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Prof. Danuta Szlagowska has died at 72

Prof. dr hab. Danuta Szlagowska, a scholar with great knowledge and passion, a member of the Polish Composers' Union, died on 13 March 2018.

The outstanding musicologist taught at the Academy of Music in Gdańsk since 1976 at the Department of Conducting, Composition and Theory of Music. In the years 2008-2016 she was the vice-director of the Institute of Music Theory, she was the coordinator of research projects related to music of the old Gdańsk. She teached classes in the history of music and music literature, as well as music psychology.

Apart from the Gdańsk University, in the years 2008-2014, she worked as a professor at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw, and also for ten years (1993-2003) lectured at the Feliks Nowowiejski Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz.

Danuta Szlagowska's achievements are extremely broad. A special place in her scientific research is taken by the history of music and music life of the old Gdańsk. As a result, monumental editions of catalogs were prepared, including a list of Gdańsk compositions in the collections of PAN Library in Gdańsk, State Archives in Gdańsk and State Library in Berlin. A number of articles devoted to this issue were published by the Gdańsk Music Academy Publishing House, and the last extremely important achievement in this field was the Thesaurus Musicae Gedanensis series (together with Prof. D. Popinigis), with the music editions of treasures of XVII century Gdańsk published in individual volumes.

From 1996, she was a member of the Polish Composers' Union.

Funeral ceremonies will take place on 17 March 2018 at the Central Cemetery "Srebrzysko" in Gdańsk-Wrzeszcz (2 Srebrniki Street) at 11.00 a.m.

Classical:NEXT – Rotterdam, 16-19 maja 2018

Instytut Adama Mickiewicza ogłasza kolejny otwarty nabór delegatów – polskich muzyków, menedżerów i promotorów – na najważniejsze targi muzyki klasycznej w Europie Classical:NEXT, które odbędą się w dniach 16–19 maja 2018 roku w Rotterdamie.

Mając na uwadze potrzebę rozwoju polskiego rynku muzyki klasycznej oraz promocji jego potencjału za granicą, Instytut Adama Mickiewicza po raz drugi organizuje stoisko polskie na Classical:NEXT. Nabór adresowany jest do tych organizatorów życia muzycznego, którzy pragną promować polskich artystów za granicą, rozszerzać sieć kontaktów i dystrybucji, podejmować współpracę z międzynarodowymi partnerami, a przede wszystkim – mają przemyślaną wizję międzynarodowej obecności artysty, produktu lub firmy/instytucji, które reprezentują. Osoby wyłonione w naborze zostaną zaproszone do wzięcia udziału w targach Classical:NEXT jako członkowie polskiej delegacji.

Classical:NEXT łączy formułę targów i konferencji branżowej. Stwarza uczestnikom możliwość swobodnych spotkań z najważniejszymi przedstawicielami międzynarodowego środowiska muzycznego, sieciowania, udziału w licznych konferencjach tematycznych i śledzenia najnowszych trendów w branży (w tym zastosowania nowych technologii w muzyce klasycznej). W 2017 roku wydarzenie zgromadziło około 1200 delegatów reprezentujących 640 firm i instytucji z 45 krajów, w tym: artystów, agentów koncertowych, przedstawicieli wytwórni płytowych, wydawców, agencji muzycznych, dystrybutorów, producentów, przedstawicieli mediów i instytucji artystycznych (www.classicalnext.com).

Żeby się zgłosić należy wypełnić formularz zgłoszeniowy (dostępny na stronie www.iam.pl) i przesłać go na adres: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. do 2 kwietnia 2018 roku, do godz. 23:59. Wyniki naboru zostaną ogłoszone 5 kwietnia 2018 roku na stronie www.iam.pl

Warszawa | Premiera quasi-opery dla dzieci Piotra Wróbla

18 marca 2018 roku w Filharmonii Narodowej odbędzie się premiera quasi-opery dla dzieci w dwóch aktach Piotra Wróbla Król Midas w rękach bogów na podstawie scenariusza Katarzyny Podlasińskiej.

Kolejna premiera z cyklu „Opera w filharmonii” będzie wyjątkowym wydarzeniem. Po raz pierwszy zaprezentowana zostanie opera dla dzieci powstała w 2017 roku na specjalne zamówienie Filharmonii Narodowej. Głównym bohaterem przedstawienia Król Midas w rękach bogów w reżyserii Jitki Stokalskiej jest mityczny król Midas. Jego historia jest powszechnie znana i przez swą prostotę, a zarazem mądrość przemawia tak do dorosłych, jak i do dzieci. Król Midas zasłynął z zamiłowania do bogactwa oraz z tego, że przyprawiono mu ośle uszy. Podobnie jak inne postacie z mitologii, był igraszką w rękach bogów. Dlatego na scenie pojawią się tym razem mieszkańcy Olimpu, którzy mimo swego boskiego pochodzenia wcale nie są wolni od ludzkich słabości i przywar.

Nowością tej opery jest również obsada. Obok fortepianu pełniącego rolę orkiestry pojawi się złocisty puzon, który będzie symbolizował władcę o oślich uszach.

Utwór prawykonają: Magda Beucher (sopran), Krzysztof Ciupiński-Świątek (tenor), Karol Skwara (bas), Piotr Wróbel (puzon), Maurycy Stawujak (fortepian). Poprowadzi wydarzenie Katarzyna Podlasińska.

Informacja o biletach: http://filharmonia.pl

Minsk | A musical journey through the century

A concert on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of regaining independence by Poland will take place at the Belarusian State Philharmonic in Minsk on 18 March 2018 . The Classic-Avangard ensemble, directed by Wladimir Bajdow, will perform works by Polish and Belarusian composers.

The organizers of the concert are the Polish Composers' Union, the Polish Music Information Center POLMIC, the Polish Institute in Minsk and the Belarusian State Philharmonic. The project is financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage as part of the Multiannual Program INDEPENDENT 2017-2021, as part of the grant program of the Adam Mickiewicz Institute "Cultural bridges".

"With this concert, we want to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of Poland's regaining independence in 1918. After 123 years of partitions, when Poland existed only in the hearts of Poles, the Republic returned to the map of Europe and the world as an independent country. In the program of the concert, we have works by Ignacy Jan Paderewski, a great pianist and an outstanding composer, but also a politician. Thanks to him, the cause of Poland's independence gained the support of the United States of America, and he himself was – albeit briefly – the first prime minister of the Polish government after regaining independence. The program also includes works by Karol Szymanowski, the most outstanding composer of independent Poland, reborn in 1918. At this time, Polish avant-guard was born, and Szymanowski was its father in the field of music. Zygmunt Krauze, a contemporary composer with an exceptionally expressive individual feature, also refers to the interwar avant-garde. He reaches for the pattern of "unism", the theory formulated by Władysław Strzemiński, one of the most important painters and theoreticians of that new Polish avant-garde, who regained independence. The works of these and other Polish composers are complemented by works of composers associated with Belarus. I am curious about Polish themes in their compositions, for example Dzmitry Łybin will present a piece entitled Journey from Cracow to Vienna" – noted Mieczysław Kominek, Managing Director of the Polish Composers' Union.

The management of the Belarusian State Philharmonic emphasizes: "This concert will be a musical gift for the neighboring Republic of Poland on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of independence and will once again confirm the long and close friendly relations between our republics."

Media patronage: Polish Music Information Centre POLMIC.

Additional information – on the website of the Belarusian State Philharmonic.

More about events related to Polish culture around the world at: www.culture.pl

Gdańsk | Cztery pory roku dla dzieci

18 marca 2018 roku w Polskiej Filharmonii Bałtyckiej im. F. Chopina odbędzie się koncert familijny „Cztery pory roku dla dzieci”.

Cztery kilogramy nut, po jednym z każdej Pory Roku, szczypta talentu skrzypcowego, dwie szczypty talentu wokalnego i pół łyżeczki poetyckiego tekstu. Składniki dokładnie mieszamy i cierpliwie czekamy aż powstanie apetyczne... ciasteczko! To niezawodny przepis na znakomitą muzyczną ucztę. Polska Filharmonia Bałtycka zaprasza na familijny koncert ze słynnymi Czterema porami roku Antonio Vivaldiego i piosenkami opartymi na motywach arcydzieła, które skomponował dr hab. Piotr Salaber, profesor Wydziału Dyrygentury, Jazzu i Edukacji Muzycznej Akademii Muzycznej imienia Feliksa Nowowiejskiego w Bydgoszczy, kompozytor muzyki teatralnej i filmowej, laureat nagrody Honorowa Perła Polskiej Gospodarki w dziedzinie Kultura.

Dzieci i dorośli wyruszą w niezwykłą podróż po muzycznych porach roku. Główny bohater Vivaldi będzie szukał inspiracji do stworzenia najpiękniejszego koncertu wszech czasów. Zafascynowany wiosennym śpiewem słowika psróbuje rozszyfrować ptasi alfabet. Zbudzony z letniego snu przez odgłosy nadchodzącej burzy chętnie będzie się bawił dźwiękami i tonacjami barw. Na jesiennym straganie w bajeczny sposób ożywi dary natury, tocząc z nimi zabawne spory o wyższości dźwięku C nad D. Zimą zaprosi do rodzinnego domu i przy kominku będzie snuł wzruszającą opowieść o choince i Świętym Mikołaju. Z pudełek z prezentami odpakuje wzruszające wspomnienia, a najpiękniejsze z nich ozdobi muzyką.

W koncercie wezmą udział aktorzy Bogdan Smagacki i Maja Gadzińska, klawesynista Aleksander Przeradowski, soliści baletu Opery Bałtyckiej oraz Orkiestra kameralna pod dyrekcją Natalii Walewskiej.

Informacja o biletach – na stronie: http://www.filharmonia.gda.pl

With Polish music in neighbouring countries on the 100th anniversary of Independence

"With Polish music in neighbouring countries on the 100th anniversary of Independence" is the title of the project which Polish Composers' Union and Polish Music Information Centre POLMIC pursue in 2018 as part of the "Cultural Bridges" programme.

The project includes the organization of three concerts of Polish music with partners from neighboring countries: Belarus, Slovakia and Hungary. The core of the repertoire of the concerts, which main goal is to promote Polish music in the context of the 100th anniversary of regaining Independence, are the works of Ignacy Jan Paderewski – one of the "fathers" of independence, Karol Szymanowski – who gave the reborn Polish music European fame, and Zygmunt Krauze – contemporary composer who refers to the idea of Władysław Strzemiński's Unism. In addition, works by Mieczysław Karłowicz, Krzysztof Penderecki, Hanna Kulenty, Wojciech Kilar, Justyna Kowalska-Lasoń and Maciej Bałenkowski will be performed abroad. The programme will also include works by local composers referring to Poland and selected by foreign partners.

The performance of all concerts will be entrusted to local musicians and bands, including Classic-Avantgarde Ensemble under the direction of Vladimir Bajdov, the Slovak Chamber Orchestra of Bogdan Warchal under the direction of Ewald Danel and the Solti String Orchestra conducted by Mátyás Antál. This will create an opportunity to familiarize foreign performers with Polish music, which has a chance to remain permanently in their repertoire. Each concert will be preceded by a lecture prepared by a local expert, supported by the necessary source information provided by the organizers.

Venues and dates of the concerts: Belarusian State Philharmonic, Minsk (18/03/2018), Slovak Radio Building, Bratislava (27/09/2018), Óbudai Társaskör, Budapest (05/11/2018).

The project is financed from the funds of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage under the Multi-annual Program INDEPENDENT 2017-2021, as part of the subsidy program of the Adam Mickiewicz Institute "Cultural Bridges".

More about events related to Polish culture worldwide: www.culture.pl

Warsaw | Tadeusz Paciorkiewicz: Organ and chamber music on his 20th death anniversary

A concert dedicated to the memory of Professor Tadeusz Paciorkiewicz will take place in the Concert Hall of the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw on March 19, 2018 at 7 p.m.

The composer, teacher and organist for many years was associated with the Warsaw Music University. In 1954 he also began teaching at the State Higher School of Music in Warsaw – from 1968 as a professor. In the years 1963-69 he was the dean of the Faculty of Composition, Theory and Conducting, and in 1969-71 – the rector of the Warsaw University of Music. Tadeusz Paciorkiewicz received many awards and distinctions, including Awards of the Minister of National Defense (1968 and 1974), Awards of the Minister of Culture and Art (1969 and 1978), Third Degree State Award (1969), Badge of the Distinguished Culture Activist (1972), Prime Minister's Award for works for children and youth (1979) and the Award of the Polish Composers' Union (1985). He was also awarded the Knight's and Officer's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta, the Medal of the National Education Commission, the Medal of Merits for the Warsaw Music Society and the Honorary Golden Badge of Merits for Warsaw.

Tadeusz Paciorkiewicz never tried to be a part of the avant-garde. He always walked his own way, which ran on the peripheries of tradition. At the "Warsaw Autumn" Festival only two of his pieces were performed, which indicates the conservative character of Paciorkiewicz's music. In the program of the concert, we will hear the organ and chamber pieces of the composer: Sonata in F sharp minor, Diptychos and Gothic Fantasy for organ, Aria for viola and organ, and Duo Concertante for organ and piano. The compositions will be performed by organists Sebastian Kuczyński, Paweł Opala, Krzysztof Ostrowski, Szymon Sobutkowski, Małgorzata Trzaskalik-Wyrwa, viola player Joanna Ławcewicz-Musialik and pianist Maciej Wota. Artistic coordinators: dr hab. Jarosław Wróblewski, prof. UMFC.

Free admission cards are available from March 5, 2018 at the Chopin University Press.

Media patronage: Polish Music Information Centre POLMIC.

Warsaw | Michał Dobrzyński's "Tango" opera based on Sławomir Mrożek's drama

The opera of Michał Dobrzyński Tango, based on the drama by Sławomir Mrożek, will be staged at the Warsaw Chamber Opera Theater (76b Solidarnosci Aveue) on March 17, 2018 at 7.00 p.m.

Tango by Sławomir Mrożek, one of the pearls of the Polish drama, is in its ambiguity and timelessness a material perfect for an experiment with form and convention. The fact that until today no one has taken the risk of translating the drama into the language of the opera is as much astounding as it is intriguing. It is not without significance that the specificity of a work belonging to the canon of literature requires more than just music. Indisputably, the fact that Michał Dobrzyński has taken on this difficult task from the compositional side, becomes the guarantor of a skilful combination of the contemporary composer's technique with an understanding of the specificity of the literary prototype. Not without significance is the fact that Dobrzyński himself has already translated Operetta by Witold Gombrowicz into a modern opera language, and he was so successful that both critics' and music-lovers' opinions were full of appreciation for his work. And it is worth noting that this unanimity of opinions was not ephemeral. The success was confirmed by the invitation to the festival of chamber operas in Vienna, from where it was broadcast by ARTE television.

Opera as an art gives an excellent opportunity to show the ambiguity of the literary original. The typical means of expression, a typical arsenal of the stage drama, comes in the quality of music, phrasing, building tension and conflict through sound. This is indisputably accompanied by the ambiguity and multidimensionality of Mrożek's work. The multitude of conflicts, the plurality of interpretations, and finally the very message corresponding to the academic "what the author wanted to tell us" is the field of performance in the opera convention. Taking into account the composer's workshop, his artistry and the experience of the group of performers, one can expect the continuation of the success of the Operetta. Tango itself will undoubtedly be included in the pages of the latest history of the Warsaw Chamber Opera.

Information about tickets at:: www.operakameralna.pl

Szczecin | The story of sin

On March 17, 2018 at 7.00 p.m. The Opera At The Castle in Szczecin invites viewers to the ballet The Story of sin in the choreography of Karol Urbański, with music of Mieczysław Karłowicz.

A perfectly danced narration is embellished with beautiful costumes and impressive visualizations. Strong emotions and the beauty of dancing in the purest form. Can the love of a woman bring her down to the very bottom? Is she able to save her dignity in a man-dominated world? The performance is inspired by the film of Walerian Borowczyk, hailed as the biggest scandal of Polish cinema, and equally famous book by Stefan Żeromski of the same title. The story of a woman alone in the world of men. A woman who, driven by passions, goes to the very bottom. A woman who can bounce off this bottom and save a part herself. Also world history. A world in which our emotions, feelings and weaknesses are seen like at the window display.

Ballet The story of sin is a meeting with literature, and even with ... film. The performance gained a cinematic expression, becoming a ballet fiction, a dance adaptation of the narrated content. Karol Urbański, the creator of this spectacle, illustrated the story with music from the period – the late Romantic symphonic poems by Mieczysław Karłowicz, which will be presented by the Orchestra of the Opera at the Castle under the direction of Jerzy Wołosiuk. The solo vocal parts will be performed by Joanna Tylkowska-Drożdż and Paweł Wolski.

Information about tickets at: http://www.opera.szczecin.pl