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Jerzy Kaszycki – pianist, composer, sound and vision director, pedagogue, member of the Polish Composers' Union and honorary member of the Sfogato Music and Arts Society in Kraków – has passed away at the age of 93 in Kraków. The funeral will take place on 21 January 2020 at 1.40 p.m. at the Batowice Cemetery.

Jerzy Kaszycki was a graduate of the State Higher School of Music in Kraków (now the Academy of Music in Kraków): he studied piano in the class of Jan Hoffman and Sergiusz Nadgryzowski and composition under the direction of Stanisław Wiechowicz.

For many years he was associated with the Kraków Television. He was the music director of the Groteska Theatre in Kraków and also lectured at the State Higher School of Music in Kraków. He wrote music for around 75 theatre plays, working with such well-known directors as Mieczysław Kotlarczyk, Andrzej Wajda, Krystyna Skuszanka, and Jerzy Krasowski. He also gained popularity as an author of songs.

He received the Silver and Gold Cross of Merit, the "Merited Culture Activist" Badge, the Golden Badge of the City of Kraków, the Honorary Badge of the Polish Radio and Television. He was a member of the Management Board of the Krakow Branch of the Polish Composers' Union, as well as an honorary member of the Sfogato Music and Arts Society in Kraków.

The Choir Collegium Cantorum Friends' Association in Chełmno invites lovers of beautiful carols and pastorals on 18 January 2020 to the Hall of School Complex No. 1 in Chełmno (35 Dominikańska St.) for the 15th National Christmas Carols and Pastorals Competition.

The aim of the competition is to present the artistic achievements of choirs and vocal ensembles, stimulate interest in choral music, popularize artistically valuable Christmas carols and pastorals, confront the achievements, exchange experiences and establish cooperation between choirs and conductors. During the competition auditions choirs will be judged by a Jury composed of: Prof. Bernard Mendlik – Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz (chairman), Prof. Andrzej Ryłko – Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, DSc Michał Kozorys – Academy of Music in Gdańsk, Michał Rajewski – Artistic Director of the Competition. 24 choirs have signed up to the Competition! The compulsory programme includes works by Polish composers. The best choir will receive a Grand Prix of PLN 2,000. The jury will also grant a special award for the Best Conductor. Winners of individual choir will receive cups or material prizes.

As part of the Competition, choirs will march to the Grudziądz Gate and sing carols at the Christmas creche. The competition will end with a solemn mass, followed by the results announcement, award presentation and winners concert.

Media patronage: Polish Music Information Centre POLMIC.

More information at: https://www.facebook.com/Og%C3%B3lnopolski-Konkurs-Kol%C4%99d-i-Pastora%C5%82ek-w-Che%C5%82mnie-1790576574517934/ 

Małgorzata Walewska – one of the most recognized Polish opera singers – will perform songs by Mieczysław Karłowicz in the orchestration of Piotr Moss on 18 January 2020 at 6:00 p.m. at the National Forum of Music. The artist will be accompanied by a symphony orchestra conducted by Rego Bergmann.

Mieczysław Karłowicz's promising international career as a composer was interrupted by a fatal accident. During a hike to Czarny Staw Gąsienicowy, a lake in the Tatra Mountains, in February 1909, the artist was killed by an avalanche that descended from the slopes of Mały Kościelec. The core of his oeuvre are symphonic works, while songs were written earlier, but they are also noteworthy.

The fourth of the composer's tone poems, Stanisław and Anna Oświecim, was created under the influence of a picture painted by Stanisław Bergman. The story of the unfortunate, incestuous relationship of the title siblings strongly moved the composer and corresponded to the aesthetics of the era that enjoyed talking about spiritual torments and unhappy loves. The subject of the last tone poem, the Episode at a Masquerade, unfinished by Karłowicz, is similarly shaped. According to the account of the conductor and composer Grzegorz Fitelberg, who finished the work after the death of his colleague, its content is an unexpected meeting of ex-lovers during a ball. They are represented by two musical themes, a catchy theme representing the man and a sensual and slightly melancholic theme of the woman. The song ends in a mood of sadness and resignation.

Also in songs, Karłowicz often touched upon the theme of longing and unfulfillment permeated by the Young Poland's melancholy mood. They were written for voice and piano, so the January concert will be a great opportunity to be introduced to their orchestral versions. The soloist in these works will be Małgorzata Walewska, whose status is confirmed by well-received performances around the world.

More information at: https://www.nfm.wroclaw.pl/component/nfmcalendar/event/7332 

The annual cultural awards of the "Polityka" weekly were presented for the 27th time on 14 January 2020 at the Polish Theatre in Warsaw. On the list of this year's nominees, which were reported by critics and academics from the fields of theater, film, literature, visual arts, music and digital culture, were three artists representing classical music: Krystian Lada, Jakub Józef Orliński and Martyna Pastuszka.

Countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński received the "Polityka's Passport" award for his "uncommon ability to evoke emotions in the interpretations of early music. For the beautiful voice, stage charisma, diligence, ambitious repertoire and humility towards music. "

Jakub Józef Orliński (b. 1990, Warsaw) studied at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw, attended the Opera Academy at the National Opera, and completed post-graduate studies at The Juilliard School of Music in New York. For him, recent years have been a series of successes – awards and performances on world stages – crowned with the title of the Best Young Artist of the Year by "Gramophone" magazine and the Coryphaues of Polish Music Award. The prestigious "New Yorker" published a multi-page article devoted to the Polish singer. His latest album Facce d'amore, recorded with the Il Pomo d'Oro ensemble, met with great interest and confirmed his extraordinary talent and exceptional voice.

More information at: https://www.polityka.pl/tygodnikpolityka/kultura/paszporty/1938106,1,muzyka-powazna-jakub-jozef-orlinski-laureatem-paszportow-polityki.read 

Od prawie 10 lat organizowany jest w Nowym Jorku w USA Międzynarodowy Konkurs Wokalny American Protégé. Jest on rozpisany w kilku grupach wiekowych i różnych kategoriach: opera, klasyka, muzyka tradycyjna / ludowa, musical / jazz. Każdego roku do konkursu zgłasza się kilkuset uczestników z USA, Kanady, Kostaryki, Trynidad i Tobago, Wielkiej Brytanii, Niemiec, Włoch, Arabii Saudyjskiej, Chin, Indii, Tajlandii, Singapuru, Japonii, Korei Południowej, Wysp Karaibskich, Tajwanu, Filipin, Australii i wielu innych krajów. American Protégé jest konkursem wyjątkowym, o zasięgu światowym, bowiem wybór laureatów dokonywany jest drogą przesłuchań opublikowanych nagrań video zgłoszonych uczestników, spośród których wybrani laureaci prezentują swoje umiejętności w Carnegie Hall w Nowym Jorku.

W czerwcu ubiegłego roku, jeszcze będąc 13-letnim uczniem klasy śpiewu solowego prof. Sylwii Burnickiej-Kalischewskiej, Alexander Kalischewski wziął udział w Konkursie, prezentując następujące utwory: Giuseppe Giordaniego Caro mio ben, Franza Schuberta Minnelied oraz Luigiego Denzy słynną pieśń Funiculi funicula. Otrzymawszy 1. nagrodę, Alexander wykonał 21 grudnia 2019 roku w Koncercie Laureatów Konkursu American Protégé w nowojorskiej sali koncertowej Carnegie Hall znany i lubiany utwór Funiculi funicula. Alexandrowi akompaniował przy fortepianie Romuald Kalischewski.

Sylwia Burnicka-Kalischewska