On Jan. 21, Silesian String Quartetgave a concert at the NOSPRChamber Hall. The program celebrated Zbigniew Bargielski’s80th birthday and featured two of his chamber compositions: String Quartet No. 4 “Płonacy czas” [Burning Time] and Po drugiej stronie lustra [The Other side of the Mirror] for clarinet and string quartet. Known for his predilection for chamber music, Bargielski uses interesting formal…Continue Reading Bargielski Celebration
Polish soprano Aleksandra Kurzak and French-Italian tenor Roberto Alagna gave a recital on January 9, 2017 in the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris. The duo, who are not only acclaimed international soloists but also married to each other, brought their dynamic presence to the stage, performing some of the most beautiful French and Italian opera arias and…Continue Reading Kurczak and Alagna Shine in Paris
On January 31, pianist Radosław Sobczak performed a recital commemorating Karol Szymanowski’s 80th Death Anniversary in the Chamber Hall of the Warsaw Philharmonic, as a part of their Piano Masters Series. The program included Johann Sebastian Bach – Largo from Organ Sonata no. 5 in C major BWV 529 (version by S. Feinberg); Franz Schubert – Wanderer Fantasy in C major…Continue Reading Sobczak on Szymanowski
On January 8, the Polish Radio National Symphony Orchestra in Katowice (NOSPR) broke barriers and welcomed new audiences when they broadcasted their traditional New Year’s Concert online via YouTube. Audiences had the opportunity to hear well known and widely loved pieces by Viennese masters by simply navigating to the orchestra’s website or Polish Radio Channel…Continue Reading NOSPR on Live Stream
In the month of December, a series of recitals was presented by violist Morgan O’Shaughnessey and pianist Jakub Tchorzewski in California and Oregon. The duo celebrated the recent release of their debut album, “Elegie,” featuring works by Beethoven, Shostakovich, Stravinsky, Carter, and Tertis, recorded at the Castle Rohrsdorf in Dresden, Germany. The two have previously performed together…Continue Reading O’Shaughnessey and Tchorzewski CD Release Tour
The Ottawa Classical Choir celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2016 and presented a very special concert minor at the Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica in Ottawa on November. Co-Founder and co-Artistic Director of the Choir, internationally renowned soprano Maria Knapik, sang the solo in Mozart’s Requiem in D 26 for the occasion, along with Stéphanie Pothier, mezzo-soprano; Steeve Michaud, tenor; Marc Boucher,…Continue Reading Knapik and Ottowa Classical Choir Celebrate 10 Years
Piotr Beczala, a rapidly rising star in the opera world, gave an all-opera recital in Santa Monica to the delight of a nearly sold-out house at the Broad Stage on December 12, 2016. He was accompanied by a 43-member opera orchestra – perhaps a bit of overkill in a 500-seat house. But no matter; the orchestra played…Continue Reading Review: Beczała at the Broad Stage in LA by Charles Bragg
The Young Polish Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of Adam Klocek, gave concerts in Puławy, Łódź, Wrocław, Warsaw and Katowice between November 18 and 23, 2016. During its 10th concert tour, the Orchestra presented Trumpet Concerto in E-flat major by Johann Nepomuk Hummel (featuring Israeli trumpeter Yigal Meltzer), Sinfonia Concertante for Four Winds in E-flat major, K. 297b by Wolfgang…Continue Reading Młoda Polska Orchestra – 10th Concert Tour
On November 19-21, the European Student Symphony Orchestra gave three concerts in Poland as part of their autumn tour. The project, organized by the Karol Lipiński Academy of Music in Wrocław as an event of the European Capital of Culture Wrocław 2016, was addressed to young musicians from selected European universities. It created an opportunity to integrate the artistic…Continue Reading European Student Symphony Orchestra on Tour
On November 5, Alina Trance Fusion held a concert at the Lutoslawski Studio as part of the “In Good Companionship” concert series. Alina Trance Fusion is a duo comprised of the unique combination of saxophonist Alina Mleczko and Gambian kora player Buba Badjie Kuyateh. Alina Trance Fusion was accompanied onstage by Wojciech Gumiński (double bass), Kuba Pogorzelski (African drums), and Albert Karch (percussion). Agnieszka Wilczyńska, jazz vocalist,…Continue Reading Alina Trance Fusion at Lutoslawski Studio