© Protected - Selected Classical Music in Poland and the Europe of Chopin - Reviewer's Notebook

  Ignacy Jan Paderewski (6 November 1860 – 29 June 1941) starring in the innocent and lyrical film Moonlight Sonata (1936) The 9th International Paderewski Piano Competition, Bydgoszcz, Poland 3-17 November 2013 http://www.michael-moran.com/2013/10/ix-international-paderewski-piano.html The 10th International Paderewski Piano Competition, Bydgoszcz, Poland  6-20 November 2016 https://michael-moran.org/blog/ The 11th International Paderewski Piano Competition Bydgoszcz, Poland 10-24 November 2019 https://michael-moran.org/2019/10/23/the-11th-international-paderewski-piano-competition-10-24-xi-2019/ The 12th International Paderewski Piano Competition Bydgoszcz, Poland   November 6th – 20th, 2022 http://www.michael-moran.com/2022/11/the-12th-international-paderewski-piano.html    

As is always the case with this pianist, I am overcome with superlatives. He is one of the great period piano specialists but also has a commanding keyboard technique and deep musical insight that convinces completely on the modern instrument. This individualistic and highly talented young Russian pianist has studied extensively in Moscow and Frankfurt specializing in the  fortepiano  (as the period instrument is called in England). He has taken part successfully in many piano competitions and festivals throughout the world. He was awarded an Honourable Mention in the  1st International Chopin Competition on Period Instruments. 2–14 September 2018.   I felt he should have been placed far higher.  His full biography is here:  https://www.ablogin.de/biography    Much has changed and many prestigious awards since last I wrote about him. He performed this evening on a  modern instrument. At the time I first heard him, I wrote of hi...

  World-renowned musicians and pianists have been assembled to play at the  80th Anniversary  Duszniki-Zdrój International Chopin Festival  1-9 August 2025 The longest-running international piano festival in the world with great traditions Concerts August 1st 8:00 p.m. – Festival Opening (symphonic concert) I am reliably informed that the National Philharmonic Orchestra will play at Duszniki  Soloists: Mikhail Pletnev  August 2nd 4:00 PM – 2025 Van Cliburn Competition Gold Medal 8:00 PM - Sergei Babayan  August 3rd 4:00 PM - Kevin Chen 8:00 PM - Gabriela Montero  August 4th 4:00 PM - Kyohei Sorita 8:00 p.m. – Krzysztof Jablonski  August 5th 4:00 p.m. – Manami Suzuki 1st prize – 12th Hamamatsu Piano Competition 2024 9:00 PM – Nocturne  August 6th 4:00 PM - Aimi Kobayashi 8:00 PM - Boris Giltburg  August 7th 4:00 PM - Philipp Lynov 8:00 p.m. - Piotr Anders...

The embrace of the romantic landscape of Fryderyk Chopin and Poland continues to evolve. A most beautiful and moving festival has just begun at her final home in the historic town of  Skierniewice about 90 kms from Warsaw. As we are not taking a romantic carriage ride in the manner of Madame Bovary, the motor car journey takes a little over an hour. This first recital given by Kevin Kenner was personally a deeply moving musical and personal experience for me. The association with Chopin and his illusioned adolescent love, so poignantly expressed in his letters, touched me profoundly in a manner the details of which I cannot reveal. In 1824, Konstancja Gładkowska began studying singing at the Warsaw conservatory under Carlo Soliva. After completing her studies, she joined the ensemble of artists of the Warsaw opera theatre. From her first performances, she was considered an exceptionally talented singer. On 21 April 1829, at a concert of soloists from the Warsaw conse...