Announcing the 2024 Paderewski Festival in Paso Robles

The 2024 Paderewski Festival in Paso Robles will be held October 31 – November 3. Tickets for this year’s history-making events and exciting artists, as well as exclusive “Patron” and “Friends of Paderewski” passes that include access to all concerts, are on sale now! Travelers to this popular destination are also encouraged to make their…Continue Reading Announcing the 2024 Paderewski Festival in Paso Robles

Kamieniak Visit & PMC Gifts

Following his August recital in San Francisco, Polish pianist and composer Tomasz Kamieniak came down to Los Angeles and visited the PMC. This Berlin-based musician came bearing several gifts that will expand our score and sound libraries. Kamieniak As Composer In the pride of place among the gifts is the set of solo piano pieces…Continue Reading Kamieniak Visit & PMC Gifts

PMC/Henryk Wars Collection on “Polskie Radio dla Zagranicy”

We are excited to share that Marek Zebrowski, Director of the USC Polish Music Center, recently appeared in a series of interviews on the Polish Radio program “Polskie Radio dla Zagranicy” [Polish Radio for Abroad]. Conducted in Polish, these interviews offer a rich exploration of some of the PMC’s most recent activities and significant milestones….Continue Reading PMC/Henryk Wars Collection on “Polskie Radio dla Zagranicy”

Collaboration with AGAD: A String of Miracles…

By Marek Zebrowski Warsaw’s Archiwum Główne Akt Dawnych [Central Archives of Historical Records], more popularly known by its acronym AGAD, has been a PMC partner for over a decade as a part of our collaboration with the Head Office of the Polish National Archives (NDAP). As a result, several archivists and conservation experts have come…Continue Reading Collaboration with AGAD: A String of Miracles…

PMC, Wars & UNESCO: Finis Coronat Opus

By Marek Zebrowski Those readers who have frequented the PMC Newsletter lately will know that we have been celebrating an important honor recently bestowed by the Polish UNESCO Committee upon the PMC’s Henryk Wars/Henry Vars Manuscript Collection—these articles can be found at “UNESCO and its Polish History and Culture Program” and “UNESCO Honors PMC Archives“….Continue Reading PMC, Wars & UNESCO: Finis Coronat Opus

Oct 2024: Celebrating Henryk Wars ~ UNESCO Honors & 40 Years of PMC

The USC Polish Music Center presents the Paderewski Lecture-Recital, an annual concert event commemorating pianist, composer and statesman Ignacy Jan Paderewski by spotlighting current achievements in Polish music.  The USC Polish Music Center is home to the world-renowned archival collection of Henryk Wars (aka Henry Vars, 1902-1977), Poland’s foremost film composer of the inter-war era, whose hit tunes…Continue Reading Oct 2024: Celebrating Henryk Wars ~ UNESCO Honors & 40 Years of PMC

PMC Gifts: May/June 2024

From the Chopin University Press The Polish Music Center recently received a large package of gifts for our library from our colleagues at the Chopin Music University. Sent by Marzena Radowska, the delivery was filled with fascinating recordings made by musicians associated with this prestigious institution, many of which are award nominees or winners already….Continue Reading PMC Gifts: May/June 2024

Exhibition: “Memory of Poland. UNESCO Memory of the World Program National List – 5th Edition”

The manuscript of the Nobel-prize winning epic novel Chłopi [The Peasants], the dethronement act of Tsar Nicholas I, the “golden bull” of the Polish language from 800 years ago, the works of Henryk Wars, the legacy of Jerzy Kukuczka and 12 other priceless historical documents were included this year on the UNESCO Memory of the…Continue Reading Exhibition: “Memory of Poland. UNESCO Memory of the World Program National List – 5th Edition”

UNESCO Honors PMC Archives

On June 26 at the Belweder—the Presidential Palace in Warsaw—the 2024 UNESCO Pamięć Świata/Memory of the World ceremony will take place. The palace’s elegant ballroom will be filled to capacity with distinguished guests, among them Marek Zebrowski, representing the USC Polish Music Center and Dennis Mitchell, grandson of Henryk Wars (1902-1977). Poland’s President, Andrzej Duda,…Continue Reading UNESCO Honors PMC Archives

UNESCO and its Polish History and Culture Program

Founded in London in November of 1945 and headquartered in Paris, UNESCO—the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization—is an agency that aims to promote world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences, and culture. Thanks to the PMC’s longstanding relationship with the National Archives in Poland, we have learned of the…Continue Reading UNESCO and its Polish History and Culture Program