The semi-annual magazine of the Foundation of the

CHOPIN FOUNDATION OF THE UNITED STATES, INC. Officers & Directors Krzysztof Penderecki - Honorary Chairman Blanka A. Rosenstiel - Founder & President Olga Melin - Vice President Richard Lubman - Treasurer SPRING 2017 Renate Ryan - Secretary Volume XXVII / Number 2 Directors Agustin Anievas, Roberta O. Chaplin, Norman Edelcup, Rosa-Rita Gonzalez, Dr. William J. Hipp, Lorraine Sonnabend TABLE OF CONTENTS Artistic Advisory Committee Dr. Adam Aleksander, Agustin Anievas, Kevin Kenner, Margarita Shevchenko Message from the Founder and President...... 2 Executive Director Chopin Foundation Donors and Contributors...... 3 Jadwiga Viga Gewert Message from the Executive Director...... 4 Regional Councils Mack McCray - San Francisco Chopin Council Highlights from 2016-2017 Season ...... 5 Allan Park - Northwest Chopin Council Robert Joskowiak - Virginia Chopin Council 2017-2018 Chopin Foundation Concert Season ...... 6 Scholarship Committee Dr. Adam Aleksander, Peter Miyamoto, Tian Ying Sponsors...... 7

Advisory Board New Acquisition for the Chopin Museum in ...... 8-9 Bonnie Barrett - Yamaha Artist Services Joel Harrison - American Association Chopin Prizes, National & Florida State MTNA Competition ...... 10 Gary Ingle - Music Teachers National Association Ron Losby - Steinway & Sons Sponsor Highlight...... 11 International Artistic Advisory Council Folk Influences on the Music of Chopin & Szymanowski...... 12-15 Agustin Anievas, , Emanuel Ax, Jeffrey N. Babcock, John Bayless, Luiz Fernando Benedini, John Corigliano, Ivan Davis, Chopin Foundation Council of San Francisco...... 16 Christopher T. Dunworth, Charles Dutoit, Nelson Freire, Bruno Leonardo Gelber, Gary Graffman, Horacio Gutierrez, Marta Istomin, Byron Janis, James Chopin Foundation Council of the Northwest...... 17 Judd, Cyprien Katsaris, Zoltan Koscis, Garrick Ohlsson, Paloma O’Shea, Daniel Pollack, Maurizio Pollini, Abbey Simon, Michael Tilson Thomas, Charles Chopin Foundation Council of Virginia ...... 18 Wadsworth, Susan Wadsworth, International Federation of Chopin Societies ...... 19 Editorial Polonaise is published semi-annually by the Chopin Foundation of the USA Chopin Competition Conference ...... 19 1440 79th Street Causeway, Suite 117, , FL 33141 Scholarship Program for Young Pianists ...... 20 Editorial Office: 305.868.0624 • 305.865.5150 (Fax) E-mail: [email protected] • Website: www.chopin.org Contributions/Donations ...... 21 Publisher: Lady Blanka A. Rosenstiel Executive Editor: Jadwiga Viga Gewert Editor: Barbara Muze, Marketing/Development Manager Contributors: Allan Park, Robert Joskowiak, Mack McCray, Barbara Muze, Helena Houge, Mark Fountain, Beata Paszyc, Lynne Schaefer Cover photo: Chopin Monument by Jacques Froment-Meurice (1906) Design: Rick Tuckerman, Zoom IQ Creative Marketing at Parc Monceau in

Copyright © Chopin Foundation of the United States, Inc. All rights reserved. MESSAGE FROM THE FOUNDER

“Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.” Goethe’s Faust

Forty-five years ago I had a dream. My We must! And we must be steadfast in our efforts to insure that funding is dream was to give American pianists the available to support young American pianists and keep Chopin’s music alive. opportunity to perform Chopin’s music at the highest level. Further, my dream In order to continue our mission we need your help: was to see American pianists supported • Teachers: Please continue to prepare your students to enter the in such a way that they could compete Competition in 2020. The specific guidelines will soon be posted on our on an international level at the Warsaw website and will mirror the rules and requirements for the International Blanka A. Rosenstiel Chopin Competition. This is how the Competition in Warsaw. Everything we do is in support of your students. Founder and President Chopin Foundation was born. To think Please give them the tools they need to succeed. For additional inspiration, that this dream has now been a reality please go with your students to the Chopin Foundation video channel on for forty years is both humbling and inspiring: humbling because so many our website so they can watch performances by the competitors from 2015. like-minded individuals and sponsors have come forward to share in this dream, and inspiring because there has never been a more urgent time for us • Chopin Lovers: Please consider supporting the Chopin Foundation today. to work to keep this dream alive. There are many sponsorship opportunities available for the upcoming Competition: Winners’ prizes, special prizes for the best , polonaise, In February of 2020, the Chopin Foundation will present the 10th National sonata and concerto - and more. As you can imagine, the cost of the Chopin Piano Competition. It may sound like a long time from now, but Competition is extraordinary, but with your generous contributions, we can believe me, it is closer than we think. Scores of young pianists all across our again help these talented young pianists reach their dreams. Please contact nation are already hard at work to master the technicalities and intricacies of us so we can discuss your sponsorship of the 2020 Competition. the required Chopin repertoire. Teachers are diligently guiding these young hearts and minds to reach their musical goals. For many, the goal will be to Please enjoy this Spring 2017 edition of the Polonaise magazine. We hope get selected to come to Miami in 2020, perform at our competition and earn you find the news and articles of interest. Deepest thanks to our dear a place among our finalists. Then it is off to Warsaw to represent the US on members and supporters. I especially thank Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits an international stage, just like our 2015 first prize winner Eric Lu, who made and Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Chaplin for generously sponsoring our Chopin for us proud as a top finalist in front of the whole world. Who will give these All free concert series. Together we can keep the dream alive. incredibly talented young musicians the opportunity to achieve their dreams? Blanka A. Rosenstiel

2 // POLONAISE SPRING 2017 CHOPIN FOUNDATION DONORS AND CONTRIBUTORS

whoseWe visionextend and supportour havedeepest helped thanks us this year to with those our mission: to develop the next generation of great musicians! May we continue to add to this esteemed roster others who would join us in support of our mission. * Bruce Mencher * Sheila Brauchler FOUNDER * Avis Lee Neiman * Jasper & Carol Brock Lady Blanka A. Rosenstiel * Sabrina Noto Linda Brumagin * Dr. Jose & Maria Perez-Rivas GRAND BENEFACTORS * Andrzej Bytnar * Tiana Pierce * Harvey & Roberta Chaplin * Peter Capua * Ralph & Elizabeth Piotrovsky Richard Appelbaum * Dr. Carlos J. & Mrs. Carmen Dominguez * Kay Carpenter & B G Carter Gray & Sons Jewelers * Luis & Esther Pujol James Campbell * Keith & Agnes Gray * Buddy & Dina Cohen * Greater Miami Convention & * Daisy Richardson Miriam Castellanos Mark & Brenda Fountain Lucette Comer Visitors Bureau * Hedy Ringger & Jolanta Bak Edith Cubas Funding Arts Network * Barbara Cooper Lynn University * Carlos Rivas & Maria C. Aguilera Elyse Freedman * Marvin & Isa Leibowitz * Carmen Cuenca Piano Music Center /Tony Siciliano Miriam Rodriguez Walter Frohlich * Richard & Terry Lubman Sophie Dabrowska Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits * Carole Romer & William Nigh Marina Garrett * Eldris De La Torre Village of Key Biscayne BENEFACTORS * Andrew Rosenthal Margaret Gaub Wendy Erickson Yamaha Artist Services * Ruby Bacardi * Alicja Schoonover Eva Granatowski * Olga Figueras Dr. Bao-Tran Doan & Dolores Seidon Chuck Greif FOUNDATIONS/TRUSTS * Edith Hall Friedheim Bac Hai Nguyen * Peter & Lisa Seite Elyse Haberman Audrey Love Charitable Foundation * Roberto & Maritza Friedman * Norman Edelcup * Margaret Seroppian Marilynn Hagler Bachelor Foundation * Ariel Garcia & Ursula Zolnierska * Rosa-Rita Gonzalez * Daniel & Ilanit Setton Pedro Hernandez Rosenstiel Foundation * Zbigniew & Raquel Jarosz * Iga Henderson * Cecily Silberman Petrina Hurlbert Florman Family Foundation * Margarita Garcia * Paul and Beatriz Hicks * Charles & Sandra Simon Judith Hutchinson Louis Leibowitz Charitable Trust * Pamela Jo Garrison * Dr. William & Frankie Hipp * Clara Sredni Jose & Liannette Marquez * Lenore Gaynor GOVERNMENT GRANTS * Norman & Margaretha Leathers * Zygmunt Staszewski Teresa Mestre * Gerry Gibson City of Coral Gables * Janine Lennox * Barbara Stephens Claire Morga * Marcia Green Miami-Dade County * Olga & David Melin * Richard & Margarita Tonkinson Li Chiung Moyant * David & Lucille Godnik Department of Cultural * Renate Ryan * Duane & Liliana Treeman Patricia Navajas * Iga Henderson Affairs and Cultural Affairs * Stephen & Lorraine Sonnabend * Jacqueline Tuozzolo Wojciech Putz * Chie Hoban Council, the Miami-Dade Migdania Vega Eugene Ross PATRONS * Daniel & Sybille Holder County Mayor and the Jon Verbalis Leonard Sanginario Sari Agatston Helene Houge Board of Commissioners * Gerrit & Tatiana Verburg Isolina Santiago * Keiko Alexander * Chris Humberstone Miami-Dade County Tourist * Jean Warner Eileen M. Setton * Hilda Andrews & Luisa Ruffin Development Council * Ligia Wiegand Audrey Skopp * Drs. David Drucker * William Hutchinson City of Miami Beach, Cultural * Hadley & Jennifer Williams Suzanne Southwell & Lynn Atkinson * Dr. Kurien & Jasmin Jacob Affairs Program, Cultural * Julie & Bob Williamson Monica Sprouse * Evelyn Axler * Michael & Susan Kaufman Arts Council * Shelby Dennis Winstead Christine Strahan * Manuel & Rebecca Baez * Inna Kessel State of Florida, Department * Lawrence Wong Anthony Traveis Philip Balbi * Eva Kordos of State, Division of Cultural * Brenda Yarbrough Miara Mooi Wilten * Erica Balogh & Jim Barklow * Leda Kwiatek Maria Zayas Affairs and the Florida Council * George Berberian Eleanor Kyung FRIENDS of Arts and Culture * Jewel Bertman * Sonia & Barbara Laguna Sonia Alcazar CORPORATE SPONSORS * Irmengard “Ika” Bettendorf Dr. Joseph Lavinio Marian Alperstein American Pianists Association * Chopin Foundation Member * Charles Block * Christopher & Barbara Lunding Ada Antunez Friends of Broward Libraries POLONAISE SPRING 2017 // 3 MESSAGE FROM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Our fortieth season of concerts has been Eric Lu with Ariel Horowitz, a young talented American violinist. Drew very busy and exciting. We have introduced Petersen, a 2015 prize winner of the Leeds Competition, and a recipient five excellent Polish pianists to of our four-year scholarship, performed in November. The April audiences, including Ms. Katarzyna Popowa- concerts will feature, according to our tradition, selected young local Zydron, jury chair of the 2015 International piano students, and in May we’ll conclude the series with a concert by Chopin Competition, in a masterful Reed Tetzloff. performance of music by Schubert and Chopin. Janusz Olejniczak and Marek Drewnowski Our forty-first season is also filled with stars, established and rising – completed the series of Master pianists including Rafal Blechacz, first prize winner of the 2005 International presented in our annual Chopin Salon series. Chopin Competition in Warsaw, and the return of Kate Liu, Bronze Medalist of the 2015 Warsaw Competition. Also among the featured Among the artists featured in our Chopin for artists will be the 2017 winner of the American Pianists Association All series of free concerts we have presented Classical Award and a new winner from the Music Teachers National two Polish pianists of the young generation, Association Piano Performance Competition. Jadwiga Viga Gewert Krzysztof Ksiazek and Anna Miernik. This year’s Executive Director series also included two top winners of the 2015 Enjoy reading our magazine, and please join us at our concerts in National Chopin Competition who returned by popular demand: Rachel South Florida, San Francisco, Seattle and Virginia. For more information Kudo, this time to play solo and piano duo with Marina Radiushina, and on our programs please visit www.chopin.org.

Tony Siciliano (Piano Music Center) with Paulina Sokolowska Katarzyna Popowa Zydron with Lady Blanka and Kevin Kenner Marek Drewnowski with Inga & Francisco Senis and Janusz Oleniczak

Agnes & Keith Gray, and Iga Henderson with Janusz Oleniczak Katarzyna Popowa Zydron with Eva Kordos, Lady Blanka and Lady Blanka and Marek Drewnowski with delighted concert attendees Mrs. & Dr. Carlos Dominguez 4 // POLONAISE SPRING 2017 HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE 2016-2017 SEASON

November 2016 December 2016 January 2017 Drew Petersen with Isabel & Marvin Leibowitz Rachel Kudo & Marina Radiushina with Lady Blanka Ariel Horowitz and Eric Lu

February 26, 2017 – Chopin in Key Biscayne February 2017 March 2017 Noah Waddell with Mayor of Key Biscayne, Mayra Pena Lindsay, Krzysztof Ksiazek Anna Miernik Vice Mayor, Franklin Caplan, Chopin Foundation Executive Director, Viga Gewert and Commissioner Patricia Woodson

POLONAISE SPRING 2017 //5 2017-2018 CHOPIN CONCERT SEASON

CHOPIN FOR ALL FREE CONCERTS SALON CONCERTS All Concerts are presented in two locations: La Gorce Country Club, 4:00pm 5785 Alton Road, Miami Beach, FL 33410 Saturdays at 3:00 pm Broward County Main Library, 100 S. Andrews Avenue, Fort Lauderdale Nov 19, 2017 Yves Henry – An internationally acclaimed French On Sundays at 3:00 pm Underwritten by BARNES INTERNATIONAL REALTY MIAMI Granada Presbyterian Church, 950 University Drive, Coral Gables Jan 21, 2018 Mei-Ting Sun – Winner of the 2005 National Chopin Competition Underwritten by LIGIA WIEGAND Nov 4, 5, 2017 Elzbieta Bilicka, prize winner of the 2016 International Paderewski Competition April 15, 2018 Andrew Armstrong, Silver Medalist of the 1995 National Chopin Competition Dec 2, 3, 2017 Timothy Jones, 2017 winner of the Music & Frank Almond, concertmaster of the Teachers National Association Competition Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Underwritten by David & Olga Melin

Jan 13, 14, 2018 Alex Beyer, prize winner of both the 2015 National Chopin and International Queen Elisabeth Competitions SPECIAL CONCERTS Sept 9, 2017 Magdalena Baczewska, Director, Columbia University Music Performance Program Feb 10, 11, 2018 Athena Tsianos, an outstanding young American pianist Presented in partnership with the Florida State Music Teachers Association Annual Conference at the Biltmore Hotel, Coral Gables, FL

Feb 25, 2018 Chopin at Key Biscayne March 3, 4, 2018 Kate Liu, 2015 Bronze Medalist of the International Chopin Competition in Presented in partnership with the Village of Key Biscayne at the Warsaw Key Biscayne Community Center

Apr 21, 22, 2018 Young Pianists Concerts April 17, 2018 Rafal Blechacz, winner of the 2005, International Chopin Competition in Warsaw

May 19, 20, 2018 Drew Petersen, 2017 winner of the Presented in partnership with Friends of of Miami American Pianists Association Award at the Coral Gables Congregational Church, Coral Gables, FL

6 // POLONAISE SPRING 2017 OUR SPONSORS

The Chopin Foundation’s programs are sponsored in part by the Rosenstiel Foundation, the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and the Board of Commissioners; the City of Coral Gables; the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council of Arts and Culture; the City of Miami Beach, Cultural Affairs Program, Cultural Arts Council; numerous generous individuals; and the following:

POLONAISE SPRING 2017 //7 NEW ACQUISITION FOR THE CHOPIN MUSEUM IN WARSAW

Discovered Manuscript There have been few musicians in the history of music to Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, purchased a unique reach the calibre of Fryderyk Chopin. One could mention manuscript of the first page of Chopin’s Ballade in G minor, Op. just a handful of names similar in stature, including Mozart, 23, which for several decades had remained in private hands. This Beethoven and Bach. There has been no greater composer is the first manuscript of any of Chopin’s four piano to in the history of Polish music than Chopin. The enduring be acquired for a collection in Poland. The other three ballade fascination with his music over the decades and centuries, manuscripts known to exist are held in the Bibliothèque nationale growing, in fact, the whole world over and transcending cultural de France, the Bodleian Library in Oxford and a private collection. boundaries, means that every opportunity for contact with his The purchase of the Ballade in G minor, one of the most masterpieces arouses great emotion. important of Chopin’s masterworks (if they may be hierarchised An exceptional insight into the composer’s creative process – at all), since it is the first in a group of compositions in a new never entirely fathomed – is offered by his manuscripts. Here genre created by Chopin, is an event of tremendous significance we have the music written in his hand; we can trace every not only for musicians, but for Polish culture in general. This movement of his pen, the resolute or delicate strokes, evidence beautiful manuscript, shrouded in mystery, as it breaks off after of his thoughts and his hesitations, his efforts to pour onto thirteen bars (What was its fate? Did the composer lose it? Did paper, with the utmost perfection, his immaterial, fleeing ideas. he abandon it for some reason?), brought out of hiding after many years, is coming to Poland to enhance the collection of the On November 29, 2016, at an auction in London, the Fryderyk in Warsaw. Chopin Institute, with the backing of PKN ORLEN and the Kamila Stępień-Kutera

Photo on next page: Fragment of the manuscript of Ballade G minor, Op. 23, 1835-36. Photo courtesy of the National Institute of Fryderyk Chopin/Waldemar Kielichowski.

8 // POLONAISE SPRING 2017 POLONAISE SPRING 2017 //9 CHOPIN PRIZES AWARDED AT NATIONAL AND FLORIDA STATE MTNA COMPETITIONS

NATIONAL MTNA WINNERS The Chopin Foundation was pleased to award Chopin Prizes at the MTNA Junior and Senior Solo Piano Competitions. The prizes were presented during the Annual MTNA National Conference held in Baltimore, MD in March of 2017. © 2017 Harry Butler, Nashville Butler, Harry © 2017 Nashville Butler, Harry © 2017

Shuen Wu Collin Jinks Awarded the Chopin Prize of $500 for the Best Chopin Performance by Junior Solo Winner of the MTNA-Yamaha Corporation of America Senior Piano Competition Piano. Shuen Wu is from Woodbury, NM; teacher: Alexander Braginsky and of the Chopin Prize of $1,000 for the Best Chopin Performance by Senior Solo Piano. Collin Jinks is from Bayport, MN; teacher: Jo Ann Link Pictured with Shuen is MTNA Executive Director & CEO Gary L. Ingle, left, and MTNA President Rebecca Grooms Johnson, NCTM, right. . With Collin is MTNA Executive Director & CEO Gary L. Ingle; Jun Fujimoto, Yamaha Corporation of America; Dan Rodowicz, Yamaha Corporation of America; and MTNA President, Rebecca Grooms Johnson, NCTM.

Alejandra Sarmiento FLORIDA MTNA WINNERS James Leng Awarded the Chopin Prize of Awarded the Chopin Prize of $200 by the Chopin Foundation Chopin prizes were also awarded at the $400 by the Chopin Foundation of the United States for the Florida State MTNA Competition held in of the United States for the Best Best Chopin Performance by Orlando in November of 2016. Congratulations Chopin Performance by Senior Junior Piano. Ms. Sarmiento to these gifted young pianists and their Piano. Mr. Leng lives in Palmetto lives in Lighthouse Point, FL; teachers who we sincerely thank for instilling Bay, FL; teacher: Paul Posnak. teacher: Maria Gomez. a love for Chopin’s music in their students.

10 // POLONAISE SPRING 2017 SPONSOR HIGHLIGHT

a piano in Raleigh, signed by Paderewski, a gift to a lady Mark and Brenda Fountain who had been secretary to How and why is there a Paderewski Festival in Raleigh, North Carolina? Madame Paderewska during Romantic music (Chopin), and history (the history of Poland), converged in World War I. The piano, a the persons of Mark Fountain and Brenda Bruce, neither of whom has family Steinway M, was still around, ties to Poland. in the hands of the lady’s distinguished family. Brenda In 2002 the Polish American Club in Raleigh was celebrating its 20th and Mark thought it a fun anniversary and invited Brenda Bruce to perform a program of Chopin. surprise to show their Polish Brenda was intent on constructing the program by connecting Polish history friend. with North Carolina. Members of the Club directed her to Mark Fountain, an historian of Poland. As she puts it, “Mark very gently told me there is no As it happened, the family substantial, direct connection of immigration from Poland to North Carolina was closing the estate that until the 1980s.” They met to discuss what could be done. included the piano. Mark and Brenda agreed to purchase Their mutual interests led to marriage in 2003. In January, 2003, a Polish/ it as a mutual wedding gift, a French piano friend, Adam Wibrowski, was coming to visit. Mark knew of fitting tribute to Paderewski that would keep it in Raleigh. Adam excitedly suggested that they should create Brenda and Mark with the piano signed by Paderwski a piano festival to honor Paderewski. Brenda uses the piano daily for teaching; she also has a Steinway B. Mark’s knowledge of the history of Poland laid the foundation to establish both purpose and theme for the Festival. Their First Annual Paderewski Piano Festival took place in November 2014 with three successful concerts and two lectures, one of which, by Mark, presented Paderewski’s associations with Raleigh. These included not only the gift of the piano but also four concerts Paderewski played there (1917, 1923, 1931, and 1939). The Second and Third Festivals in 2015 and 2016 featured four concerts. They are now planning the Fourth Annual Festival, again with four concerts. (www.paderewski-festival.org) The Festival has had a most favorable reception from the public and added to the cultural life of the city, being the sole venue of solo piano music. Brenda notes, “It gives us immense pleasure to promote the music and culture of Poland. And that’s also why we support the Chopin Foundation, and its mission of helping young talented musicians and promoting the music of Chopin.” Lady Blanka and pianist, Krzysztof Ksiazek with Brenda and Mark Fountain

POLONAISE SPRING 2017 // 11 Folk Influences on the Music of Chopin and Szymanowski hile preparing to record my recently-released Kujawiak is the slowest of the three (e.g.: Op. 33, No. 4 in b minor, Fig. album featuring the music of Chopin and 1), while the mazur, and especially the fastest oberek, feature twirling, Szymanowski (Paraty 116137), I revisited the unique stomping, and jumping (e.g. Mazurka Op. 33, No. 2 in D Major, Fig. 2). connection of both composers to traditional Polish music. While both Fryderyk Chopin (1810-1849) and Karol Szymanowski (1882-1937) grew up in Poland, they died nearly a century apart. Moreover, each composer drew his inspiration from of a different region in Poland at different points in his career. While Chopin’s first encounter with Polish folk music was in Szafarnia in the Kuyavy [pron. ku’iavy] region, Szymanowski’s muse were the songs of Polish highlanders, Górale [pron. goo’rahle] in Zakopane, situated in the Tatra Mountains of southern Poland. Chopin in Szafarnia

Chopin’s family left the small village of Żelazowa Wola, Fryderyk’s Fig 1: Mazurka Op. 33, No. 4 in b minor birthplace, for Warsaw when he was just six months old. As Chopin was prone to illness from a young age, his parents sent him away to Szafarnia in the Kuyavy province in mid-northern Poland during the summer months of 1824 -1825. Young Fryderyk, aged 14 and 15, was a guest of Juliusz Dziewanowski, father of Chopin’s schoolmate Dominik. From Szafarnia, Chopin wrote to his parents a series of letters, titled Kuriery Szafarskie (Szafarnia Courier), parodying the tone of Warsaw newspapers. We learn from the Kuriery that young Fryderyk eagerly participated in village weddings and dances. He also sang and wrote down his favorite melodies. Chopin had been interested in the national musical style since childhood – his first piece, written at age seven, was a polonaise. For the purposes of this discussion, however, the polonaise genre will be Fig 2: Mazurka Op. 33, No. 2 in D Major omitted. Though deeply connected to Polish identity, this noble dance was mainly popular among the Polish gentry, belonging to the legacy of In his , Chopin seems to have absorbed the style, rhythm, court culture. melody and harmony of folk music to perfection. We do not know how many folk melodies are directly quoted in Chopin’s work, despite There are three distinctions between what Chopin simply calls a the efforts of Oskar Kolberg, a nineteenth-century composer and “mazurka”: kujawiak (the name deriving from Kuyavy region), mazur/ ethnomusicologist who collected thousands of pieces. The atmosphere mazurek (this time the name derives from the Mazovia region), and of Polish folk music, however, stayed with Chopin throughout his life. He oberek, which comes from the Polish word obracać się, “to spin.” passionately created mazurkas while living in France. At the time, his

12 // POLONAISE SPRING 2017 homeland was erased from the map of Europe, having been partitioned The frequent monophonic chanting of the singer, whose call is answered between Russia, Prussia, and Austria. by the rest of the players, is beautifully portrayed in Op. 59, No. 1, Op. 50, No. 3, and the middle section of Op. 24, No. 4 (See Fig. 5). Many of Traditional mazurkas, designed for dancing, are often accompanied Chopin’s nearly sixty mazurkas are notated in Lydian mode, with the by drums and/or tambourine, an instrument of Polish culture since the fourth scale degree raised (e.g. Mazurka Op. 68, No. 2). Upon listening Middle Ages. Another important element of this accompaniment is a to folk singers or violinists improvising (‘fiddling”), one notices intricate drone bass. Consisting of repeated note or notes (usually an open fifth), ornamentation woven into an otherwise simple melodic line. Though drone bass was often performed by lower string instruments or dudy, never formally notated, Improvisation was a crucial element of the style, the Polish equivalent of bagpipes. Examples of drone bass in Chopin’s passed down through oral tradition. Chopin seemingly effortlessly inserts Mazurkas are numerous, e.g.: Mazurka Op. 30, No. 4, and middle sections melodic variation into his mazurkas (e.g.: Op. 24, No. 2), and translates of Op. 7, No. 1, or Op. 68, No. 3 (Fig. 3), to name a few. The rhythmically traditional ornamentation (some of it nearly microtonal) into grace notes quirky hemiolas, usually created by the accents in the words, are also and trills of various lengths. For performers of Chopin’s music, listening abundant in traditional mazurkas. This is not lost on young Chopin: the to such “fiddling” ’ may prove valuable in the treatment of ornaments opening of Op. 24 No. 2 (Fig. 4) suggests a hemiola. Chopin notates a notated in the score. hemiola clearly with accents in the Poco più vivo section of Op. 68, No. 3.

Fig 5: Mazurka Op. 59, No. 1 in a minor Fig 3: Mazurka Op. 68, No. 3 in F Major It was fashionable among Chopin’s contemporaries, including his teacher, Józef Elsner, to create their own arrangements of folk music. Chopin referred to these as “beauties with fake noses, tinted, and on stilts” and believed that removing these “beautifications” would prove cumbersome for musicologists in the future. While Chopin’s curiosity about Polish folklore was born in the Mazovia and Kuyavy regions in the very heart of Poland, exquisite chromaticism and modulation, as well as intricate rhythm and phrasing in his folk-inspired music, indicate the aristocratic sophistication of a highly cosmopolitan society, where Chopin and other important artists of the epoch worked. Contrary to his contemporaries’ fashionable arrangements of folk melodies, Chopin created a style of his own, expanding the harmonic language to “the brink of atonality” (Alan Walker), and paving the way for the highly Fig 4: Mazurka Op. 24, No. 2 in C Major chromatic music of Richard Wagner.

POLONAISE SPRING 2017 // 13 Interestingly, the dotted rhythms of a mazurka are not found in Góral Szymanowski and the Tatra Mountains music--Szymanowski creates a whole new style by fusing the mazurka’s triple meter and dotted rhythm with the Góral idiom. He absorbs the Karol Szymanowski had a lifelong reverence for the musical language world of sound particularly through the use of the Góral mode. It is of Chopin, beginning with his first compositional steps. In his similar to the Lydian mode used by Chopin, with the addition of a Op. 1, Szymanowski draws on the legacy of Chopin’s late style. This flattened seventh scale degree. Thinking of folklore as merely of “fertilizing fascination culminates decades later in the Mazurkas, Op. 50 and Op. importance,” Szymanowski does not directly quote folk melodies in any of 62. The composer admits: “The national character of a composer does his mazurkas. not rely on quotations of folklore, the greatest proof of which is the music of Chopin.” In the words of musicologist Jim Samson, Szymanowski’s mazurkas are a “deliberate and profoundly symbolic recreation of Chopin’s achievement.” The diversity, vitality, and richness of expression in Szymanowski’s mazurkas are comparable to Chopin’s. Like Chopin, Szymanowski uses the dotted rhythms of a mazur, weaves the monophonic chant, zaśpiewki, with drone bass accompaniment (e.g.: Op. 50, No. 1 in Fig. 6, or Op. 50, No. 3), and integrates the singing cries of the highlanders in his notation (e.g. dissonant grace notes in Op. 50, No. 2, see Fig. 7). Though Szymanowski consciously refers to the tradition of Chopin, he reinvents rather than imitates Chopin’s approach to mazurkas. Aside from the folk element, Szymanowski renders his mazurkas distinctive and unique by implementing modernist compositional techniques that include dissonance, polytonality, modality and polymodality.

Villa Atma in Zakopane, Poland, home of Karol Szymanowski Having abandoned the Romantic style, Szymanowski becomes enamored with the music of Debussy and Ravel. Following his travels to Italy, Sicily, and North Africa, his music (e.g. Metopes and Masques) loses tonality and consonance. After hearing Stravinsky’s Les noces in 1921, Szymanowski takes another turn--this time, towards Modernism heard Fig 6: Mazurka Op. 50, No. 1 through the prism of Polish folk music. Szymanowski decided to settle in Zakopane, where he writes twenty Mazurkas, Op. 50 (1924-1925). The characteristics of folk music of the Tatra Mountains, Góral music, now infuses his music.

14 // POLONAISE SPRING 2017 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Fig 7: Mazurka Op. 50, No. 2

While folklore was by no means their sole artistic influence, both Chopin and Szymanowski explored it in mature stages of their compositional Magdalena Baczewska output. In fact, each composer leaves a mazurka as the last piece he would ever put down on paper. Polish-born pianist and harpsichordist Magdalena Baczewska [ba-CHEV-ska] performs and gives piano master Special thanks to Cindy Liu. classes internationally. She is currently Lecturer in Music and Director of the Music Performance Program at Columbia Sources to explore: University in the New York, NY.

• Recording of Szymanowski playing his own Mazurkas - Her album featuring the music of Chopin and Szymanowski http://www.karolszymanowski.pl/the-traveller/zakopane/ was released by French label Paraty, and is available on Amazon and iTunes. Baczewska is a Yamaha Artist. • Chopin’s letters / Frédéric Chopin; collected by Henryk Opieński ; translated, with a preface and editorial notes, by E.L. Voynich. New York: Dover, 1988. www.MagdalenaNYC.com • http://www.karolszymanowski.pl • http://en.chopin.nifc.pl/institute/ • Jan Gorbaty. Polish Folk Music and Chopin’s Mazurkas - http://www.chopin.org/articles/

Magdalena Baczewska will perform the music of Chopin and Szymanowski on September 9, 2017 at the Florida State Music Teachers Association Annual Conference at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables. More information at www.fmta.org

POLONAISE SPRING 2017 // 15 CHOPIN FOUNDATION COUNCIL OF SAN FRANCISCO

The San Francisco Chapter has had a busy Birthday Concert. Four years ago we had engaged Eric but a terrible year. Buoyed by the success of our February accident had injured him and forced his cancellation, so we were Gala Benefit Concert in 2016 (featuring many especially happy to have this magnificent pianist finally visit us. distinguished pianists from the Bay Area) and On a sadder note, our Treasurer Winnie Tso is resigning due to illness. For a healthy Young Pianists Competition in June, years she has been our rock solid supporter and wise and faithful friend. we feel we are stronger financially that we have All of us have been proud to serve on her watch. We send our love and been in several years. thanks, Winnie! We had a lovely traditional holiday concert This coming June, another edition of our Young Pianists Competition is and reception for our competition winners coming. As every year, we look forward to working with young talented Mack McCray in December at the beautiful Queen Anne President musicians of the Bay Area, and to select the best of them with hope and Hotel, and this February we were finally able to encouragement for their artistic success. bring Eric Zuber to perform the annual Chopin

Eric Zuber at Chopin Birthday Concert Eric Zuber, Caria Tomczykowska, Mack MackCray The 2016 Competition Winners at the Holiday Concert

16 // POLONAISE SPRING 2017 CHOPIN FOUNDATION COUNCIL OF THE NORTHWEST

who provided intriguing commentary and insight for the Winners’ Concerts. Our goal is not only to share the music of Chopin, but also Greetings from the Pacific Northwest! to allow the audience to experience the mind of this musical genius We had a record turnout for our 2017 and have a better background understanding of his compositions. Northwest Chopin Festival! Over 180 Our Artistic Director Judy Baker’s extensive preparations once again pianists of all ages competed for cash, made the Festival registration and volunteer roster run flawlessly. Yunbo medals, and performance opportunities. Cassady supervised the Winners’ Concerts. Kurt Kolb purchased and For our Prizewinners’ Concert held at the donated amazing commemorative tote bags filled with goodies for the Resonance at SOMA Towers in Bellevue, students. Cathy Carpenter ensured that all of our adjudicators had their Washington, the winners were adorned proper travel itineraries. Dr. Adam Aleksander, Dr. Hanna Cyba, Dr. Yelena with custom-made medals, flowers, Balabanova, Conney Vernall, Alison Bell, and Dr. Mary Chandler each and certificates. Our four adjudicators monitored the performance rooms and kept the contestants on time. Allan Park selected the following pianists from a This will be my final year serving as the President of the Chopin President roster of 182 students. Foundation’s Northwest Council. I will continue to support our board as 2017 Gold Medalists: a past President and as Registrar. Our new President will be Dr. Adam Aleksander. I cannot be any more pleased to see such a qualified and Michelle Cao, Roxy Jones, Yuna Yamagami, Stephan Chita, Elsie Lu, passionate colleague assume the leadership of our organization. With Izabella Tu, Adrian King, Young Park, Eashan Vagish, Emily Park, Janet his incredible vision, leadership, and organizational skills, he undoubtedly Phang, Megan Lu, Caleb Ren, Shichu Liu, Kyran Park Adams, and Concerto will raise our Council to even greater success and popularity. Gold Medalist, Stephen Binondo.

2017 Silver Medalists: Emily Qi, Nicholas Grote, Chiara Rogers, Kaitlyn Gia Lee, Eunrae Kim, David Gatien, Raymond Zhang, Alison Tan, Sarah Zong, Sarah Yang, Ella Sumanaseni, Earnest Wheelwright, Ivory Wang, Olivia Qi, Sanjay Akam, Sandy Huang, Nicole Yang, Jesse Morris, Daniella Tsang, Benjamin Yu, Daniel Chen, Andrea Liao, Allyson Lee, Emily Pan, Christopher Marley, Steve Silverberg, Connor Zhang, Kelly Chen, Annie Yang, Jonathon Lin, Christopher Huang, Robert Yee, Bryan Zhao, and Concerto Silver Medalist, Steve Silverberg.

Our 2017 Festival Concerto Gold Medalist winner, Stephen Binondo, student of Judy Baker, will be performing with both Orchestra Seattle as well as the Cascade Symphony. We are also proud to announce the addition of a new board member, Conney Vernall, who was nominated by Dr. Yelena Balabanova. Our board recently voted to select two new Vice-Presidents, Dr. Hanna Cyba and Dr. Adam Aleksander. Many thanks to our existing board members, especially to Dr. Steven Lagerberg, our own Chopin expert and founder, The 2017 Gold Medalists; in the back row: Conney Vernall, Dr. Hanna Cyba, Dr. Steven Lagerberg, Dr. Mary Chandler, and Judy Baker

POLONAISE SPRING 2017 // 17 CHOPIN FOUNDATION COUNCIL OF VIRGINIA

We have welcomed the 13th season his late sixties, Cram was a professor of architecture at M.I.T. and had been of Chopin in Virginia with a concert a major force in the gothic revival movement since the beginning of the by Anna Miernik. This young Polish century. He was best known for his monumental churches, particularly the pianist has performed in world’s chapels at West Point and Princeton, Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, and largest concert halls on all five the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in .” continents including Carnegie Hall (Weill Recital Hall) and the Sydney Gibson Chapel is truly a magical sanctuary, well suited for angelic play Opera House. Anna prepared a very of Anna Miernik. Dressed in a long, dark sapphire dress, Anna showed unique program featuring only music elegance and grace while superbly performing all the works. Ms. Miernik of Polish composers. This rare event shared with the audience background information about composers and encompassed music by Chopin, pieces she chose for the event. She was knowledgeable and informative Paderewski, Szymanowski, Tansman and gained several rounds of encore from students and visitors for her Robert Joskowiak and Nowowiejski. Many compositions performance. Anna Miernik was complimented by the audience for President like “Borowiak” were not previously her poetic style and melancholic (when necessary) playing of relatively known to our Virginia audience. unknown Polish repertoire. I have a feeling she may visit Virginia again! Since our mission is driven by promotion of Chopin piano music with My sincere thanks to Blue Ridge School for hosting Chopin Council of special focus on young concert goers, we hosted our concert at the Virginia at St. George, the Embassy of the Republic of Poland for their beautiful Gibson Chapel at the Blue Ridge School in St. George, Virginia. patronage, Mr. & Mrs. Robert Fithian, Mr. & Mrs. John Sponski and Premier According to the school’s website: “The chapel’s design was a gift from Virginia Properties for their financial support and all the boys and guests America’s best-known architect at the time, Ralph Adams Cram. Then in who came to celebrate an evening of Polish Music at the Blue Ridge School.

Gibson Chapel Dr. Kevin Miller, Kate Daniels and Anna Duong Dang (an exchange student from Vietnam) with Anna

18 // POLONAISE SPRING 2017 INT’L FEDERATION OF CHOPIN SOCIETIES CHOPIN COMPETITIONS CONFERENCE

The International Federation of Chopin Societies was The second meeting of representatives of Chopin competitions established in 1985 in Żelazowa Wola, Poland, the birthplace worldwide took place September 20 to 22, 2016 in Warsaw and of Frédéric Chopin, as a global organization representing Radziejowice near Warsaw. Sixteen competitions from thirteen countries Chopin Societies from all over the world. Since 1989 the were represented, from Australia and Korea, to China, Siberia, Turkey, Federation has been a part of the International Music Egypt, a number of European countries, and the United States. Council, which is a member of UNESCO. The Board of the Federation is elected by the General Assembly for a five-year term.

CURRENT BOARD OF DIRECTORS: (elected October 2015)

President: Dr. Theodor Kanitzer (Austria, Vienna) Vice-Presidents: Sookie Schober (Germany, Hannover) Antoine Paszkiewicz (France, Paris) General Secretary: Elżbieta Artysz (Poland, Warsaw) Treasurer: Andrzej Merkur (Poland, Duszniki) Dr. Artur Szklener is fourth from right in the front row, Agnieszka Grunwald to his right. Members of the Board: Rosa Capplonch Ferra (Spain, Valldemossa) A representative of the International Federation of Chopin Societies also Alejandra Castro (Chile, Santiago de Chile) attended the summit. The meeting was hosted by the National Institute Jadwiga Gewert (USA, Miami) of Fryderyk Chopin in Warsaw (NIFC), represented by Dr. Artur Szklener, Kazimierz Gierżod (Poland, Warsaw) Director, Dr. Wojciech Marchwica, Deputy Director, Jerzy Michniewicz and Hiroyuki Takashima (Japan, Tokio) Joanna Bokszczanin. Agnieszka Grunwald represented the Department of International Affairs of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. The 2016 meeting of IFCS was held October 14 – 16, 2016 in Nohant, France, The keynote speaker of the conference was prof. Wojciech Świtała, a hosted by the Chopin Festival of Nohant and its president, Yves Henry. member of the jury of the 2015 International Chopin Competition. Prof Switala presented a lecture titled “In the Eyes of the Jury Member” evaluating the competitors and jury members in piano competition. Dr. Marchwica presented a draft of the Chopin Competition Conference Regulation Chart, as an attempt to institutionalize the relationship of member organizations with the NIFC, presenter of the International Chopin Competition. After a discussion, the draft was accepted with open options for improvement. The representatives shared their experiences on all matters related to the preparation and presentation of the competitions in their respective countries. A relaxed and friendly atmosphere has become a tradition of these meetings, making it easier for participants to freely discuss their Attendees in front of the home of George Sand, where F. Chopin spent six summers, from 1839 problems and ask others for advice. to 1846. In front row, center, Yves Henry; to his left Elzbieta Artysz, and Dr. Theodor Kanitzer; on his right Sookie Shober. More at https://ccc.nifc.pl/en/radziejowice/year2016 .

POLONAISE SPRING 2017 // 19 SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR YOUNG PIANISTS

The purpose of the Chopin Foundation Scholarship Program is to support and encourage young, talented American pianists through up to four years of preparation for the National Chopin Piano Competition of the United States, which is held in Miami, Florida, every five years. Renewable scholarships of $1,000 are awarded each year on a competitive basis to outstanding young American pianists who demonstrate a special affinity for the interpretation of Frédéric Chopin’s music. In addition, the Scholarship Committee may grant half-awards in the amount of $500 to qualified applicants. A half-award may be granted to an applicant only once during the four-year program. Eligibility The Scholarship Program is open to all qualified American pianists (US citizens or legal residents) not younger than 14 and not older than 17 years of age on May 15 of their first year of application. Procedure All Scholarship applications must be submitted online. Please visit the Chopin Foundation website, www.chopin.org for complete requirements and procedures. PLEASE READ ALL ONLINE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE PREPARING YOUR APPLICATION.

A complete application and recording of required Chopin repertoire are required for EACH year of the scholarship program. Please use the online application link to www.GetAcceptd.com. Applications, along with all attachments must be received by May 15th each year. Scholarships will be announced by July 15th. Please contact the Chopin Foundation with any questions.

Chopin Foundation of the United States, Inc. Phone: (305) 868-0624 Web: www.chopin.org • Email: [email protected]

20 // POLONAISE SPRING 2017 CONTRIBUTIONS DONATION FORM

Tax Wise Ways to Give Building the Chopin Foundation Endowment Fund YES, I want to help talented, young musicians!

The Chopin Foundation of the United States, Inc., is a national non-profit Enclosed is my tax-deductible donation of: $______organization headquartered in Miami, FL, and since 1977 has been dedicated Please apply my donation to: to the support of young, very talented American classical musicians. Thanks to your gifts, many more young talented American artists will receive the l General Programming l Endowment Fund encouragement they need and the recognition they deserve. l Competition Fund l Scholarship Fund There are many tax wise ways to contribute to the Chopin Foundation l In Memory of ______Please make check payable to: The Chopin Foundation Outright Gift of Cash Consider a one time gift or set up regular monthly payments NAME: ______through your bank’s bill pay service. COMPANY: ______

Bequest ADDRESS: ______A charitable bequest can be a specific dollar amount, a percentage of your estate, or what remains after other bequests are made. CITY, STATE, ZIP: ______

Outright gifts of securities or personal property HOME PHONE#: ______EVENING/CELL #: ______Retirement fund assets Assets from qualified plans or IRAs are ideal for charitable giving. This E-MAIL: ______option offers an opportunity to avoid income and estate tax. Mail to: Chopin Foundation of the United States Charitable remainder trusts 1440 79th St. Causeway, Suite 117, Miami, FL 33141 Allow you to receive income (or provide income to another person) To donate by credit card, please visit www.chopin.org for life with the knowledge that funds remaining when the trust or call (305) 868-0624 for more information. terminates will be used to support the Chopin Endowment. Please contact me about:

Gift of Life Insurance In-kind contribution Planned Giving Support our endowment by making it the beneficiary of part or all of l l the insurance proceeds. l Estate Planning l Volunteering

We do not provide legal or tax advice. You should always consult your legal, Donations to the Chopin Foundation of the United States are tax-deductible tax or financial advisor to assist with your charitable planning. to the extent permitted by law. The Foundation is a non-profit corporation qualified under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. For more information please visit our website A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM www.chopin.org or call us at (305) 868-0624. THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE (800-435-7352) WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.

POLONAISE SPRING 2017 // 21 CHOPIN FOUNDATION OF THE UNITED STATES NON-PROFIT ORG. 1440 79th Street Causeway, Suite 117 U.S. POSTAGE Miami, Florida 33141 PAID MIAMI, FLORIDA PERMIT NO. 573