Tag: March 2015

Svrček & Bacewicz in Los Angeles

On March 17 in the Colburn School of Music’s Zipper Hall in Downtown Los Angeles, pianist and contemporary music specialist Susan Svrček performed Polish composer Grażyna Bacewicz’s Sonata No. 2 (1953). Entitled “Oh, for the love of…,”this Piano Spheres program also included Domenico Scarlatti’s Three Sonatas, Lou Harrison’s Six Sonatas, Chen Yi’s China West Suite and Julia Gomelskaya’s Gutsulka-dance (performed with…Continue Reading Svrček & Bacewicz in Los Angeles

Pasadena Master Chorale Presents “The Sound of Heaven”

Haunting and beautiful harmonies of modern master composers Arvo Pärt, John Tavener and Henryk Mikołaj Górecki were performed by the Pasadena Master Chorale on March 21 and 22, 2015. Singer and writer Lauri D. Goldenhersh, of singer networking website www.laurislist.net, wrote a review entitled Heaven in SoCal: Modern choral with Pasadena Master Chorale. Below is an excerpt: Finally, the concert…Continue Reading Pasadena Master Chorale Presents “The Sound of Heaven”

Cracow Duo at PMC

For two weeks in February, Jan Kalinowski and Marek Szlezer conducted extensive research in the Polish Music Center’s Zygmunt and Luisa Stojowski Collection. The two performers, scholars, and faculty members at the Kraków Music Academy came to Los Angeles on a grant from their institution to survey the manuscripts of various cello and piano works…Continue Reading Cracow Duo at PMC

Cracow Duo Shines At Newman

A Review by Marek Zebrowski On Tuesday, 24 February, the large crowd gathered in USC’s Alfred Newman Recital Hall greeted the onstage entrance of cellist Jan Kalinowski and pianist Marek Szlezer—otherwise known as the Cracow Duo—with hearty applause. Without much fuss, the two young musicians quickly launched into Chopin’s Op. 3 Polonaise and dispatched it…Continue Reading Cracow Duo Shines At Newman

Measuring Up To Film

This year’s PMC spring concert is a joint collaboration between the PMC, the USC Thornton School of Music’s Composition Department, and the USC School of Cinematic Arts. Entitled “Measures & Frames” and presented by Visions & Voices—USC’s Arts and Humanities Initiative—the evening will combine music and film, seeking to discover the hidden and serendipitous connections…Continue Reading Measuring Up To Film

Recent Donations

PENDERECKI Chamber Works, Vol 1 (DUX 0780), Dedications: works for cello and piano (DUX 0986) and Polish Cello Music (DUX 0925) are 3 CDs donated by the Jan Kalinowski and Marek Szlezer of the Cracow Duo, during their recent time in the PMC. See above for discussions of their scholarly activities and performances.     …Continue Reading Recent Donations

Nowak Premiere & Opera Conference In Poznań

The Grand Theatre in Poznań had commissioned a new opera by Aleksander Nowak, Space Opera, czyli mężczyzna, kobieta i…. [Space Opera, or a Man, a Woman, and…], which will be premiered in Poznań on March 14, 2015. The libretto of the opera is by Georgi Gospodinow and the premiere will be conducted by Marek Moś….Continue Reading Nowak Premiere & Opera Conference In Poznań

Blecharz Premiere In Graz

On February 13, the World Premiere of ocean is not enough for 13 performers by Wojtek Blecharz was given by the Klangforum Wien, conducted by Clemont Power. This new work by Blecharz was commissioned as a part of Klangforum’s “impuls” program, and the premiere took place during the impuls Festival 2015. Impuls promotes and supports…Continue Reading Blecharz Premiere In Graz

PWM Celebrates 70 Years

Poland’s premiere music publishers, Polskie Wydawnictwo Muzyczne SA (PWM), celebrates 70 years of operations in 2015. It is appropriate that this anniversary lines up with the PMC’s own celebration of 35 years, as it was the close relationship with PWM—cultivated by PMC founder Wanda Wilk—that led to the development of the PMC’s extensive collection of…Continue Reading PWM Celebrates 70 Years

Twardowski Celebrations In Lublin

In 2015 the world will celebrate the 85th birthday of Romuald Twardowski. Born in 1930 in Vilnius, Twardowski is one of the greatest composers of Polish choral music. Apart from vocal works, he is also the author of numerous theatre and symphonic compositions. His keen sense for melodic invention, instrumentation, original form and the unique…Continue Reading Twardowski Celebrations In Lublin