Friends of Music continues its 25th Anniversary Season with a performance by two visiting artists from Gdansk, Poland on Sunday, May 15th at 3PM at the Cyr Center, West Main St. in Stamford, NY.
Pianist Rafal Lewandowski and cellist Jerzy Wujtewicz will perform a program of all-Polish composers: Chopin, Tansman and contemporary composer Alicia Jonas. Mr. Lewandowski has toured the United States previously but this will be his first visit to Stamford. He has recorded a DVD and several CDs, including 2 of works by Chopin. Dr. Wujtewicz performed with the Baltic Piano Trio for Friends of Music in April, 2008. Before appearing in Stamford the artists will be joined by a violinist in a performance at Bargemusic, a barge converted into a chamber music hall and moored in the East River at the base of the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City.
Rafal Lewandowski studied piano at the Academy of Music in Gdansk, Poland. In 1995 he won a scholarship to attend a master-class in Weimar under direction of the world-famous French pianist Bernard Ringeissen. Mr. Lewandowski continued his work with this eminent musician during a two-year period in Paris. He completed his studies with a unanimous First Prize at the Conservatoire Nationale de Musique Rueil Malmaison.
Mr. Lewandowski has given concerts and recitals in France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Denmark, Austria and several times in the United States. He made his New York debut as a soloist performing with the Princeton Symphony Orchestra in Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center. He has appeared at many prestigious festivals including “Rencontres Internationales Frederic Chopin a Nohant,” Pennsylvania Music Festival and the Summer Music Festival in Łancut. In 1999, proclaimed by UNESCO “The Year of Fryderyk Chopin,” Mr. Lewandowski gave a piano recital in the Jardin de Luxembourg, the garden of the French Senate in Paris.
Rafał Lewandowski made recordings for TV France3, TV Muzzik and Polish radio and television. He devotes much time to chamber music and collaborates with renowned instrumentalists, singers and conductors. He has recorded three CDs and a DVD, and videos of him performing can be seen on YouTube
Jerzy Wujtewicz studied at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Kiev under Professor Vadima Czerwowa. Under full scholarship, he graduated with distinction. He continued his education as an aspirant at the Moscow Conservatory under Professor Lev Ginzberg receiving a Doctorate in Science. Since 1988, Jerzy has been working at the S. Moniuszko Academy in Gdansk. He is a specialist in chamber music giving master classes, and also teaching cello and chamber classes. Dr. Wujtewicz performs as a soloist and as a member of a chamber group in Poland and abroad.
Friends of Music 25th Anniversary Season
May 15, 2011
Rafal Lewandowski, piano
Jerzy Wujtewicz, cello
Sonata for Cello and Piano Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin
(1810 – 1849)
Fantasia for Cello and Piano Alexandre Tansman
(1897 – 1986)
Quodlibet for Cello and Piano Alicia Jonas (Contemporary)
Intermission
The second half of today’s program will consist of solo piano pieces composed by Fryderyk Chopin and performed by Rafal Lewandowski.
Scherzo No. 1 in B minor, Op. 20
Scherzo No. 2 in B-flat minor
Barcarole in F-sharp major, Op. 60
Ballade No. 4 in F minor, Op. 52
Polonaise in A-flat major, Op. 53, Heroic or Drum
A big "Thank you!" to all of our donors and in particular to the Robinson-Broadhurst Foundation for their generosity which makes this concert and our entire series possible.
I've received some questions/critiques of the spelling I used for Chopin's name. In deference to the homeland of our performers and the composer, I used the Polish spelling of what we more commonly see in English and French as "Frédéric François Chopin."
ReplyDelete