New York Dance & Arts Innovations, Inc., New York State Council on the Arts, The Consulate General of the Republic of Poland, Polish & Slavic Federal Credit Union, Kosciuszko Foundation and the Polish Cultural Institute New York

Friday, November 8, 2019 – Tuesday, November 26, 2019 

The International Chopin & Friends Festival in New York is an annual festival organized by the New York Dance & Arts Innovations, Inc. and supported by the Polish Cultural Institute NY showcasing artists of various disciplines inspired by Chopin’s legacy and working across a variety of media to unite traditional and contemporary art forms.

Polish Cultural Institute NY is proud to announce this year’s festival with the Opening Gala: From grandeur to dance on November 8, a concert of masterpieces by I. J. Paderewski, S. Moniuszko, F. Chopin and E. Granados performed by pianists Katarzyna Musial, Robert Adamczak, and violinist Mariusz Monczak at the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in New York. The evening will also feature the exhibition: Chopin & Friends Festival in Polish School of Posters’ art from the collection of Contemporary Posters gallery, which specializes in the art of the golden age of the Polish School of Posters (1945-89.)

On November 9 at the Polish and Slavic Center, Jazz Concert: Improvisation will present painting exhibition from the series of Alicja Gaskon’s Dividing Lines and Asia Sztencel’s Personal Landscapes, along with the still life and landscape paintings by Jolanta Agata Krzanowska. The opening will feature Mario Forte – jazz violinist and his quartet, joined by the vocalist Malgorzata Staniszewska with original compositions and jazz standards.

On November 21 at the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in New York, New Visions of Moniuszko: Words in music will present exhibition Preludes by Monika Sosnowski. For this occasion selections of photographs acting as visual preludes from the artist range of projects will be on view. The opening will feature 17 year- old gifted pianist Jasper Heymann, Four Corners Ensemble, soprano Justyna Giermola, mezzo-soprano Helen Haas, violinists Clara Kim and Giancarlo Latta, conductor & pianist Jakub Polaczyk, as well as works by winners of the 2nd New Vision International Composition Competition.

On November 22, Club Krakus will host Most Beautiful Polish Songs: Ordonka and more, a concert of masterpieces by F. Chopin, S. Moniuszko, L. Rózycki, L. Kaszycki, R. Poznakowski, G. Raskin, T. Muller, J. Petersburski, A. Gold, A, Laporte and H. Wars performed by soprano Mariola Augustyn, pianist Alla Milchtein, and violinist Kinga Augustyn.

On November 23 at the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall will be Grand Gala: “Polish- American Fantasy” celebrating 100 years of Polish – U.S. diplomatic relations. The program will include classical and contemporary music dedicated to the centennial of Polish – U.S. diplomatic relations by H. Wieniawski, H. M. Górecki, George Gershwin and John Williams. This musical tribute will feature violinists Kinga Augustyn, Eilene Lee and Phoebe Han, pianists David Oei, Tony Yike, Xheni Roji and Katherine Wand, clarinetists Wojciech Komsta and Bence Szepesi, saxophonist Tim Ries, cellist Ethan Han along with the performance of Ensemble Con Brio de Montreal.

Closing gala of the festival on November 26 at the General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen of the City of New York will be Historical Performance Practice: Baroque Virtuosity featuring a program of virtuosic works by European composers spanning close to 200 years. The musical evening will include a lecture by violin maker Lukas Wronski on the history of string making along with performers – Kinga Augustyn on Baroque Violin, Rebecca Pechefsky on Harpsichord and Christopher Morrongiello on Archlute, Baroque Guitar and Lute. 

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