With great sadness we announce the passing of Robert J. Vars, the son of the great Polish composer of film and symphonic music, Henryk Wars. Born on March 10, 1934, in Warsaw as Robert Józef Warszawski, he celebrated his 90th birthday earlier this year and died in Los Angeles after a brief illness on November…Continue Reading A Life in Music and Law
It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Janusz Olejniczak, a monumental figure in Polish music. Olejniczak, a virtuoso pianist, teacher, and advocate for Chopin’s music, passed away on October 20, 2024 at the age of 72. Born in Wrocław in 1952, Janusz Olejniczak’s talent was apparent from an early…Continue Reading In Memoriam: Janusz Olejniczak (1952–2024)
We regret to inform our readers that Ewa Podleś, the great Polish opera singer, passed away on January 19, 2024 at the age of 71. Possessing a beautiful and rare true contralto voice with a range of three-plus octaves, Ewa Podleś sang in the most prestigious houses around the world—Teatro alla Scala, Deutsche Oper Berlin,…Continue Reading Obituary: Ewa Podleś, an Opera Legend
It is our deep sorrow to report that our friend and former PMC librarian, Dr. Barbara Zakrzewska, passed away in Poznań on November 30, 2023 at the age of 77….Continue Reading Obituary: Composer and Musicologist Barbara Zakrzewska
An Obituary by Marek Zebrowski Hy Blythe, an iconic figure in Paso Robles for many decades and a great champion of Ignacy Jan Paderewski, died at home on 31 March 2023. He was 95 years old. He left his wife, Hellie (pictured together above, at their home in 2007), daughter Leslie and son William, as…Continue Reading MEMORIES AND INSPIRATIONS
An Obituary of Stefan Wenta by Marek Zebrowski Stefan Wenta, a world-renowned dancer and choreographer, author, chess master and bibliophile, died in Los Angeles on August 8. He was 92 years old. Dance was his passion and destiny. Although in his rich and eventful life Wenta’s accomplishments spanned many different artistic endeavors, Terpsichore was his…Continue Reading Taking the Last Step
By Marek Zebrowski With great sadness we announce the sudden passing of Joanna Bruzdowicz on November 3, 2021 at her home in the French Pyrenees. She was 78. Born in Warsaw on 17 May 1943, Joanna Bruzdowicz was a child prodigy, who began to compose at the age of six. She studied composition with Kazimierz…Continue Reading If Music Be the Food of Love… A Tribute to Joanna Bruzdowicz
With great sadness, we note passing of one of Polish Music Center’s friends and supporters, Dr. Teodor Polak. After a long illness, he died in his sleep in Los Angeles on 8 June 2021 at the age of 92. Born near Warsaw on November 9, 1928, already as a teenage patriot he joined the Polish…Continue Reading Dr. Teodor Polak In Memoriam
The distinguished conductor Kazimierz Kord died on 29 April 2021 at the age of 90. His artistic biography is a great chapter of Polish culture. In 1969-1973 he was director of the National Symphony Orchestra of Polish Radio and Television, from 1977 to 2001 he was director of the Warsaw Philharmonic, in 2005-2006 he was…Continue Reading In Memoriam: Kazimierz Kord
Professor Marcin Błażewicz, composer, lecturer at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music, and member of the Polish Composers’ Union died on 5 April 2021 in Podkowa Leśna at the age of 68. He studied philosophy at the Academy of Catholic Theology in Warsaw (now the Cardinal Wyszyński University), and later composition with Marian Borkowski at…Continue Reading Marcin Błażewicz Obituary