Paderewski festival program 2014 by Weeklys

2014 PASO ROBLES | NOVEMBER 6-9 PADEREWSKIFEST.COM

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER

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WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER

PADEREWSKI IN PASO ROBLES Ignacy Jan Paderewski visited Paso Robles on many occasions between the years 1914 and 1939. He stayed at the El Paso Hotel (now the Paso Robles Inn), and took cures in the hot springs. In February of 1914 he began buying land on the West Side of Paso Robles and, within a few years, his Rancho San Ignacio and Rancho Santa Helena covered 2,864 acres in the area. Paderewski’s farming methods and keen interest in wine-making transformed Central Coast agriculture, as he was one of the pioneers in planting Zinfandel in California. Wishing to enlarge his holdings and hoping to find oil, Paderewski also bought 2,626 acres of ranchland near Santa Maria in September 1917. Although several geological explorations and test drillings were carried out, oil was never discovered on his Santa Maria property, and the land was eventually sold in November 1933. To commemorate Paderewski’s association with the area, the Paderewski Festival was launched in Paso Robles in 1993. Featuring a variety of artists, annual concerts proved a resounding success with local citizens. Tours of vineyards, wine tasting, and presentations of Polish culture and history were held in a variety of venues around town. The death of one of the Paderewski Festival organizers and a destructive earthquake in 2003 temporarily suspended the annual concert series. Under the leadership of the Polish Music Center at USC, the Paderewski Festival was re-launched in October 2006 with a solo recital by English pianist Jonathan Plowright. Held at Cass Winery, the event brought many individuals, organizations and local businesses together, proving that there is a continued interest in preserving Paderewski’s legacy in Paso Robles. In the past few years, the Festival has gained new supporters among such well-known Paso Robles institutions as the Paso Robles Inn, Carnegie Library, Main Street Association, Pioneer Museum, and Park Ballroom, among others. Comprised of various civic and community leaders, the new Festival Board of Directors has increased the scope of the Festival by offering more concerts and launching a Youth Piano Competition. The February 2007 letter of Frank Mecham, then Mayor of Paso Robles, suggesting a sister city agreement between Tarnów, Poland—the district encompassing Paderewski’s former estate at Kąśna Dolna—and Paso Robles was favorably received at the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage in Poland. As a result, a delegation representing the Paderewski Festival Board of Directors made an official visit in Poland

in 2008. A visit to Kąśna Dolna and discussions with local officials, as well as meetings at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, at the Ministry of Culture, and with Poland’s First Lady led to a reciprocal visit of Polish officials in Paso Robles during the 2008 Paderewski Festival and the signing of a cultural cooperation agreement between Paso Robles and Tarnów. In his time, Paderewski contemplated establishing a music school in Paso Robles, and the Youth Piano Competition is the Festival’s embodiment of that vision. Young Central Coast pianists are encouraged to pursue their musical passion through auditions, workshops, master classes, and concert performances in California and in Poland. In 2009, 2011 and 2013, three tours of Central Coast students, selected from the winners of the Youth Piano Competition in Paso Robles, were invited for a week of chamber music workshops and piano master classes at the Paderewski estate in Kąśna Dolna, led by the Paderewski Festival Music Director, Marek Zebrowski. During the Cultural Exchange Program, the American youth worked side by side with young pianists from Poland and Ukraine, culminating in joint public concerts at Paderewski’s manor house and at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków. Students from Poland have made reciprocal visits to California in 2010 and 2012 to perform at the Paderewski Festival in Paso Robles and to participate in various educational programs organized for them locally. This unique program is jointly supported by the Paderewski Festival, numerous wineries and civic organizations on the Central Coast, as well as the Paderewski Center in Kąśna Dolna, the Tarnów Province government, and diplomatic representatives of the Polish government in the United States. Another exciting development includes the cooperation of the Paderewski Festival in Paso Robles with the city of Bydgoszcz, Poland, where the Paderewski International Piano Competition is held every three years. As a result, winners of the Paderewski International Piano Competition are featured at Festival Gala concerts in Paso Robles. There is no doubt that performances of classical music given by the world’s most prominent artists and concerts showcasing young talent during the Festival will continue to enhance the cultural atmosphere of Paso Robles. In this way, Paderewski’s legacy and love for the region endures, enriching all who will participate in the rapidly growing list of cultural events in Paso Robles.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Map of Festival Venues

Schedule of Events

A Brief Timeline of Paderewski’s Life

Festival Preview Concert

Cass Winery Series Concert

Friday Night Series Concert

Saturday Special Presentation

Youth Competition Winners’ Recital

Gala Concert

Festival Finale Concert

Program Notes

Acknowledgements

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER CASS WINERY

GENESEO RD.

BLACK OAK DR.

MAP OF FESTIVAL VENUES

TO CASS WINERY>

8 UNION RD.

1 GEN ESE OR D.

CUESTA COLLEGE SAN LUIS OBISPO

DOWNTOWN PASO ROBLES

< TO CUESTA SLO

ATASCADERO

MORRO BAY

1. CASS WINERY

4. PARK CINEMAS

(Wednesday @ noon, Thursday @ 6:30 pm)

(Sat @ 10 am)

7350 Linne Rd, Paso Robles, CA 93446

1100 Pine St, Paso Robles, CA 93446

(805) 239-1730

(805) 227-2172

www.casswines.com

www.parkcinemas.com

2. CUESTA COLLEGE – SAN LUIS OBISPO

5. CITY PARK GAZEBO

(Fri @ 10:30 am)

Music Building Room 7104

Highway 1, San Luis Obispo, CA 93403

(805) 546-3100

www.cuesta.edu/student/findingway/bldgs_

(Sat @ 12:30 pm)

11th St & Park St, Paso Robles, CA 93446

(805) 237-3873

www.prcity.com/government/departments/ recreation/facilities/city-park.asp

maps/sanluiscampusmap.html

3. PARK BALLROOM

6. PASO ROBLES INN BALLROOM

SAN LUIS OBISPO

7. CARNEGIE LIBRARY

(Paderewski monument & exhibit,

M-F: 10 am – 8 pm, Sat: 10 am – 5pm)

800 12th St, Paso Robles, CA 93446

(805) 238-4996

www.prcity.com/government/departments/ library/library_about.asp

(Sat @ 4 pm & 7:30 pm, Sun @ 11 am)

8. PASO ROBLES PIONEER MUSEUM

(Fri @ 2 pm & 7 pm)

1103 Spring St, Paso Robles, CA 93446

(Paderewski exhibit, Th-Sun: 1 pm – 4pm)

1232 Park St #200, Paso Robles, CA 93446

(805) 238-2660

2010 Riverside Ave, Paso Robles, CA 93446

(805) 238-5042

www.pasoroblesinn.com

(805) 239-4556

www.parkballroom.com

www.pasoroblespioneermuseum.org

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS WEDNESDAY, NOV. 5

12 pm Cass Winery, Paso Robles Recital of Youth Exchange Program students from Poland and Ukraine. By invitation only

THURSDAY, NOV. 6

6:30 pm Cass Winery, Paso Robles A celebration of Paderewskiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s birthday with Cuesta College Choir led by Cassandra Tarantino. Optional buffet dinner at additional cost. No host wine reception, 7 pm concert. Tickets: $30; 18 and under free; buffet dinner optional

FRIDAY, NOV. 7

10:30 am Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo Concert of the Youth Exchange Program students from Poland and Ukraine. FREE

2 pm Park Ballroom, Paso Robles Master class with Zheeyoung Moon, winner of the 2013 Paderewski International Piano Competition. FREE

7 pm Park Ballroom, Paso Robles Wine reception and recital of violin and piano music with Mariusz Patyra, violin and Krzysztof Herdzin, piano. Tickets: $30; 18 and under free

SATURDAY, NOV. 8

10 am Park Cinema, Paso Robles Impromptu (1991) a feature about Chopin with Hugh Grant and Bernadette Peters. FREE

12:30 pm City Park Gazebo, Paso Robles Polish dance group Krakusy present traditional and folk dances. FREE

4 pm Paso Robles Inn Ballroom, Paso Robles Recital of Youth Piano Competition winners. FREE

7:30 pm Paso Robles Inn Ballroom, Paso Robles Gala Concert with pianist Zheeyoung Moon; solo piano works by Chopin, Paderewski and others. Tickets: $30; 18 and under free

SUNDAY, NOV. 9

11 am Paso Robles Inn Ballroom, Paso Robles Recital of Exchange Program students from Poland and the Ukraine. FREE

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER Ignacy Jan Paderewski (1860–1941), a virtuoso pianist, composer, politician (the first Prime Minister of independent Poland after World War I), humanitarian and orator, was universally acclaimed as a “Modern Immortal” by his contemporaries.

1860

Born on November 6 in the village of Kuryłówka, in the Podolia Province of southeastern Poland (now Ukraine)

1872 –1879

Studies piano, harmony, counterpoint and trombone at the Music Institute in Warsaw. First published composition, Impromptu for Piano, appears in the journal Echo Muzyczne in Warsaw in 1879

1880

Marries a fellow-student, Antonina Korsak, who dies a year later in childbirth. Paderewski’s son, Alfred, is an invalid throughout his life

1881–1886

Studies composition with Friedrich Kiel and Heinrich Urban in Berlin; befriends Anton Rubinstein, Richard Strauss and the music publisher Hugo Bock. Studies with Teodor Leschetizky in Vienna. Teaches at the Strasbourg Conservatory in 1885 and appears in solo and chamber music concerts

1888

Triumphant debut at the Salle Érard in Paris in March followed by recitals in major European capitals

1891

Performs in New York City for the first time. Gives over 100 concerts in U.S. and Canada during a four-month period. Initiates international annual concert tours of North America

1897

Purchases Kąśna Dolna estate about 60 miles southeast of Kraków (sold 1903)

1899

Marries long-time companion, Helena Górska and honeymoons at Kąśna Dolna. Purchases a villa, Riond-Bosson, near Morges, Switzerland, that becomes Paderewski’s principal residence until 1940

1901

Death of Alfred Paderewski. Premiere of Paderewski’s only opera, Manru, in Dresden. American premiere at the Metropolitan Opera follows in 1902

1906

Makes his first piano-roll recordings for Welte-Mignon. Also records for Aeolian Company and HMV

1909

Symphony in B Minor, Op. 24, “Polonia,” premiered by the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Later performed in Philadelphia, New York and Baltimore

B R I E F T I M E L I N E O F PA D E R E W S K I ’ S L I F E

His charismatic personality and popular appeal made him one of the most cherished figures of the 20th century. Although his bold political vision for a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural United States of Poland was never realized, his musical legacy continues to inspire generations of musicians all around the world.

1914 – 1916

Purchases ranch land in California: Paso Robles (2,864 acres) and Santa Maria (2,626 acres)

1915 – 1918

Gives over 300 speeches and lecture-recitals on behalf of Polish independence. Raises millions of dollars in aid for Poland, working with U.S. President Woodrow Wilson and the political elites of Europe

1918-1922

As the representative of Poland signs the Versailles Treaty, restoring Polish sovereignty after 123 years.Serves as the first Prime Minister of Poland, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Poland’s representative to the League of Nations. Resigns from all political posts and resumes international concert tours in 1922

1923

Receives the honorary Doctor of Law degree from the University of Southern California for his political achievements. Also honored by Lwów, Yale, Jagiellonian, Oxford, Columbia, Poznań, Glasgow, Cambridge, and New York Universities

1932

Performs for 15,000 at Madison Square Garden, raising $37,000 for unemployed American musicians

1934

Paderewski’s wife, Helena, dies in Switzerland after a long illness

1937 – 1938

Appears in British film, Moonlight Sonata, portraying himself in a 21-minute recital of works by Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt and his own Menuet. Performs a 40-minute radio recital, broadcast live around the world and carried in North America by the NBC Network

1939

Last American tour cut short as Paderewski becomes ill in New York and sails for Europe on May 30

1939–1941

Conducts anti-Nazi campaign from his home in Switzerland, but does not join Polish government in exile. Evacuated via France, Spain, and Portugal, he reaches New York in November 1940. Dies in New York on June 29, 1941, and receives a state burial at the Arlington National Cemetery

1992

Paderewski’s body is returned to Poland and buried in the Royal Crypt of the Warsaw Cathedral in a ceremony attended by the presidents of Poland and the United States.

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER

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BEN ULLERY

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Summer Festival July 16-26

Scott Yoo, Music Director

World-class music in spectacular, intimate settings. Festival Mozaic proudly brings a world of music to San Luis Obispo County. The WinterMezzo Chamber series is sponsored by the MOCA Foundation.

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER

2014

Cass Winery, Paso Robles CA Noon Festival Preview Concert International Cultural Exchange Program Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Prelude and Fugue in G major, DWK vol. II

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

Rhapsody, Op. 79 no. 2

Ignacy Jan Paderewski (1860-1941)

Nocturne, Op. 16 no. 4

Michał Niedbała

Yuriy Shchurovskyi (1927-1996)

Elegy in G-sharp minor

Edvard Grieg (1843-1907)

The Poet’s Heart, Op. 52 no. 3

Olha Pokhvata

Mykola Sylvansky (1916-1985) Snowstorm Franz Liszt (1811-1886)

Consolation No. 3

Nazar Kozlyuk

Claude Debussy (1860-1918)

First Arabesque

Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943)

Prelude, Op.32 no. 12

Frederic Chopin (1810-1849)

Etude, Op.10 no. 12

Paulina Ostrowska

Event Sponsors:

PERFORMERS’ BIOGRAPHIES Nazar Serhiyovych Kozlyuk (17) began to study music at Khmilnyk Art School in 2005. Since that time he has participated in every cultural and art event in the region. He is the recipient of numerous awards and diplomas, including the Second Prize (2009) and First Prize (2011) in the Podilyan Spring Competition. In 2011 Nazar attended the International Exchange Program in Kąśna Dolna, Poland, and in 2012 he participated in the International Piano Master Classes project jointly sponsored by Paderewski Centre in Tarnów and Khmilnyk Town Council. In addition, Nazar received the Second Place Award Certificate in the First International Contest of Young Performers Podillyan Vodogray in 2012 and a diploma in the Second Regional Contest of Musical Masters in 2012. He has also received diplomas and honorary certificates from the Khmilnyk Town Council and City Educational authorities. In 2013 Nazar participated in the Tarnów/Paso Robles International Exchange Program held in Paderewski’s manor house of Kąśna Dolna in Poland. A 2014 diploma recipient at the Fourth Regional Contest of Regional Master, Nazar is currently a second year student at the Culture and Arts School in Vinnitsa. Michał Niedbała (14) attends the Paderewski Music School in Tarnów and private STO High School in Tarnów. A student of professors Teresa Wójtowicz, Waldemar Różański and Anna Szajer, Michał has participated in piano workshops and master classes held by Lars Hoefs, Maryla Szwajger–Kułakowska, Andrzej Pikul, Mariola Cieniawa and Andrzej Jasiński. He has also placed first at the 2013 International Riga “Spele Zeni” Competition in Latvia, the 2014 International Young Personalities Competition in Sierpc, Poland, and the 2013 Biała Cerkwia Competition in the Ukraine. Michał’s other triumphs include the Second Prize at the 2012 International Zarębski Competition, and Third Place at the 2010 International Skarżysko–Kamienna Competition in Poland, among others. A President of Tarnów scholarship recipient, Michał’s piano duo, “K2” with Adrian Łazarczyk, has placed first or second in many competitions, and has performed in concerts in Tarnów, Kraków, Jelenia Góra, Zamość and Rzeszów. A talented actor, Michał performed in the title role of the musical version of The Little Prince, presented at the Solski Theatre in Tarnów during the years 2011-2014. Excelling in English, mathematics and natural sciences, Michał took a number of academic honors and won a variety of scholastic competitions. Besides loving classical music, Michał also enjoys jazz, especially music by George Gershwin, Herbie Hancock, Makoto Ozone and Diana Krall. In his free time (which is admittedly scarce) Michał likes to sail, mountain bike ride, swim and dive. Paulina Ostrowska (20), a graduate of the Paderewski Music School in Tarnów, currently studies at the Centre of Contemporary Music in London, United Kingdom. She studied piano with Professor Jarosław Iwaneczko and Piotr Machnik and participated in piano workshops and master classes held by Elżbieta Karaś-Kasztel and Mariola Cieniawa in Krynica, and Wojciech Świtała and Marek Żebrowski in Tarnów. In addition to piano, Paulina studied composition and vocal performance with Justyna Motylska and Marcin Jajkiewicz. At the age of 10 she began to write her own texts and music for performances at home and later for school concerts. Besides a repertoire of her own compositions, Paulina had mastered a number of works by Beethoven, Chopin and Debussy and participated in concerts—both of classical music and jazz—as a pianist and vocalist. She also performs in a piano and violin duet with her sister and is the lead singer for The Neverhood, a local award-winning band. After becoming a finalist in a program “A Chance for Success,” Paulina became known throughout Poland and many of her recordings can be found on YouTube. Paulina’s favorite composers include Debussy, Ravel, Chopin and Beethoven; she also enjoys opera and musicals, which give her some insights into acting. Paulina’s goal is to share her feelings with the audiences as a stage performer. Olha Petrivna Pokhvata (15) enrolled in music studies at the Khmilnyk Art School in 2007 and studies piano with Rimma Vasylivna Krasilnyk. In 2012 she was awarded the First Place in the Etudes Competition at her school. In September 2012 Olha participated in the International Piano Master Classes project jointly sponsored by Paderewski Centre in Tarnów and Khmilnyk Town Council. In 2013 she took the First Place in the school contest for piano duos and participated in the regional contest, Podillyan Spring as well as in the Tarnów/Paso Robles International Exchange Program held in Paderewski’s manor house of Kąśna Dolna in Poland. Besides her musical studies, Olha is an honors student who participated in Khmilnyk’s Town Olympiad, taking First Place in physics and Third Place in history during the 2012/2013 school year. A Third Place Winner in the 2014 Podilian Spring Contest, Olha is a 10th form student at Khmilnyk Secondary School No. 3.

THURSDAY NOVEMBER

2014

Cass Winery, Paso Robles CA 6:30 p.m. Cass Winery Series C a s s a n d r a Ta r a n t i n o & C u e s ta C o l l e g e N o r t h C o u n t y C h o r u s Pa d e r e w s k i ’s B i r t h day C e l e b r at i o n Co n c e r t Anonymous O najdroższy kwiatku [Oh, most precious flower] Traditional

Lulajże, Jezuniu [Sleep Baby Jesus] North County Chorus

J. S. Bach (1685-1750)

from Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248 No. 1 Shout and be joyful No. 12 Break forth, o beauteous morning light

North County Chorus & Kevin Hahn, piano Traditional/ arr. Cassandra Tarantino

Celebrate Wassail!

Romuald Twardowski (b. 1930)

Alleluia North County Chorus

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)/ arr. Wallingford Riegger

Alleluia from Exsultate, Jubilate, KV 165

Trio Amore: Ptolemy Gibson, Sue Dokulil & Caitlin Freeman Kevin Hahn, piano Albert Hay (1895-1964)

The Lord’s Prayer

Antonin Dvořak (1841-1904)

Sing ye a joyful song

Kenneth Hand, Tenor & Kevin Hahn, piano Ron Kean (b. 1951)

‘Tis the Season

Ignacy Jan Paderewski (1860-1941)

Hej, Orle biały! [Hey, White Eagle!]

North County Chorus & Kevin Hahn, piano Event Sponsor:

PERFORMERS’ BIOGRAPHIES Members of the North County Chorus:

Director Cassandra Tarantino has her Bachelors and Masters degrees in Church Music, Performance Flute, and English Literature. She has participated in music festivals in the United States and Europe, and took a six-month sabbatical in Northern Ireland to study music and the Irish-Celtic Language. Hired by Cuesta College in 2005 to launch a choral program in Paso Robles, Mrs. Tarantino’s North County Chorus quickly became a thriving community of singers, especially after she established the first vocal classes at Cuesta North in Paso Robles. Mrs. Tarantino co-conducts the Concert Choir on the San Luis Obispo campus and in 2013 she co-founded the Central Coast Gilbert & Sullivan Company, a community-based opera company. Cassandra is a member of the Arts Advocacy S. L. O. Arts Council, Choral Representative for the Music Association of California Community Colleges, and enjoys singing with Dr. Tom Davies in the Master Chorale. Passionate about folk music and dance, Mrs. Tarantino often performs and dances traditional Irish, English Country and Contra Dance music. The North County Chorus is a diverse community of singers who experience life-enhancing moments through the art of choral music. Founded in 2005 by Cassandra Tarantino to help bring fine arts to the North County Campus of Cuesta College, the “NoCoCho” has become an independent ensemble through Cuesta College Community Programs with the goal of reaching out to communities in San Luis Obispo County and at large. Performance at this year’s Paderewski Festival in Paso Robles is among the goals the chorus has established to share the joy of music with the widest possible audience. Trio Amore joined voices in early 2013 after singing with the North County Chorus for a number of years. Ptolemy Gibson, Sue Dokulil and Caitlin Freeman, (standing in for Esther Cone), have found a lovely blend that is truly their own. The trio enjoys a variety of musical styles, including ballads, folk, pop, easy rock and classical. Born and raised in Arroyo Grande, tenor soloist Kenneth Hand is a student at Cuesta studying Vocal Performance with Dr. Jumi Kim. Mr. Hand has sung in both the Chamber and Concert Choirs at Cuesta College, and is studying Library Science. He had his first appearance with the Central Coast Gilbert & Sullivan Company as the title role in The Mikado. Mr. Hand currently holds a position at First Presbyterian Church of San Luis Obispo as a Tenor section leader and soloist. Pianist Kevin Hahn, a summa cum laude graduate of the Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania in Music Therapy and Psychology has served as a music director, conductor, piano teacher and choral accompanist for Elizabethtown, Woodstown and Salem County choirs, and the Harrisburg Opera Association. A piano student of Debra Ronning and Barbara Kornbluh, he has performed in master classes throughout the Mid-Atlantic region and served as staff accompanist for Cuesta College’s North County Chorus from 2009-2013. Currently, Mr. Hahn works as a music therapist for the State of California and pursues a Master of Music degree at Colorado State University.

Sopranos Mary Alvarado Jacqueline Ashford Tyllila Best Janice Buchanon Lorene Colvin Sue Dokulil Caitlin Freeman Paula Freeman Marj Hunt Johnette Koenig Amanda Krall Kathleen Kravets Sue Steinberger Brenna Tollkuhn Rachel West Stephanie Wilbanks Altos Sylvia Alcon Marnie Burkhardt Ann Coppenbarger Tracey Lovesse Clopper Kathryn Garcia Ptolemy Gibson Cathy Kyle Lee Marx Andrea Parker Kathy Rougeot Joan Rogers Bettina Salter Linda Sorensen Kalene Wrennall Jennifer Zabala Tenors Carson Buckley Renee Dispensa Kenneth Hand Sean Kerrigan George Raymond Basses Wes Buchanon Brentyn Carder Liam Daley Eric Greenley Tillman Moen Ken Steinberger

FRIDAY NOVEMBER

2014

Park Ballroom, Paso Robles CA 7:00 p.m. Friday Night Series Mariusz Patyra & Krzysztof Herdzin The Romantic Virtuosos Henryk Wieniawski (1835-1880)

Polonaise de concert, Op. 4

Josef Suk (1874-1935)

Chant d’amour, Op. 7 no. 1

Fritz Kreisler (1875-1962)

Caprice viennois, Op. 2

Frederic Chopin (1810-1849) Nocturne in C-sharp minor, Opus posthumous (arr. Nathan Milstein) Mariusz Patyra, violin & Krzysztof Herdzin, piano Krzysztof Herdzin (b. 1970)

Improvisation on Chopin’s Etude, Op. 10 no. 3 Krzysztof Herdzin, piano

Niccolò Paganini (1782-1840)

Capriccio No. 24 Mariusz Patyra, violin

Zoltán Kodály (1882-1967) Három Kállai kettos [Three Dances from Kallai] Antonin Dvořak (1841-1904) Humoresque, Op. 101 no. 7 (arr. Jascha Heifetz) Niccolò Paganini I Palpiti – Introduction and Variations on a theme by Rossini Mariusz Patyra, violin & Krzysztof Herdzin, piano

Steinway Piano loaned by David Brown

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PERFORMERS’ BIOGRAPHIES Violinist Mariusz Patyra was born in Poland in 1977 and began to study music at the age of six. Professor Antoni Hoffmann in Olsztyn was Patyra’s first violin teacher. Subsequently, Patyra studied with Professor Janusz Kucharski and attended the Chopin Music Academy in Warsaw for one year before continuing his violin studies with Professor Krzysztof Węgrzyn at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Hannover, Germany. In October 2000, Mr. Patyra won a scholarship to Cremona, Italy, where he apprenticed under the tutelage of one of the greatest violinists of the modern era, Salvatore Accardo. Mariusz Patyra’s rapid rise as a violin virtuoso followed his triumphs at several international violin competitions, including the Joseph Joachim International Violin Competition in Hannover, the Stradivari International Competition in Cremona, the Carl Nielsen International Violin Competition in Odense, Odense Symphony Orchestra Prize, and the Paganini International Violin Competition in Genoa, where he was awarded the First Prize—Premio Paganini—in 2001. After winning possibly the most important violin competition in the world, Mr. Patyra averred that, “The Paganini Competition represented a turning point in my life. […] Every time I played and appeared in public, I would have to be able to prove that I was worthy of such an important prize. For me, this was a moment of great happiness… and when I heard that I was declared a winner, I wanted to weep with joy.” The young violinist’s success at such prestigious competitions was followed by a number of concert tours around the world, including Poland, Czech Republic, Russia, Austria, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United States, Mexico, and Japan. Mr. Patyra has been featured as a soloist with such renowned ensembles as the Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra, Sinfonia Varsovia, the Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Polish Radio Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra di Roma, Filharmonica Fondazione Arturo Toscanini, Orchestra Filarmonica Marchigiana, the Jalisco Philharmonic Orchestra, and Tokyo Royal Chamber Orchestra. Besides concerts with orchestra, Mr. Patyra has also toured with violin and piano duet programs and recorded Vivaldi’s famous Four Seasons Concertos, Paganini’s Violin Concerto No. 1, and Wieniawski’s Violin Concertos No. 1 & 2, as well as works by Saint-Saëns and Massenet for the Lipinski Royal Fidelity and DUX labels. Throughout the past decade he has also appeared in radio broadcasts in Germany (WDR and NDR), Italy (RAI TRE) and Poland. For his concert performances, Mariusz Patyra uses replicas of two great historical violins. The first is a copy of the 1733 Guarneri del Gesù, built in Hannover in 2003 by Christian Erichson. The other, a copy of 1742 Il Cannone—another Guarneri instrument that was once owned by Paganini—was built by John. B. Erwin in Dallas in 2000 and awarded by the Italian record label, Dynamic, to Mr. Patyra following his winning performance at the 2001 Paganini Competition.

Krzysztof Herdzin, pianist, composer, arranger, conductor and music producer, was born in Poland in 1970. His father was a tenor soloist and his mother a chorister at the Bydgoszcz Opera. After studying piano with Katarzyna Popowa-Zydroń and debuting at the Bydgoszcz Philharmonic, Mr. Herdzin was offered a teaching position at the Bydgoszcz Music Academy. Although since 1995 he has been living in Warsaw, Mr. Herdzin continues his professorship in music in Bydgoszcz. During the 1990s, together with clarinetist Wojciech Mrożek, flutist Jadwiga Kotnowska and violinist Vadim Brodsky, Mr. Herdzin toured Germany under the auspices of Sir Yehudi Menuhin’s “Live Music Now” program. Shifting easily from classical to jazz throughout the 1990s, he performed with a number of iconic jazz groups, including the City Jazz Trio, Janusz Muniak’s Quartet, Jan Ptaszyn Wróblewski’s Quartet and Zbigniew Namysłowski’s Ensemble. More recently, as pianist and arranger, Mr. Herdzin has worked with such great soloists as Maria Schneider, Richard Bona, Gil Goldstein, Gregoire Maret, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Clarence Penn, Oscar Castro Neves, Gary Husband, and Jon Lord, among others. A prolific arranger and conductor, Krzysztof Herdzin’s compositional catalogue contains several works for orchestra and big band, while the catalogue of his recordings—currently well over 200—includes 16 Gold and 3 Platinum Records. He has also directed many TV programs, musicals (Singing in the Rain, Five Guys Named Moe) and organized numerous concerts for TV broadcasts. Touring frequently, Mr. Herdzin has performed all across Europe, Turkey, Canada, United States, Mexico, India, China and Japan and led such prestigious orchestras as Belgian National Orchestra, Zhejiang Symphony Orchestra, Polish Radio Orchestra, Sinfonia Varsovia, Polish Chamber Philharmonic, and most of the philharmonic and opera orchestras throughout Poland. A pioneering recording with jazz arrangements of Chopin’s music and the orchestrations of Jan A.P. Kaczmarek’s Oscar-winning soundtrack to Finding Neverland (2005) are among Mr. Herdzin’s highest musical achievements. Dobiasz, a blogger at www.dobiasz.art.pl, aptly summarized Herdzin’s artistry, writing that, “Herdzin’s style is naturally very subtle and bright, rich in ornaments and carefully devised harmonic changes. […] It is an aristocratic, sublime European jazz, perhaps slightly too sweet at times, but it is to be forgiven considering the vast amount of fineness.”

SATURDAY NOVEMBER

2014

City Park Gazebo, Paso Robles CA 12:30 p.m. Saturday Special Presentation The krakusy Polish Dance Ensemble Program to be announced from the stage Established in 1956 to represent Poland at the annual International Folk Festival at UCLA, the Polish Folk Dance Ensemble was organized by Henia Cybulska. The original members included Zosia and Wiesiek Adamowicz, Henia and Kazik Cybulski, Krystyna Janiszewska, Zbyszek Szumanski, Basia and Tadzik Sarnecki, with Wanda Gwoździowska at the piano. Shortly thereafter, they were invited to perform at Disneyland, local community events, festivals, and television shows. Henryk and Krystyna Jankowski became the group’s first official artistic directors in 1964, when a second generation of dancers was enlisted. Attracting new Polish immigrants and professional dancers from Śląsk and Mazowsze ensembles, the Polish Folk Dance Ensemble grew to 100 dancers and in 1966 performed at the LA Coliseum to celebrate 1000 years of Christianity in Poland. Staszek Danko, a well-known soloist from Śląsk, joined the group in 1966 and added dances from Tatra Highlanders to the ensemble’s repertoire. In 1967, Marylka Klimek George, another talented Śląsk soloist joined the Ensemble and became its director and choreographer. Under her dynamic leadership, the group blossomed during the next twenty years with their performances enthusiastically received by Polish and American audiences. In 1968, the Ensemble adopted its current name, Krakusy, as homage to the townspeople of Kraków, Poland’s first old capital. In 1984 Krakusy participated in the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games at the Los Angeles Coliseum, performed during the Papal liturgy at Dodger Stadium in 1987, and danced for the 1997 groundbreaking ceremonies for the Queen of Angels Cathedral in downtown Los Angeles. Since its inception, Krakusy have meticulously retained the traditional costumes and authentic character of Polish regional dances and all of the Ensemble’s artistic directors and choreographers traveled to Poland to study folklore. For over 45 years Krakusy performed throughout the Western United States, and over 500 young people participated in the ensemble over that time. Their parents have helped with sewing costumes, music, systems and stage production, fundraising efforts and other functions related to maintaining the smooth operation of the ensemble. In 2012 Krakusy received the Gold Medal from Wspólnota Polska, a worldwide organization governing Polish folk ensembles, for their work to entertain and educate Polish Americans and Americans about Polish folk dances, songs, costumes, and customs. Also in 2012, the Krakusy Ensemble was recognized by Poland’s Ministry of Culture and National Heritage with a Bronze Gloria Artis Medal for their contributions to and protection of the Polish culture and heritage. Krakusy continue to serve as ambassadors of Polish culture, happily sharing their joy of folk dancing with audiences across the world. They have recently returned from performing at the International Folk Dancing Festival in Rzeszów, Poland, and appearances in Phoenix, Arizona. The Ensemble’s current artistic director and choreographer, Edward Hoffman, first joined Krakusy as dance instructor in 1998. The dancers included in today’s ensemble are: Mariola Balazy Natalia Dudek Chris Grzelecki

Kamil Grzelecki Urszula Grzelecki Edward Hoffman

Natalia Kopec Daniel Kopec Iwona Kopec

Janusz Kopec Andrzej Kozlowski Ela Kozlowski

Jakub Piotrowski Natalia Piotrowski Ela Romuzga

Krysia Tuszynski Tomek Tuszynski Lodzia Wilczek

Y O U T H C O M P E T I T I O N & C U LT U R A L E X C H A N G E P R O G R A M

Since 2007 the Paderewski Festival in Paso Robles has organized the annual Youth Piano Competition. Open to students in two age groups—Juniors (10-14) and Seniors (15-18)—all contestants must currently study with an established piano teacher and reside in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara or Monterey Counties. Juried auditions are held every year in Paso Robles in October, and participants in each category compete for prizes ranging from $200-750. Finalists are presented in a Winners’ Recital, held at the Ballroom of the historic Paso Robles Inn during the annual Paderewski Festival in Paso Robles in November. Selected Youth Competition winners may also have an opportunity to travel to Poland on the Paderewski Festival Cultural Exchange Program. Since 2009, the Exchange Program has provided annual opportunities for young musicians from the Central Coast region of California in the US and the Tarnów region in Poland to further their piano studies and perform together, as well as learn about each other’s countries and cultures. In June 2013, students from Khmilnyk in the Ukraine joined the Exchange 2013 Exchange participants, Program in Kąśna Dolna, and now these students have come with their colleagues with cello coach Lars Hoefs (C) from Tarnów to participate in this year’s Festival. This year’s exchange program builds upon the first visit of young Central Coast musicians in Poland in 2009, 2011 and 2013. In 2010, 2012 and now in 2014, young Polish musicians from Tarnów and Khmilnyk have come to Paso Robles, staying with host families in California while studying with internationally renowned pianists and performing during the Paderewski Festival.

Ignacy Jan Paderewski once expressed his wish to establish a music school in Paso Robles, California—his beloved American retreat—and the Exchange Program seeks to foster that dream. Initiated by a Sister Cities agreement between Paso Robles and Tarnów that was signed in November 2008 (pictured at left), the Exchange encourages the exploration of cultural, educational and business opportunities between the two locales that share historical ties to Paderewski. In odd years, selected finalists of the Paderewski Youth Piano Competition in Paso Robles travel to Poland to participate in master classes alongside Polish students at Paderewski’s former estate in Kąśna Dolna near Tarnów, as well as perform together for audiences at Kąśna Dolna and Jagiellonian University in Kraków. The Festival and the Exchange Program celebrate Frank Mecham (L) and Mieczysław Kras (R) sign the Sister City agreement, Paderewski’s links with places closely tied to his personal history with Marek Żebrowski as interpreter. Paso Robles Inn, Nov. 2008 and, over the past five years, have developed a wonderful cooperation between Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo County, and the Province of Tarnów. The recent addition of the Ukrainian region of Podolia to the Exchange Program not only recognizes Paderewski’s birthplace but also represents a promising development in fostering closer cultural links between Poland, the Ukraine and the United States. The annual costs of the program are shared between the Paderewski Festival in Paso Robles, the City and Province of Tarnów, and the Paderewski Centre in Kąśna Dolna. All lodging/meals/transportation in and around Kąśna Dolna are provided by our partners in Poland. However, the Paderewski Festival provides international airfare for up to three American students and their chaperone and all other lodging and meals during the sightseeing portion of the journey, as well as amenities and events for Polish students visiting California. Only through the generous financial support of the Paderewski Festival audiences can this exchange program continue.

For further information about the Youth Competition and print entry forms, please see the Festival website at: WWW.PADEREWSKIFEST.COM or contact Diane Sayre at youth@paderewskifest.com or (805) 423-2242 To learn more about how you can support the Cultural Exchange, please talk to any Paderewski Festival Board member throughout the Festival weekend, or contact Steve Cass at president@paderewskifest.com

SATURDAY NOVEMBER

2014

Paso Robles Inn Ballroom,

Paso Robles CA 4:00 p.m.

Youth Competition Winnersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Recital Liebestraum No. 3, S. 541 Jane Yang Honorable Mention, Junior Division

Franz Liszt (1811-1886)

Frederic Chopin (1810-1849)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Polonaise in G-flat major, Op. posthumous (1829) Jack Raventos Third Place, Junior Division Rondo in D major, KV 485 Holly Hadsall Second Place, Junior Division

Frederic Chopin Nocturne, Op. 27 no. 2 Kevin Park First Place, Junior Division Ignacy Jan Paderewski (1860-1941) Auguste Durand (1830-1909)

Chant du Voyageur, Op. 8 no. 5 Valse, Op. 83 no. 1 Yuan Tao Third Place, Senior Division

Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) Sonata in G minor, Hob. XVI: 44 I. Moderato Ignacy Jan Paderewski Menuet, Op. 14 no. 1 Kannan Freyaldenhoven Second Place, Senior Division George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) Camille Saint-SaĂŤns (1835-1921)

Chaconne with 21 Variations, HMV 435 Allegro appassionato, Op. 70 Daniel Ha First Place, Senior Division

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PERFORMERS’ BIOGRAPHIES A student of Lyn Bronson, Jane Yang (14) studied piano for 7 years and she currently attends Pacific Grove High School. Jane also plays violin in her school orchestra and aspires to help people by considering a career in medicine or writing. She admits that, “piano has been a really important aspect in my life and it’s something I love to do. […] Music is something I have a passion for, whether it be playing or listening.”

Jack Raventos (14), a freshman at Mission College Preparatory High School in San Luis Obispo, has studied piano with Dr. Lynne Garrett since 2010. He also studied violin and performed with the San Luis Obispo Youth Symphony. During a recent sojourn in Argentina, Jack played violin for the Orquesta Academica at the National University in Córdoba. A multiple finalist in the Youth Piano Competition, Jack travelled to Poland on the 2013 Exchange Program run by the Paderewski Festival in Paso Robles and the Province of Tarnów. Interested in science, engineering and the environment, Jack likes to swim, sail, play tennis, and ride his unicycle.

Holly Hadsall (9) is a fourth grader who has enjoyed singing since the age of 3 and playing the piano for the past three years. A piano student of Lana Bodnar, Holly also dances with the Goleta Ballet and performs with the Youth Ensemble Theatre in Santa Barbara. Holly says that, “piano takes an enormous amount of time and dedication, more than any of my other activities. However, the reward is always worthwhile, especially when I am able to play a beautiful piece of music well.”

Kevin Park (13) has studied piano for 8 years, most recently with Dr. Lynne Garrett, John Perry, and Mina Hirobe-Perry. Currently an eighth-grader at Orcutt Junior High, Kevin has performed widely on the Central Coast and is a four-time finalist in the Paderewski Festival Youth Competition. He also plays the violin and is a member of the San Luis Obispo Youth Symphony Concert Orchestra. In his spare time, Kevin enjoys baseball, basketball, skateboarding, and music. He thinks of music as another language, capable of sharing emotions and connecting to other people without speaking.

Yuan Tao (15) began her piano studies at the age of 6 with her father. Since second grade, she has studied with Lyn Bronson. Yuan competed in Monterey County’s Scholarship Auditions, winning twice honorable mention and first place. She accompanies her school’s choir and jazz ensemble, and performs in community service settings. A junior at Carmel High School, Yuan has served as president of Concert Choir and Music Student Council, and she wants to pursue a career in law.

Kannan Freyaldenhoven (15) attends San Luis Obispo High School and began to seriously study piano with Dr. Lynne Garrett during the past 2 years. Kannan also plays on the school Junior Varsity water polo team and participates in Youth and Government. After seven years of bilingual education, Kannan considers a career in medicine that would enable him to help underserved communities across the globe.

Daniel Ha (15), a freshman at Arroyo Grande High School, has studied piano for 5 years with Debbie Lagomarsino, Nell Kauffman and Dr. Lynne Garrett. Daniel attended the Music Academy of the West MERIT Program in Santa Barbara and he regularly performs as a soloist and chamber musician all over the Central Coast. Finalist in several Youth Competitions organized by the Paderewski Festival, Daniel travelled to Poland on the Paso Robles/Tarnów International Exchange Program. A straight-A student, Daniel has won many academic awards, participates in mock-trials, and aspires to become a brain surgeon.

SATURDAY NOVEMBER

2014

Paso Robles Inn Ballroom,

Paso Robles CA 7:30 p.m.

Gala Concert Series Zheeyoung Moon 2014 Festival Gala Concert Frederic Chopin (1810-1849)

Prelude Op. 28 no.15 “Raindrop” Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor, Op. 35 Grave—Doppio movimento Scherzo Marche Funebre: Lento Finale: Presto Polonaise in A-flat Major, Op. 53 Intermission

Ignacy Jan Paderewski (1860-1941) Menuet Op. 14 no. 1 Nocturne Op. 16 no. 4 Caprice Valse Op. 10 no. 5 Robert Schumann (1810-1856)

Widmung (arr. Franz Liszt) S. 566

Franz Liszt (1811-1886)

Rhapsodie espagnole S. 254

Steinway Piano donated by Tom and Kathleen Maas

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PERFORMER’S BIOGRAPHY

Born in Seoul, South Korea, pianist Zheeyoung Moon first began to study piano at the age of four. Later she studied at the National University in Seoul, majoring in piano under the tutelage of Professor Hyoung Bae Kim. Since 2006 Ms. Moon continued her professional development at the Hanns Eisler Music Academy in Berlin, Germany, studying first with Professor Michael Endres and later preparing her graduation recital with Professor Fabio Biondini. During her studies in Germany, Ms. Moon received a number of music scholarships from such organizations as Oscar and Vera Ritter Foundation, Gisela and Erich Adreas Foundation, Lutz-E. Adolf Foundation and Kaernten International Savings Bank. She has participated in master classes with Jerome Rose, Bruno Leonardo Gelber, Konrad Elser, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Dmitri Bashirov, Claudio Martinez Mehner, Brigitte Engerer and has taken music courses at the Encuentro de Música y Academia de Santander, Spain, and the European Academy of Music and Art in Montepulciano, Italy. For the past two years, Ms. Moon has been an assistant in Professor Tabea Zimmermann’s class at the Hanns Eisler Music Academy in Berlin, where she currently resides. Zheeyoung Moon is a prizewinner in a number of prestigious piano competitions, including the 2013 International Paderewski Piano Competition in Bydgoszcz (First Prize and Special Prize for Best Performance of a Piano Quintet), the 2010 Valencia International Piano Competition (Fifth Prize), the 2010 International Piano and Orchestra Competition in Città di Cantù, Italy (Third Prize), the 2008 Geneva Competition (Special Prize), the 2007 Calabria International Piano Competition (Fifth Prize), and the 2006 Haveland Festival and International Piano Competition (Second Prize). She was also a finalist in, among others, the Montreal International Music Competition (2011), Sendai International Music Competition (2010), Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Competition in Berlin (2010), and Seoul Competition for Young Musicians (2006). Throughout the past decade, Zheeyoung Moon has performed in solo concerts and with orchestras throughout Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, South Korea, and Japan. Writing for the Allgäuer Anzeigeblatt in August 2010, Christoph Pfister praised Ms. Moon’s performance at the 2010 Obersdorf Summer Music Festival, saying: “Driving force and lyrical reverie went side by side in her highly classical interpretation that was as convincing as it was self-evident. She proved herself in all moments of exuberant emotion, giving those present a clearly sovereign point of view.” Michael Moran, a classical music writer and performer who observed the 2013 International Paderewski Piano Competition in Bydgoszcz, Poland, noted Ms. Moon’s First Round performance for its “refinement of sound and sensitivity of this playing, such fine fingers. Her touch and tone are absolutely superb…” adding later that, “Her dynamic range suits this hall and begins and dwells at a relatively lower dynamic than many pianists in the competition. Never noisy, always a rounded and full sound. At the other end of the spectrum her ultra pianissimo is quite stunning. She literally becomes the music she is playing with extraordinarily revealing phrasing.”

SUNDAY NOVEMBER

2014

Paso Robles Inn Ballroom,

Paso Robles CA 11:00 a.m.

Festival Finale Concert International Cultural Exchange Program Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) Sonata in F major, KV 332 I. Allegro Yuriy Shchurovskyi (1927-1996)

Elegy in G-sharp minor

Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849)

Mazurka in A minor, Op. 67 no. 2

Olha Pokhvata Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) Sonata Op. 31 no. 2, “Tempest” III. Allegretto Francis Poulenc (1899-1963)

Improvisation 15 “Hommage à Édith Piaf”

George Gershwin (1898-1937)

Piano Prelude No. 1 Allegro ben ritmato a deciso

Michał Niedbała Ignacy Jan Paderewski (1860-1941)

Nocturne, Op. 16 no. 4

Franz Liszt (1811-1886)

Consolation No. 3

Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943)

Humoresque, Op. 10 no. 5

Nazar Kozlyuk John Maul (b. 1959)

Fly free

Ignacy Jan Paderewski (1860-1941)

Variations, Op. 16 no. 3

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WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER

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PROGRAM NOTES

by Marek Żebrowski

Wednesday and Sunday: Exchange Program Student Concerts Johann Sebastian Bach: Prelude and Fugue in G major (Vol. II) Universally acknowledged as the greatest composer of polyphonic music, the two sets of Bach’s Preludes and Fugues—collectively known as Das Wohltemperierte Clavier [The Well-Tempered Clavichord]—remain a monumental achievement to this day. The first volume of 24 preludes and fugues in all major and minor keys was written in 1722 for, as Bach indicated, “the profit and use of musical youth desirous of learning, and especially for the pastime of those already skilled in this study.” As if this exhaustive compendium of pieces in an astonishing variety of tempi, character, and difficulty were not enough, twenty years later Bach produced another set of 24 preludes and fugues, brimming with new melodic and expressive ideas and demonstrating his incredible ease with complex contrapuntal textures. This Prelude and Fugue in G major comes from the 1742 set and provides a splendid example of contrast between the lively, toccata-like character of the Prelude and the playful charm of the 3-part Fugue that follows. Ever since they were first published in 1801, Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavichord proved to be a challenge for generations of pianists and the best school for the study of piano technique. The public, on the other hand, has enjoyed the timeless beauty of this exquisitely-crafted music, which continues to awe and inspire in equal measure. Johannes Brahms: Rhapsody Op. 79 no. 2 Written in 1879 when the composer was in his mid-40s, the Op. 79 Rhapsodies represent Brahms’s early maturity and begin a long streak of progressively more introspective and lyrical piano pieces that he continued to write throughout the rest of his life. The opening Rhapsody, cast in the key of B minor, is decidedly the more dramatic and rhetorical of the two; the second, in G minor, is more passionate and lyrical as well as more compact. Both Rhapsodies are dedicated to Elisabeth von Herzogenberg, a musician and composer who was a good friend of Brahms. Ignacy Jan Paderewski: Variations, Op. 16 no. 3 & Nocturne, Op. 16 no. 4 It can be argued that Paderewski’s spectacular pianistic career prevented him from being more prolific as a composer. During his young years in Warsaw, Berlin, and Vienna, Paderewski composed many successful piano miniatures as well as an excellent Piano Concerto. But after his 1888 solo debut in Paris he was forced to devote almost all of his energies to performing all around the world. Paderewski’s Op. 16 carries the title Miscellanea, and contains seven works that were written throughout the early and mid-1880s and assembled for publication in 1888. The Variations in A major are the most ambitious and virtuosic of the entire Op. 16 and demonstrate Paderewski’ gift for turning a simple melody into a very inventive set of variations. Paderewski’s Nocturne, Op. 16 no. 4 is his only essay into a genre that was pioneered by Chopin. It is a tender and short work, based on a lilting rhythmic motive that recurs throughout the piece, which was dedicated to Madame la Princesse Rachel Bassaraba de Brancovan—a musician of Greek origin married to a Romanian prince, and a very close friend of Paderewski in Paris. Yuriy Shchurovskyi: Elegy in G-sharp minor Primarily a composer of soundtracks for Soviet films in the 1950s and 1960s, Shchurovskyi also wrote many short piano pieces between 1950 and 1990. Some of these occasionally turn up in performance, but most are used only as teaching repertoire, mainly in Russia. Shchurovskyi’s Elegy is a late-romantic, nocturne-like composition in an ABA form, with a short cadenza ushering the return of the opening material. Edvard Grieg: The Poet’s Heart, Op. 52 no. 3 With the exception of his Piano Concerto, the Peer Gynt Suite, and a few chamber works, Grieg’s voluminous solo piano music is practically unknown and seldom heard in concert. Yet, many of his miniatures are quite fascinating for their luxuriant pianistic textures and interesting use of the Norwegian folk rhythms and harmonies. Originally written in 1865 as part of a short song cycle—Melodies of the Heart, Op. 5—The Poet’s Heart was recast as a solo piano piece by Grieg in 1890. Mykola Sylvansky: Snowstorm Judging by the very few of his works known outside Sylvansky’s native Ukraine, he was an interesting composer and possibly also a gifted pianist. Snowstorm is an evocative, late-romantic work that emulates textures found in some of Liszt’s simpler piano works. Its effective virtuosity and relatively straightforward pianistic layout make it a good showpiece for a young virtuoso.

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER

Franz Liszt: Consolation No. 3 Written between 1844 and 1849, Liszt’s Six Consolations took their title and mood either from one of Lamartine’s poems or from a collection of Saint-Beuve’s poetry. In either case, these Nocturne-like compositions explore intimate and delicate, thoroughly romantic moods. The No. 3 is the most famous and most often performed of the set. It is also seen as Liszt’s tribute to Chopin, who died in 1849. The revised version of the set was published in 1850. Claude Debussy: Arabesque No. 1 Debussy’s Deux Arabesques date from the late 1880s and are among his earliest compositions. Charming and formally simple, they feature some of the harmonic and melodic devices that would be fully developed in Debussy’s mature works, written in the early 1900s. The First Arabesque opens the set of two, and features a gracefully flowing theme of cascading passagework in the salubrious key of E major. The contrasting idea in the middle section explores a few more distant keys before the recapitulation of the opening idea is staged. The work closes on an upward rush that mirrors the descending passages of the opening measures. Sergei Rachmaninoff: Prelude, Op. 32 no. 12 and Humoresque, Op. 10 no. 5 Remembered for his unprecedented gift for melody, Rachmaninoff would have been quite happy to devote his life to conducting the orchestra of Moscow’s Imperial Opera and composing piano and orchestral music. But the October 1917 Bolshevik Revolution forced him to leave Russia, settle in the U.S., and to embark on a serious pianistic career at the age of 48. Only then did it transpire that Rachmaninoff was an astounding piano virtuoso, whose interpretations of classical and romantic piano repertoire and of his own music set standards that still hold today. Completed in 1910, the Op. 32 Preludes feature thirteen highly varied tone poems, each requiring consummate pianistic skills to deliver them successfully to the public. Rachmaninoff’s 1921 recording of this Prelude highlights the sparkling righthand ostinato passagework over a sonorous, beautifully-shaped melody entrusted to the left hand. Melancholy and brilliance coexist here in equal measure, and such careful balance is required of every pianist attempting to tackle this radiant gem of piano repertoire. Dating from 1894, the Humoresque is a witty and brilliant piano miniature, one of seven Morceaux de salon Op. 10, which also includes such romantic-era standards as Nocturne, Waltz, Barcarolle, Romance and Mazurka. Frederic Chopin: Etude Op. 10 no. 12 and Mazurka, Op. 68 no. 2 Just like Bach’s Preludes and Fugues (which Chopin dutifully practiced throughout his life), his Op. 10 Etudes have proved to be the highest musical and technical achievement, transcending a mundane title that usually suggests repetitive and generally useless exercises. Each of Chopin’s Etudes inhabits a world of its own, requiring not only superb piano technique but also a probing musical insight to carry it off successfully. Written during the years 1828-1831, the first set of Twelve Etudes Op. 10 was dedicated to Chopin’s close friend and brilliant virtuoso, Franz Liszt. Just like Bach, Chopin produced another set of Twelve Etudes, Op. 25, writing them throughout the mid-1830s. Some Etudes became very popular and acquired separate titles, totally against Chopin’s wishes. The closing Etude of Chopin’s Op. 10 was composed in 1831, shortly after he left Poland on the eve of the November Uprising. When the reports of the failed uprising against the Russians had reached him, Chopin exclaimed, “All this has caused me much pain. Who could have foreseen it!” His statement encouraged others to call this stormy Etude “The Revolutionary Etude,” or even “Etude on the Bombardment of Warsaw,” perhaps equating bombardments and obsessive piano practicing as casualty-inducing activities. In spite of bearing a late opus number, this Mazurka was actually written in 1827, three years before Chopin left Warsaw for Paris. Its slow tempo and melancholy mien make it more of a kujawiak, a dance from north-central Poland, where young Chopin spent a few summer holidays. Along with three other Mazurkas, this work was published posthumously in 1855 by Chopin’s childhood friend, Julian Fontana, who attended to manuscripts and papers after Chopin’s death. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Sonata KV 332 Dating from 1783, the year of Mozart’s move from Salzburg to Vienna, the KV 332 was written together with the well-known Sonatas in C major (KV 330) and A major (KV 331), the latter closing with the famous Alla turca finale. The opening Allegro of KV 332 is quite lyrical with a graceful melody introducing a pastoral mood. Contrast comes suddenly with a decisive turn into the minor key and virtuoso writing, but it quickly modulates into a sunny C major—the key of the second subject. More peregrinations through minor keys and stark dynamic contrasts follow in the development section before the recapitulation revisits the opening melody and restores the peaceful setting.

Ludwig van Beethoven: Sonata Op. 31 no. 2, “Tempest” Within Beethoven’s catalogue, his 32 Piano Sonatas occupy a place similar to the nine Symphonies, written for orchestra. He returned to both genres throughout his life, always experimenting and expanding the forms and conventions inherited from Mozart and Haydn. Beethoven’s Sonata Op. 31 no. 2 is his 17th, and it was written in 1802. Often referred to as “The Tempest,” it never bore that title during Beethoven’s time and the composer certainly did not wish to provide the listener any additional hints beyond the admittedly dramatic and dynamic character that is on abundant display throughout this Sonata’s three movements. The first movement is notable for its recurring, contemplative recitatives that are interspersed with agitated restatements of the main subject, giving the Sonata its tragic power and driving the force of Beethoven’s musical argument. The slow second movement has processional dignity and its melodic line nobly echoes the first movement’s recitatives. The closing Allegretto movement is a hybrid of the sonata form and rondo, cast in a constantly flowing, perpetuum mobile fashion that keeps its momentum only to fade out into the shadows at the end. Francis Poulenc: Improvisation No. 15 Poulenc’s Fifteen Improvisations were written between 1932 and 1959, with the first ten completed and published by 1934. Conceived as short and self-standing piano works, some of them were inspired by music of other composers, notably No. 3 (modelled on Prokofiev’s music), No. 4 and No. 12 serving as homage to Chopin and Schubert, and No. 15 dedicated to the songs of Édith Piaf, who was one of Poulenc’s close friends. George Gershwin: Piano Prelude No. 1 Devoted to bridging the gap between classical music and jazz, Gershwin wanted to follow on Bach’s example and intended to write 24 preludes for piano. While seven Preludes exist in manuscript form, only five were introduced to the public in at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York in 1926 and, of these, only three were published as a set. The First and Third Prelude share the tempo designation: Allegro ben ritmato e deciso. And indeed, they are lively, rhythmically vibrant with syncopations, and quite virtuosic with a mixture of chords and rapid passages. The middle Prelude, marked Andante con moto e poco rubato, is a lovely slow blues, which Gershwin also called a “blues lullaby.” John Maul: Fly free British-born composer John Maul studied piano from the age of five and graduated from the Royal Academy of Music in 1989. Primarily a pianist and composer for London’s West End shows, Maul has been associated with Roland, one of the major manufacturers of electronic keyboards. He has often performed and toured worldwide, demonstrating the capabilities of this modern medium. Maul’s compositions span the world of jazz and easy listening with an admixture of pop and light classics.

Thursday: Cass Winery Series – Choral Concert

Anonymous: O najdroższy kwiatku Along with the early thirteenth century hymn, Bogurodzica [Mother of God], O najdroższy kwiatku [Oh, most precious flower] is one of the first musical works to use a Polish rather than a Latin text. Notated on a parchment strip in 1481, it was found in the Włocławek Seminary Library in the late 1880s and published as a “Fragment of a Hymn to Holy Mary” in 1892. A more complete version of this work appeared in a 1607 collection entitled Pieśni postne starożytne człowiekowi krześcijańskiemu należące [Lenten Songs of the Past for Christian Use]. O najdroższy kwiatku panieńskiej czystości, Maryjo, matko boskiej miłości.

Oh, most precious flower of maidenhood pure, Hail Mary, the Mother of God is adored.

Dla Twego smutku i dla Twojej żałości Napełnienaś boskiej miłości.

For Thy sadness and grief have carried The fulfillment of God’s love unpaired.

Matko Boża błogosławiena, Przed światem stworzona i w żywocie matki swojej poświęcona.

Blessed be the Mother of God who came before the world has been and was, and who devoted her life to motherhood.

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Traditional: Lulajże, Jezuniu Lulajże, Jezuniu is one of the most famous Polish Christmas carols and also one of the oldest. Written in a form of a lullaby, the earliest version of the text dates from 1705 and is held at the Archiepiscopal Archive in Poznań. It was published in Lwów in 1767 and 1785. The first appearance of the melody in print comes from a collection assembled by Fr. Michał Marcin Mioduszewski: Pastorałki i kolędy z melodyjami, czyli piosnki wesołe ludu w czasie Świąt Bożego Narodzenia po domach śpiewane a przez X. M. M. M. zebrane [Shepherd’s Songs and Carols with Melodies, or Joyous Songs of People Sung at Homes during the Christmas Holidays as Collected by Fr. M. M. M.]. This beautiful and lilting melody was well known for at least a century before Frédéric Chopin used it for the middle section of his Scherzo No. 1, Op. 20, written in Vienna in 1831 and published in 1834 in Paris. Lulajże, Jezuniu moja perełko Lulajże, Jezuniu me pieścidełko.

Sleep, Baby Jesus, my precious pearl Sleep, Baby Jesus, I caress Thee well.

Lulajże, Jezuniu, lulajże lulaj A ty go Matulu w płaczu utulaj.

Sleep, Baby Jesus, do soundly sleep, Thy mother cradles Thee when you weep.

Lulajże piękniuchny mój aniołeczku. Lulajże wdzięczniuchny świata kwiateczku.

Sleep on, my most beautiful angel divine Sleep on—the world’s grateful blossom is mine.

Dam ja maleńkiemu piękne jabłuszko Matki ukochanej dam mu serduszko.

I’ll present my baby with a lovely apple And give him the heart of the loving mother.

Cyt, cyt, cyt zasypia małe dzieciątko, Oto już zasnęło niby kurczątko.

Soft, soft, my baby is falling asleep Now it rests quietly, like a little sheep.

Cyt, cyt, cyt wszyscy się spać zabierajcie, Mojego dzieciątka nie przeszkadzajcie.

All quiet now, all must retreat Without disturbing my baby’s sleep.

Johann Sebastian Bach: Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248 Bach’s Christmas Oratorio was premiered during the Christmas 1734 celebrations at St. Thomas and St. Nicholas churches in Leipzig, Germany. For each of the six feast days during the December/January liturgical calendar, Bach composed a separate cantata, using the adaptation of Gospel texts narrating the events associated with the birth of Christ. Some of the musical material for this massive, six-part Oratorio was culled from earlier cantatas Bach composed for Christmas day, as well as from secular cantatas, including two composed for the birthday and coronation of Poland’s King and August III and Queen Maria Josepha. The scoring for each of the cantatas calls for strings and continuo, but Bach varied the orchestration of each cantata to underline the overarching storyline. Christ’s birth in Cantata I is heralded by trumpets and tympani fanfare as the chorus proclaims in the opening movement, “Jauchzet, Frohlocket!” [Shout and be joyful!]. The Second, “Pastoral” Cantata utilizes the flutes and oboes to depict shepherds in the fields, and the chorale Brich an, o schönes Morgenlicht [Break forth, o beauteous morning light] serves as the Cantata’s third movement. Traditional, arr. Cassandra Tarantino: Celebrate Wassail! The tradition of wassailing dates back to the Anglo Saxon era of Great Britain and the term Wassail comes from a toast, Wæs pu hæel [Be in good health]. There are two main traditions of wassailing. The first was to bless the apple trees for a good harvest, from which a warm and spicy drink, known as wassail, was produced. The second tradition had peasants making rounds and toasting lords’ and ladies’ “Good Health,” and expecting their wooden goblets to be filled with wassail. The houses of those who refused to contribute to the general merriment of the season would be cursed. This mediaeval tradition eventually morphed into caroling during Christmas Season and the “trick-or-treat” custom associated with Halloween. A number of wassail songs from Great Britain have become familiar Christmas carols, and Celebrate Wassail combines four of them. Each describes the tradition of blessing the apple trees, carrying the wassail cup, and offering blessings to the houses. The Gloucestershire and Cornish Wasssails proclaim, “With the wassailing bowl we’ll drink to thee!” and “Pray open your door and let us come in!” The Gower Wassail tells of the ingredients that comprise a wassail with the words, “Our wassail is made of the good ale and true, some nutmeg and ginger, it’s the best we can do.” Finally, the Somerset Wassail blesses the apple tree with the words, “Old apple tree, we’ll wassail thee, and hoping thou wilt bear.” Here’s to a jolly wassail! Romuald Twardowski: Alleluia Romuald Twardowski is a Polish composer with a sizeable catalogue of compositions that includes many outstanding vocal works. Born in Wilno (now Vilnius, Lithuania), Twardowski grew up listening to choral music in Catholic and Christian Orthodox

churches, and his musical language reflects the composer’s fascination with both traditions. After studying composition in Wilno, Twardowski studied in Poland and, in the mid-1960s, with Nadia Boulanger in Paris, where he devoted much attention to Gregorian chant and Mediaeval polyphony. Among many moving works for choir a cappella, Twardowski’s Alleluia is undoubtedly his bestknown composition. Written in 1990, it represents a particularly apt synthesis of ancient music traditions with more modern, neoclassical tendencies, a style that’s close to the composer’s credo, as expressed in his memoir, Było, nie minęło [Once upon a time but still present]: Quite apart from the crazy apologists for the latest avant-garde no matter what, I always valued the role and the meaning of tradition, finding in it the inspiration for my music. Building upon the idea of bridging different styles, I looked to Gregorian chant and early music for the elements that could be combined with the twentieth century compositional techniques, such as tone clusters and aleatoric music that would provide me with a desired synthesis of the Old and the New.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Alleluia KV 165 Alleluia is the closing section of Exsultate, Jubilate, Mozart’s motet for soprano, organ and orchestra. It was written by the 17-year old composer during his sojourn in Milan for the production of his opera, Lucio Silla. The opening Allegro is a cheerful and upbeat setting of the opening words. A short recitative with organ accompaniment leads into a sweet Andante [Tu virginum corona] and the closing Allegro is a long and bravura setting of the word “Alleluia,” reflecting the incredible vocal virtuosity of Venanzio Rauzzini, a castrato who performed as Cecilio in Mozart’s opera, Lucio Silla in Milan’s Teatro Ducale, and who premiered Exsultate, Jubilate at the Teatini Church in Milan on 17 January 1773. This particular arrangement of Mozart’s Alleluia for a vocal trio was made by the American avant-garde composer, Wallingford Riegger (1885-1961). Albert Hay Malotte: Lord’s Prayer A native of Philadelphia, Albert Hay Malotte studied with Victor Herbert in America and with Georges Jacob in France. Before he settled in Los Angeles, Malotte was an organist in Chicago, performing in a number of silent film theatres. In California, he composed soundtracks for Disney, two of which—Ferdinand the Bull (1939) and The Ugly Duckling (1940)—won the Academy Awards for best short score. Malotte’s 1935 setting of the Lord’s Prayer is the most popular among a number of his religious works that also includes settings of the Beatitudes and Psalm 23. Antonin Dvořak: Sing ye a joyful song Based on the text of Psalm 98, Sing ye a joyful song is the last of Antonin Dvořak’s Ten Biblical Songs, Op. 99. Each song uses a different psalm, and the translations come from the Bible of Kralice, the first complete translation of the Bible into the Czech, published in 1613. Dvořak’s Op. 99 was written in March 1894 when he lived in New York City and worked as director of the National Conservatory. To an extent, the cycle echoes Dvořak’s interest in Negro Spirituals and Native American music, whilst its religious and meditative tone reflects Dvořak’s personal losses—his father’s grave illness and the passing of Hans von Bülow, a close friend and a strong champion of Dvořak’s music. Ron Kean: ‘Tis the Season The text of Ron Kean’s composition came from a book of poetry written by Mattie Stepanek, who died at the age of 14 from Muscular Dystrophy. In his poem ‘Tis the Season, Mattie speaks of lasting peace and global tolerance, beyond the holiday season. Cassandra Tarantino commissioned this work from Dr. Kean on behalf of the North County Chorus, and gave its world premiere in December 2010. All royalties from the composer for this piece are shared with three major non-profit organizations that support and spread Mattie’s message of hope and peace. Ignacy Jan Paderewski: Hej, Orle biały! Hej, Orle biały! is Paderewski’s last composition, written in 1917. In its original version for piano and male chorus, it was a song that accompanied volunteer Polish soldiers—recruited mostly from Polish émigrés residing in North America—to the battlefields of World War I. Between 1915 and the end of hostilities in 1918, Paderewski devoted considerable energies to political and fundraising activities on behalf of his fellow Poles, who suffered unprecedented casualties and widespread malnutrition during the war. Paderewski’s goal was to establish the nucleus of a Polish army-in-exile, which would fight alongside the Allies and help the Polish claim for independence during the Paris Peace Conference. Due to Paderewski’s incredible generosity and persistence, volunteers recruited from amongst Polish-Americans eventually fought in France under General Józef Haller and later formed the seed of the Polish National Army. In the meantime, Paderewski’s war-time political connections at the highest levels of the American government led to President Wilson’s official request that Poland be restored as an independent country with access to the Baltic Sea.

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Although Paderewski never provided any other versions of Hej, Orle biały, an arrangement for brass and male choir made in the 1920s by Paderewski’s close friend, Henryk Opieński, has been found. Another transcription of this work—for wind band and mixed choir—was premiered at the 2010 Paderewski Festival concert at Mission San Miguel. Tonight’s performance of Hej, Orle biały in its piano/vocal scoring occurs on the composer’s birthday, aptly adding to the celebrations honoring Paderewski in the community he called his American home for over twenty-five years. Hej, Orle Biały, pierzchły dziejów mroki Leć dziś wspaniały hen, na lot wysoki. Nad pola chwały, nad niebios obłoki, Ponad świat cały wielki i szeroki.

Hey, White Eagle, the new dawn has arisen Fly high and far: the sky is your limit. Above the battle, above the towering clouds To the great, wide universe for all.

Hej, Orle Biały, ongi tak zraniony Zbyt długo brzmiały pogrzebowe dzwony. Rozpaczne szały i żałosne tony, Wiedź nas na śmiały czyn nieustraszony.

Hey, White Eagle with your painful past, Too long have chimed funeral bells for you: Heartrending suffering, crying and despair Come and lead us on to victory!

Hej, na bój, na bój! Gdzie wolności zorza, Hej, na bój, na bój! Za Polski brzeg morza, Za Polskę wolną od tyrańskich tronów Za Polskę dawną, Piastów, Jagiellonów.

Hey, fight on! Fight on! Freedom beckons you! Hey, fight on! Fight on for Poland’s open shore! For Poland free of tyranny and fear For Poland’s past of glorious victories!

Hej, na bój, na bój! Taka wola Boża, Hej na bój, na bój! Za Gdańsk i brzeg morza, Za ziemię całą tę rodzoną, naszą, Za wolność wszystkich, za naszą i waszą! Hej, na bój! Na bój, na bój!

Hey, fight on! Fight on, following God’s will! Hey, fight on! Fight on for Gdańsk on the sea! And for all the Earth, our native soul, our home For freedom given to all upon the Earth! Fight on! Fight on, fight on!

Friday: Park Ballroom Series – The Romantic Virtuosos Henryk Wieniawski: Polonaise de concert, Op. 4 Two magnificent Polonaises bookend Wieniawski’s compositional catalogue. The first, Polonaise de concert in D major, Op. 4, is a piece written by a 17-year old virtuoso. The second, Polonaise brillante in A major, Op. 21, completed in 1870, is one of Wieniawski’s last works. The early version (now lost) of the Op. 4 Polonaise was inspired by Wieniawski’s 1848 visit with Karol Lipiński in Dresden. Lipiński, who at that time was a concertmaster of Dresden Opera, shared with Wieniawski the details of his interpretation of solo violin works from Bach and Tartini to Paganini and Beethoven. Wieniawski also performed with Lipiński’s string quartet. From Dresden, Henryk Wieniawski and his pianist brother Józef left for Paris, where both continued studying music. As soon as the two brothers graduated with great success from the Paris Conservatoire in 1850, they embarked on touring across Europe and Russia, introducing the revised Op. 4 Polonaise in a violin and piano version. Its orchestral arrangement was published in Paris in 1858. The Polonaise opens on a grand and sweeping theme that recurs throughout the piece. The middle section, cast in a minor key, has heroic and lyrical elements. The final return of the opening idea is followed by a virtuoso coda, testifying to Wieniawski’s absolute command of the instrument with its technical and expressive possibilities. Josef Suk: Chant d’amour, Op. 7 no. 1 Josef Suk was a Czech composer and a violinist. He was a student and a disciple of Antonin Dvořak, and eventually married Dvořak’s daughter, Otillie. Suk wrote mostly instrumental and chamber music and most of his output displays strong neo-romantic feelings tinged with melancholy. He was dealt a double blow within a single year when, in 1905, he lost his mentor and father-in-law, Dvorak, as well as his wife, Otillie. A direct outcome of these twin tragedies, his orchestral work Asrael Symphony is dedicated “To the exalted memory of Dvořak and Otillie.” Suk’s Chant d’amour comes from the composer’s youth and opens the cycle of six piano pieces, written between 1891 and 1893. Its lovely melody—intimate and passionate in turns—proved ideally suited for violin and piano arrangement.

Fritz Kreisler: Caprice viennois, Op. 2 Virtuoso violinist and noted composer Fritz Kreisler was born in Vienna. He studied music at the Vienna and Paris Conservatories with such great composers as Anton Bruckner and Léo Delibes. When, after a successful U.S. tour in 1888 he returned to Vienna and was turned down for a position at the Vienna Philharmonic, he studied medicine for a few years but returned to concert touring in Europe and America in 1899. Kreisler served in the Austrian Army during World War I and was wounded. Afterwards he travelled to the U.S. and spent the remainder of the war years here. Back in Europe in 1924, Kreisler lived in Berlin and later in France, but with the outbreak of World War II he immigrated to America and became a naturalized citizen in 1943. As a composer, Kreisler was quite prolific, with a few operettas, a number of vocal works, piano miniatures, chamber music pieces, and cadenzas to violin concertos by Mozart, Beethoven, Paganini, and Brahms. Today Kreisler is mostly remembered for several charming violin and piano works that beautifully capture the atmosphere of fin-de-siècle atmosphere of his hometown. His Caprice viennois dates from 1910, and has been recorded by Kreisler and countless other virtuosos ever since. Frederic Chopin: Nocturne in C-sharp minor and Etude Op. 10 no. 3 Two of Frederic Chopin’s works on tonight’s program come from the composer’s early maturity and were written shortly before Chopin left Warsaw for Paris in 1830. Referred to sometimes by its tempo designation, Lento con gran espressione, this Nocturne was published 26 years after Chopin’s death. Dedicated to his sister Ludwika, it contains fragments of ideas Chopin later used in his F minor Piano Concerto. The piece proved very popular and has been used in many films, including Polanski’s The Pianist, as well as The Karate Kid and The Peacemaker. The E-major Etude from Op. 10 features one of Chopin’s most beautiful melodies. The third in a set of Twelve Etudes, it was published in Paris in 1832 and its character is similar to that of the Nocturne. Its impact on popular culture is also quite significant, since the opening melody was used in several songs (Tristesse, Never Again, No Other Love) and films (A Song to Remember, The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, The Walking Dead). Zoltan Kodály: Three Hungarian Dances Zoltán Kodály’s great contribution to music wasn’t limited to composition—he was a pioneering ethnomusicologist who studied Hungarian folk music together with his compatriot and composer, Bela Bartók. Kodály studied literature at the Budapest University and music at the Budapest Academy of Music simultaneously. After his debut as a composer in 1906, Kodály studied in Berlin and Paris and later returned to Budapest, where he became professor of composition at the Music Academy and, after 1919, its director. A prolific composer, today Kodály is chiefly remembered for his 1927 opera Háry János, Psalmus Hungaricus (written to celebrate the 50th anniversary of joining Buda and Pest), and the orchestral Dances of Galánta (1933). He also developed a music education program, known as the Kodály Method, which is still used by many schools around the world. Originally a work for orchestra and chorus, Kodály’s Three Hungarian Dances date from 1958 and were published in 1960. The version for violin and piano is a transcription authored by Fajgin. Antonin Dvořak: Humoresque, Op. 101 no. 7 The most popular composer of Czech symphonic music, Antonin Dvořak had significant connections to the U.S. He served as Director of the National Conservatory of Music of America in New York during the years 1892-1895 and spent considerable time in Iowa on summer vacations. Interested in folk music, Dvořak notated several American folk melodies and used them in such celebrated works as his Symphony No. 9 (“From the New World”), the American String Quartet, the E-flat major Quintet, and the Sonatina for Violin and Piano. Dvořak’s Humoresques is a cycle of eight pieces for solo piano, and the first was sketched in New York City on New Year’s Eve 1892. The No. 7 is the most famous of the cycle and its infectious main melody made the piece almost instantly one of the most popular in classical music. It also inspired all kinds of authors to write lyrics to its skipping rhythm, including one by the Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas: “Passengers will please refrain/from flushing toilets while the train/is standing in or passing through a station.” Niccolò Paganini: Caprice No. 24 and I palpiti Niccolò Paganini was undoubtedly the greatest violin virtuoso in history. He was also a master of the viola, mandolin and guitar, and left a number of chamber works for these instruments. A violin prodigy, Paganini developed his own unique style of playing and, as a young virtuoso, held positions as court musician at Lucca and Tuscany. His first big public success followed a concert at La Scala in Milan in 1813 and by the 1820s Paganini was touring all over Europe. His incredible technical abilities and clever public relation tactics (rumors about ill health, sorcery, etc.) attracted enormous crowds and much profit for Paganini. His career ended due to illness by the mid-1830s and Paganini returned to Italy. He died in 1840 in Nice and, because a priest could not be summoned to administer the last rites, the Catholic Church objected to a burial. Paganini’s body was finally interred in 1876 at a cemetery in Parma, Italy. Throughout his performing career Paganini played on a number of exceptional violins made by the greatest Italian violin makers, including Guarneri, Amati, and Stradivari.

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Paganini’s 24 Caprices for Solo Violin are undoubtedly his best-known work and they illustrate Paganini’s phenomenal technique. Written during the years 1805-1809, they proved to be show-stoppers for all of Paganini’s public performances. First published in 1819, they bear a very unusual dedication: “To the Artists” rather than to a patron, a friend or a colleague. The last Caprice is written in the form of variations on a simple theme that later served as inspiration for many other composers, including Brahms, Rachmaninov, and Lutosławski. One of the standard procedures for the itinerant virtuoso was to write a series of variations on popular melodies, operatic themes and other well-known tunes. The public would recognize the music and appreciate the virtuoso treatment. I Palpiti [Heartbeats] is an introduction and variations on the theme Di tanti palpiti from the opera Tancredi by Gioachino Rossini. It joins Paganini’s other works in this genre, including his variations on God Save the King, various Neapolitan and Genoese folk tunes, the Austrian National Anthem, Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro, and two other operas by Rossini—La Cenerentola and Mosè in Egitto— among others.

Saturday: Gala Concert with Zheeyoung Moon Frederic Chopin: Sonata Op. 35 and other works Chopin’s cycle of 24 Preludes dates from his 1838 trip to Mallorca with George Sand and her children. Armed with Bach’s Preludes and Fugues, Chopin expected a pleasant working holiday in a tropical climate and a welcome change from the damp and drab Paris winter. Such plans were quickly complicated by the fact that, as an unmarried couple, Chopin and Sand had difficulty finding lodging on the small island run by fervently Catholic Spaniards. An abandoned monastery in Valldemossa on the northern coast and over 20 km from the main town of Palma was the only available option and once the travelers had settled there, the skies opened with weeks of stormy weather. Chopin became seriously ill for weeks and returned to the mainland barely alive, but still managed to complete most of his Preludes and a few other shorter works. Without any encouragement from Chopin, his D-flat Prelude has been called “Raindrop” by the public almost from the very beginning. It is the longest of the set and its incessantly repeated accompaniment note inspired the comparison to rain, dripping off Valldemossa’s leaky roofs. Placing Chopin’s three Piano Sonatas side by side lends a fascinating perspective on his development as a composer and pianist. Completed in 1828, Chopin’s Op. 4 Sonata is a youthful work, dating from his schooldays at the Warsaw Lyceum under the tutelage of Józef Elsner. Almost Beethovenian in its spirit and character, its four-movement structure contains a Menuet (the only one Chopin ever wrote) but, overall, the Op. 4 is a work in search of an individual voice and style. The Sonata Op. 35 is a masterpiece of Chopin’s middle Paris period. The process of composing it actually began with the Funeral March slow movement, written in 1837 and later applied as the Sonata’s alternate title. The rest of the work was completed in 1839—after Chopin’s expedition to Mallorca—and published in 1840. The tragic shadow of the Funeral March clearly permeates the other three movements. Opening on a rhetorical motive of stern bass octaves marked Grave, under the heading Doppio movimento [double the speed] the first movement launches a rushing first subject, somewhat reminiscent of the opening of Mozart’s G minor Symphony. A chorale-like second subject in D-flat major calms the mood only temporarily, before the driving energy takes over again. Terse and classically structured, the entire first movement sweeps towards a dramatic apotheosis in a brief and grandiose coda. The second movement is a demonic Scherzo, filled with dark energy and incredible pianistic fireworks. The middle section, cast in a gentler key of G-flat major, offers a much-needed melodic respite accompanied by lilting left-hand chords. The drama of course continues with the Funeral March that follows, and it’s useful to remember that, until Chopin’s March became the norm for funerals, two of Beethoven’s Funeral Marches (from the Eroica Symphony and Piano Sonata Op. 26) were considered standards of the genre. The Sonata’s final movement is the shortest and most puzzling. Marked Finale: Presto, it’s a hushed and practically atonal rush of triplets in parallel octaves. Chopin apparently said that here “the left hand in unison with the right are gossiping after the March,” while Artur Rubinstein likened this movement to a “wind howling around the gravestones.” Chopin’s friend and great admirer, Robert Schumann, described the entire Op. 35 as four of Chopin’s “most unruly children” and for many decades this Sonata was considered a very daring experiment.

The Polonaise Op. 53, written in 1842, is by far the most popular and, in spite of the composer’s reluctance to add descriptive titles to his works, thanks to Chopin’s companion, George Sand, it acquired the sobriquet “Heroic.” A prolific writer and publicist recognized for her unconventional behavior and gushing pen, Sand’s reaction to Chopin’s Op. 53 was, “L’inspiration! La force! La vigueur! ... Cette polonaise devrait être un symbole, un symbole héroïque!” [The inspiration! The strength! The vigor! … This polonaise should be a symbol, a heroic symbol!]. And so it is, with an introduction that seems to marshal the ranks and with the recurring main subject that nobly dwells in the heroic realm. The middle section, with its relentless left-hand octave accompaniment, continues the drumbeat of gathering forces and prepares for the ever more triumphant return of the grandiose theme that ushers in a victorious coda. Ignacy Jan Paderewski: Selected miniatures Paderewski’s Menuet hardly needs to be introduced to most fans of classical music. This charming miniature was written during the mid-1880s, when Paderewski studied in Berlin and Vienna and occasionally returned to Poland for summer vacations. Conceived as a pastiche for his Mozart-loving friends in Warsaw, the Menuet was originally improvised by Paderewski at one of the impromptu after-dinner performances. In its final and polished guise, the Menuet opens the set of Six Humoresques de concert. The set ends with the Cracovienne fantastique, another concert hall favorite. Chopin’s works figured prominently in Paderewski’s concert repertoire and, as a composer, Paderewski was clearly inspired by Chopin’s music. Although not quite in the same league, Paderewski’s mazurkas and krakowiaks seek to continue the Chopin tradition of transforming folk music into concert hall material. Curiously, Paderewski wrote only one Nocturne, which although quite lovely, does not reach the lofty standard of Chopin’s essays in this genre. The Op. 16 Nocturne comes from the set of Miscellanea for piano, published in Berlin in 1888. Three other pieces in this collection—Légende, Mélodie, and Theme varié—are also sometimes heard in performance these days. Of the five pieces comprising Paderewski’s Album de mai, Op. 10, the closing Caprice-Valse is by far the most virtuosic and dashing, opening with a gesture similar to Chopin’s Grand Valse brillante, Op. 34 no. 1. Throughout the piece—even in its quieter middle section—bravura flashes abound, perhaps because the entire Op. 10 is dedicated to a phenomenally gifted virtuoso, Annette Essipoff-Leschetizky, the wife of Paderewski’s teacher in Vienna and more than a close friend of the composer. Schumann and Liszt: Passion and Virtuosity Robert Schumann’s early dreams of career as a piano virtuoso were laid to rest with a hand injury and, rather happily for him and for mankind, he settled to a career of composing and conducting. His early object of ardent love, piano prodigy Clara Wieck, was a daughter of Schumann’s piano teacher. As he courted Clara throughout the 1830s, Schumann wrote exclusively for the piano, leaving a notable trail of masterpieces, including: Papillons, Op. 2, Carnaval, Op. 9, Symphonic Etudes Op. 13, Kinderszenen, Op. 15, Kreisleriana, Op. 16, and Fantasy in C major, Op. 17. After a long wait and an acrimonious court battle, Schumann married Clara in 1840 and launched into writing several cycles of beautiful songs for voice and piano that numbered close to two hundred before his “song year” was out. Schumann’s marriage to a concert pianist touring Europe inspired him to write ever more passionately romantic music, from works for piano and orchestra to gems of chamber music literature. Tributes to his love (who in-between concert appearances bore him eight children) are scattered among Schumann’s works—be it in motivic fragments of melodic approximations of “Clara” or, as in his song Widmung [Dedication], in worshipfully quoting Schubert’s Ave Maria at the end. Quite appropriately, Schumann’s Widmung, Op. 25, serves as the opening number of the song-cycle Myrthen [Myrtles]—blossoms associated with marriage festivities—and the entire cycle is dedicated “To my beloved bride.” The text of Friedrich Rückert’s poem begins with the words, “Du meine Seele, du mein Hertz” [O, soul of mine, O, my heart], setting up the exalted and soaring passion of this unforgettable masterpiece. In 1849, nine years after Schumanns’ Widmung was published, Franz Liszt arranged it for solo piano. A phenomenally popular piano virtuoso and a prolific composer, Liszt was one of the leading Romantic era artists. He considered himself a friend and champion of Schumann and transcribed a dozen of Schumann’s songs for solo piano. Liszt was a master arranger and fully one half of his catalogue of compositions represents transcriptions, including the complete set of Beethoven’s symphonies, Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique, and fifty of Schubert’s songs among others. According to Schumann, “Liszt must be heard—and also seen—for if he played behind the scenes, a great deal of the poetry in his playing would be lost.” Clara Wieck was a little more guarded, noting that “Liszt cannot be compared to any other performer—he is absolutely unique. He arouses fear and astonishment, and yet he is a very kind artist. His appearance at the piano is indescribable—he’s an original—totally involved with the piano.” As a celebrated virtuoso, Liszt toured all corners of Europe, Russia, and his itineraries took him also to Constantinople. Inspired by his 1845 tour of Spain and Portugal, the Rhapsodie espagnole is a bravura solo piano composition dating from 1863. It is a perfect example of Liszt’s stylistic mixture of popular melodies (La Folia and Jota Aragonesa in this case) with pianistic fireworks that drove the audiences into a wild frenzy, with riots often following his appearances. Even today the virtuosic rendition of the Rhapsodie can give the audience a glimpse into Liszt’s magical onstage presence, as remembered by Robert and Clara Schumann.

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Park Ballroom

Book your next event in downtown Paso Robles at the Park Ballroom or Park Place. Email Ashley Lorenz at ashley@acorneventmgt.com visit www.acorneventmanagement.com or call (805) 238-5042

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WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER PADEREWSKI FESTIVAL

2014 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Steve Cass, President Marjorie Hamon, Treasurer Gracie Rey, Secretary Marek Zebrowski, Artistic Director Krysta Close Kristen Darnell India D’Avignon Joel Peterson Cri Cri Solak-Eastin ADVISORY BOARD

Brian Alexander John Fisher Peter Jandula-Hudson Debbie Lagomarsino Debbie Lorenz Frank Mecham Norma Moye Paula O’Farrell Barbara Partridge Christine Smith FESTIVAL STAFF

Diane Sayre, Youth Competition Coordinator

THE 2014 PADEREWSKI FESTIVAL IN PASO ROBLES WISHES TO THANK THE FOLLOWING FOR THEIR SUPPORT: FESTIVAL SPONSORS Epoch Estate Wines, Gala Concert Hind Foundation, Youth Competition Tablas Creek Vineyard, Youth Competition Winners’ Recital Cass Winery, Opening Night Concert Park Ballroom, Friday Concert Enfold Wines, Festival Finale Concert Travel Paso Robles Alliance, Promotional Sponsor Paso Robles Wine County Alliance, Promotional Sponsor Consulate General of the Republic of Poland, Cultural Exchange Sponsor Paso Robles Press, Program Sponsor the Quin, Paderewski Suite Sponsor La Cosecha and Il Cortile, Community Sponsor Paso Robles Inn, Community Sponsor FESTIVAL SUPPORTERS Adam Mickiewicz Institute Brian Alexander Bill and Liz Armstrong, Epoch Estate Wines BarrelHouse Brewing Co. Hy and Hellie Blythe Boy Scout Troop 60 Scott Brennan, Access Publishing David Brown Alice Cass Melissa Chavez Bob Chute, Paso Robles Magazine Hon. Mariusz Brymora, Consul General of the Republic of Poland Lois Capps, U.S. Congress, District 24 Courtyard by Marriott Paso Robles Hon. Malgorzata Cup, Consul for Culture of the Republic of Poland Theresa Dudzick Fish Gaucho Penny Fitzgerald, studiopkf Connie Fortunato and Anastasiia Popsui, Music Camp International Hampton Inn and Suites Paso Robles Betty Harford-Naszody Hotel Cheval

Brad Koyak, Paso Robles Press La Bellasera Hotel Anne Laddon and Sasha Irving, Studios on the Park Roman Łucarz and Ryszard Żądło, Province of Tarnów Tom and Kathleen Maas, Pear Valley Vineyards Jennifer Martin and Music Faculty members, Cuesta College SLO Paula and Steve O’Farrell Olio Nuevo Park Cinemas City of Paso Robles Paso Robles Historical Society, Carnegie Library Paso Robles Main Street Association, Elegant Evening Committee Paso Robles Pioneer Museum Paso Robles Chamber of Commerce Pine Street Promenade Polish American Congress of Southern California Polish Music Center, Thornton School of Music, USC REC Foundation Ken and Marilyn Riding San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors Doug and Cathy Schultz, The Blue Printer Spice of Life Anne Strakacz-Appleton Krystyna Szymańska, Paderewski Centre, Tarnów/Kąśna Dolna Vivant Fine Cheese We Olive Faith Wells, Epoch Estate Wines

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Tasting Room open daily 10am to 5pm 9339 Adelaida Road, Paso Robles CA 93446 805.237.1231 www.tablascreek.com 1

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