) June 6, 1929 – Bogusław SCHAEFFER, composer, writer June…Continue Reading Anniversaries June 2014
Roman’s Musical Pilgrimage Wojciech Maciejewski, brother of composer and pianist Roman Maciejewski (1910-1998), has been a faithful friend of the Polish Music Center and a frequent donor of scores and other materials pertaining to his older brother. Wojciech Maciejewski’s latest donation is a hardcover biography, RomanMaciejewski, authored by Marek Sołtysik and published by the Państwowy…Continue Reading Recent Donations To The PMC
William E. Thomson, Dean Emeritus and Professor Emeritus of Thornton School of Music, sent us six rare photographs from Witold Lutosławski’s first visit to the Polish Music Center in 1985. Taken during a meal in an unspecified location, the pictures show Witold Lutosławski, his wife Danuta, and the founders of the Polish Music Center—Dr. Stefan…Continue Reading Rare Photos Of Lutosławski
Beloved Polish singer and friend of the PMC Anna Jurksztowicz has donated a copy of her recent contemplative exploration of ‘music of the soul’ from many different countries and traditions. The album Poza czasem – Muzyka duszy [Out of Time – Music of the Soul] is a result of her collaboration with Californian music…Continue Reading Music Of The Soul
On April 12, during the final concert of the 2014 Musica Polonica Nova festival, composer and vocalist Agata Zubel had declared the winner of the Polonica Nova prize for her 2010 composition entitled Not I for voice, instrumental ensemble and electronics with text of Samuel Beckett. The jury, chaired by Szymon Bywalec, found Agata Zubel’s…Continue Reading Zubel Wins Polonica Nova Prize
Adrian Thomas, a leading authority on Polish music, was recently awarded the Golden Gloria Artis medal for his outstanding contribution to the study and promotion of Polish music. Poland’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Witold Sobków, decorated Professor Thomas at London’s Royal Festival Hall at a ceremony accompanying the world premiere of Henryk Mikołaj Górecki’s…Continue Reading Gloria Artis for Adrian Thomas
The voting results of the 1,200-member Polish Phonographic Academy were announced on April 24 during the gala award ceremony at the Sala Kongresowa in Warsaw. An honor similar to the American Grammy Awards, the 2014 Fryderyk trophies were awarded in 34 categories of popular, classical and jazz music. Winners in Classical Music: Artist of the…Continue Reading 2014 Fryderyk Awards
The second International Opera Awards took place on April 7, 2014 in London’s Grosvenor House Hotel. Highlights of the evening included a surprise performance from Male Singer of the year, winner Stuart Skelton. Intended to be an honor similar to the ‘Oscars’ for film, the annual ‘Operas’—as they are unofficially called by audiences—are global…Continue Reading Opera Oscar For Poland
The Symphony No. 4 of Henryk Mikołaj Górecki was given its World Premiere on April 12 at the Royal Festival Hall in London. The London Philharmonic Orchestra was conducted by Andrey Boreyko. This posthumously-premiered work was commissioned by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, with generous support from the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic…Continue Reading Górecki’s Fourth Lauded