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Szymanowski Gala

Celebrating the 125th Birthday of Poland’s Greatest Modern Composer, Saturday, October 13 at 2pm, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall

Featuring:

The Penderecki String Quartet;
Pianist Anna Kijanowska;
Mezzo Edyta Kulczak (Metropolitan Opera) and Pianist Steven Eldredge and;
Violinist Hanna Lachert (NY Philharmonic) and Pianist Helene Jeanney

The Polish Sejm has declared 2007 the Year of Szymanowski, and the Kosciuszko Foundation is presenting a special concert in his honor, which I am inviting you to attend and support.

Marek Jurek, Speaker of the Sejm, described Szymanowski’s achievements:

After a period of stagnation in Polish music following Chopin’s death, it was he [Szymanowski] who provided it with an invigorating impulse for further development. Today he is recognized as the spiritual father of 20th-century Polish music. He developed his own musical style, introducing elements of folk music, which became a guiding star for generations of Polish composers. Without his output, which has been seeing a huge renaissance over recent decades, Polish music culture would not have achieved a standard that gives it a prominent place in the world.

To mark the 125th birthday anniversary of Poland’s greatest modern composer, the Kosciuszko Foundation will present a —Szymanowski Gala Concert—on Saturday, October 13, at 2 PM, at the Weill Recital Hall of Carnegie Hall.

Renowned Polish artists are featured in a concert of chamber, vocal, and piano solo music giving an overview of Szymanowski’s work. The Penderecki String Quartet will play both of his quartets; mezzo soprano Edyta Kulczak, from the Metropolitan Opera, will sing two groups of songs, including the folk-based —Kurpian Songs—. Folk music from Zakopane was likewise the inspiration for Szymanowski’s Mazurkas, from which Anna Kijanowska will play a group; and violinist Hanna Lachert, of the New York Philharmonic, will perform his Violin Sonata.

Tickets: $ 25 / $15
Special Discounts for KF Members / Students
Information / Reservations / Details: Call the Kosciuszko Foundation 212-734-2130
Concert supported by the Cierpik Szymanowski Fund.