Andrew Kolo's Paintings - A Memorial Exhibit with Poetry, Vienna Woods Gallery, Los Angeles (vol. 16, no. 4)

Poster of "Andrew Kolo - Painting" by Leonard Konopelski

On September 5, 2025, the Vienna Woods gallery in Los Angeles hosted the grand opening of the exhibition "Andrew Kolo – Painting," commemorating the painter, poet, and playwright Andrzej Kołodziej (1944-2025), known in the United States as Andrew Kolo. The exhibition was opened by Katarzyna Czerpak-Węgliński, president of the KrakArt painters' group, who thanked the members of the KrakArt Group who contributed to organizing the exhibition - Janusz Maszkiewicz the owner of the Vienna Woods Gallery, as well as Vito Wojcik and Leonard Konopelski who curated the exhibition, framed photos from over forty years of the group's history. She also thanked Jakub Nowicki whose private collection was the source of the paintings displayed at this colorful exhibition. 

Remarks were also delivered by Consul Mateusz Gmura and Dr. Maja Trochimczyk, president of the California State Poetry Society, who organized recitation of the artist's poems in English and Polish, with the participation of poet Konrad Tademar Wilk and actress Agata Nowicka.

President of KrakArt Group, Katarzyna Czerpak-Weglinski, Ms. Marta Gmura, Monique Lehman, Consul Mateusz Gmura, Maja Trochimczyk, with poetry brochures. 

Andrzej Kołodziej graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. In 1981, he founded the KrakArt group in Los Angeles, which has organized numerous important exhibitions in Poland and the United States.  Let me cite his biography on the KrakArt Group's page:

Born in Poland, the painter is residing in Los Angeles. He earned his master’s degree in painting and art education from the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Poland (1968). Kolo went on to study at the École de Dessin Appliqué in Paris (1973) and Otis Art Institute in Los Angeles (1977). He initially settled in New York (1973). He first went to California on vacation, which mesmerized him enough to make him want to stay. In art, he went from being fascinated with abstraction, through Californian landscapes, to depicting figures in motion. His works have been on display in the United States, but also in Europe and Asia. Kolo founded and managed the Polish-American art group called the Krak Group (currently the KrakArt Group.) He is interested in the theater, poetry, and photography.

‘Surrealism fascinates me. However, I use my own imagination as an exponent of the atypical view of the world that I have developed, rather than its inherent iconography of dreams. I look to visually transform the chaos of life, its balance, and asceticism. I do not strive to place my works in the present. Rather, I let them oscillate between the past and the future’ – Andrzej Kolo

At the exhibition, golden sunlight filled the gallery, shining from paintings (from Jakub Nowicki's private collection) featuring abstract Californian landscapes and equally abstract scenes of stylized puppets—often in swimsuits on the beach, on a playground, or playing tennis. 

Andrzej Kolo, "Examination" - oil on canvas, 2021.

The geometric simplicity of these scenes conceals deeper meanings.  One scene of three marionettes is arranged in the same way as the trinity of angels in the famous Andrei Rublov icon "Holy Trinity" - the three angels that visited Abraham are depicted as one goblet, the way they symmetrically bend and incline towards each other... 

The opening of the exhibition featured an appearance of the Consul for Polonia and Polish Cultural Heritage, Mr. Mateusz Gmura with his wife Marta.  He spoke about the importance of presenting the work of emigre artists and of keeping their memory alive, praising the organizers and contributors to this exhibition for their generosity and patriotism. 

Consul Gmura addresses the audience 

Consul Mateusz Gmura and Ms. Marta Gmura of the Polish Consulate in Los Angeles.

Consul Mateusz Gmura with Ms Marta Gmura, Barbara Nowicka and her son Jakub Nowicki, the owner of the artwork on display. 

Andrzej Kołodziej's vocation was art, but his passion was poetry. Together with Elżbieta Liebel and Konrad Tademar Wilk, he founded the Krak Poetic Group, which was later joined by Dr. Maja Trochimczyk. Andrzej's play "The Trial of Dali" (2019) was presented in Los Angeles, at the Hollywood Fringe Festival in June 2019, and in Sydney, Australia. In the exhibition, Andrzej Kołodziej's words became a sign of the artist's spiritual presence among his friends (such as tapestry artist Monique Chmielewski-Lehman and painter Leonard Konopelski). The exhibition was on view for one month, until the end of September 2025.

Since Kolodziej's life in California spanned five decades, there were many events that he participated in along with his painter friends - members of the KrakArt Group that he founded in 1981.  Another member of the group, Prof. Leonard Konopelski selected, printed, framed an organized a whole wall of photographs from the 40 plus years history of the KrakArt Group and the multitude of art exhibitions and events that the painters participated in along with their friends. 

The photos reproduced here are too small for details, but it was possible to stand close by the wall and identify individual artists and painters as they looked like 40 years ago. Monique Lehman, whom I found in two photos, was quite a beauty, with her long, blond hair. Some men had moustaches that have since disappeared and the hair on some heads also did a disappearing act... 

Monique Chmielewski Lehman and Andrzej Kolodziej at one of photographs on display.

After the initial speech by new president of the KrakArt Group, Katarzyna Czerpak-Weglinski, who presented an overview of Andrzej's career and profusely thanked all organizers of this colorful and lively exhibition, it was time for poetry. Together with Konrad Tademar Wilk, I was supposed to read Andrzej Kolodziej's poem in Polish and English. I thought it would be interesting to add a scene or two from Andrzej's play "The Trial of Dali" - and for that purpose, painter Joanna Fodczuk painted elegant moustache in the style of Dali on the face of Konrad Tademar Wilk who was supposed to impersonate the great surrealist artist. 

Two poets ready for the performance...

Joanna Fodczuk transforms Konrad into Salvador, Tademar into Dali... 

Konrad Tademar Wilk as Dali with Jakub Nowicki.

Decorated with the Dali-esque moustache Konrad Tademar Wilk later posed with Jakub Nowicki, his friend from the Polish School that they both attended at the Polish Church on Adams Boulevard. Nowicki's moustache and beard are real, though, not painted! The occasion was also an unlikely school reunion...

Owner of Vienna Woods Gallery, painter Janusz Maszkiewicz

One of the most generous activists of Polonia's art scene in Los Angeles is talented painter Janusz Maszkiewicz, the owner of the Vienna Woods Gallery who earns a living by restoring historical furniture and expresses his artistic talents in large-scale abstract paintings. Here he is, happy to show off the poetry booklet in front of some of Kolodziej's paintings and, in matching color, his restored table.  KrakArt Group owes him many important exhibitions, most recently of portraits of the artists painted by other artists from the group... In 2023, the gallery welcomed for two months a show  of "50 years of Art of the Modjeska Club" featuring designs by Stanislaw Szukalski and paintings by Zbigniew Nyczak, Leonard Konopelski, Slawek Wisniewski and Janusz Maszkiewicz - honored as the host of the event. 

Katarzyna Czerpak-Weglinski i Malgorzata Maszkiewicz.

Several attendees dressed in white or cream, as shown in the attire of Katarzyna Czerpak Weglinski (left) and Malgorzata Maszkiewicz (right).  They pose in front of three paintings by Kolodziej, in the warm golden palette of rich hues, so the coloring of the attendees was well matched to the art on the walls.  In the group portrait of the ladies of KrakArt Group the most colorful was the sapphire dress and red-gold scarf of Maja Trochimczyk.

Kasia Czerpak-Weglinska, Malgorzata Maszkiewicz, Maja Trochimczyk, and the most recent member of the KrakArt Group, Katarzyna Krzykawska-Apolinarski. In the background - Andrzej Kolodziej's landscapes of California. 

For the event, I gathered the five poems and selected excerpts from "The Trial of Dali" play into a booklet that was printed with illustrations of some of Andrzej Kolodziej's paintings, including a dramatic and very colorful landscape reproduced above.  Seeing the matching yellows and blues, I decided to provide contract to the warm sunlight-hued yellows with a sapphire dress and I think that color worked well, just as it did in the sky of Kolodziej's painting. 

Maja Trochimczyk, Konrad Tademar Wilk, Agatha Nowicki.

As I did not quite look forward to reading any theatrical roles, or acting in a play alongside Konrad, I was thrilled to see in attendance a young, talented actress  - Agatha Nowicki - daughter of Modjeska Club member Barbara Nowicka. Agata agreed to read a couple poems in English, and to play the two roles needed for the excerpt selected for this performance from "The Trial of Dali." 

Thus, she first become Pablo Picasso who secretly came to Franco's Spain to meet up with Dali and later embodied the wicked Isabel who brought out the "indecency" accusations against Dali that resulted in his infamous trial. This virtuosic, unrehearsed acting duet with Konrad Tademar Wilk received abundant applause. The performance was very witty and emotional, and the audience loved the humorous text.  I think one reason that "The Trial of Dali" is such an impressive play, is due to its author being an artist, inspired by surrealism, and sharing with his protagonists the ideological and existential pressures that may impact art-making and negatively affect the artists' lives. 

                                             

Below are the English translations of Andrzej Kolodziej's poems prepared for the exhibition. Earlier versions of some of these poems exists, but were not used.  Most of the translations are by myself, some by the poet himself, others - a joint effort with Konrad Tademar Wilk.  Kolodziej's poems are written in free verse and portray various impressions of America by an immigrant from Europe - the vastness and diversity of landscapes, the fleeting fame and eternal rest in the Hollywood cemetery, the beauty of a young musician.  He reflects also on the timeless theme of Adam and Eve in Eden, and on the aesthetics of Picasso's art seen through his eyes that distort the world into what he sees and captures on canvas. Enjoy! 

  

Maja Trochimczyk

AN EMIGRANT’S AMERICA

The first thing the emigrant sees 

from the Boeing's windows

 are the sharp spires of Manhattan

and the Statue of Liberty

standing beside it, looking serious.

The center of the window is filled

with the green carpets of Des Moines farms. 

The horizon is illuminated by rays

of the fourteen-karat 

California sun, while atomic explosions

in Nevada are barely visible

in the fog, on the right.

He also sees millionaires and the less affluent,

and saints from Lynchburg, Virginia.

Until finally, the view from the window 

is blurred by Coca-Cola

gushing from the clouds.

Andrzej Kolodziej

PICASSO’S EYES

Did you know that Picasso's eyes

are the same as yours,

only more sensitive,

and more self-confident?

Did you know that Picasso's eyes

possess more colors and forms

than mine and yours combined,

filtering our world 

through the prism of Cubism?

Did you know that his eyes

directed at a painting,

are like the eyes of a vulture,

registering every

shade of color,

cold or warm?

Picasso's eyes are

like the eyes of a scarlet macaw.

Encountered beauty

instantly deforms,

and it doesn't matter 

whether it's a landscape

from his native Catalonia, 

a still life,

an unknown model,

or his next 

wife. 

 ~ Andrzej Kolodziej, published in the California Quarterly Vol. 51, no. 3 (2025)

GARDEN OF EDEN

In the Garden of Eden brightly colored

flowers and bushes never cease blooming

and never knew winter.

“This fig tree belongs to you — my dearest

and the olive one — to me.

Make yourself comfortable in their aromatic shade.”

In the tangled branches the snake is hissing softly. 

Under an apple tree Adam and Eve, embracing.

“I’ll give you sons and daughters” — she whispers

tucking him into an animal fur coat.

“This delicious fruit called ‘an apple’

can only make you stronger — my beloved.”

 the first snowflakes begin to fall 

 upon the flowery Garden of Eden —

 like the first sins.

Andrzej Kolodziej, Published on the Village Poets blog, 2019. 

CEMETERY OF THE STARS

The gaunt palm trees 

stood motionless,

as if they were afraid to move

in this old cemetery.

The rays of the sun

revive the lethargy of the graves.

On one of the tombstones

a golden inscription reads: Marilyn Monroe.

White chrysanthemums held

by someone's grateful hand,

And the wind, that remembers

Marilyn's sincere smile, galloped

among the palms and tombstones.

It froze in the sky

like a shining star.

 ~ Andrzej Kolodziej

Andrzej Kolodziej, "End of the Road," oil on canvas, 2019.

Andrzej Kolodziej, "Spanish Guitar," oil on canvas, 2019.

MISS CONCENTINA 

The wind whistled softly

through the snow-covered branches

of the park, as if to spite

the great gale.

Miss Concentina

stood majestically beside me.

The stone goddess

of Roman temples.

Snow covered the world,

veiled its secrets.

Miss Concentina touched

her head to mine, as gently

as crystal goblets

touch with sparkling liquor.

She closed her eyes,

beautiful and peaceful.

Touched by the warmth

of her breath, 

the world around us 

began to melt—

~ Andrzej Kolodziej

Andrzej Kolodziej "Good Kiss" - oil on canvas, 2019.

Andrzej Kolodziej "Winter Competition" - oil on canvas, 2021.

Aga Zaryan and Darek Oleszkiewicz with Friends - Second Time Around! (Vol.16, No. 3)

A legendary jazz vocalist Aga Zaryan presented an unforgettable concert in Los Angeles, broadcast live on Facebook. She came from Poland to record a new jazz album with accomplished and experienced musicians, Darek Oleszkiewicz, bassist, Larry Koonse, guitarist, and Munyungo Jackson, drummer. Entitled “Second Time Around,” this is their second album with the same crew of musicians that worked on the recording in August 2025. Their concert on Saturday, August 9, 2025, took place in Paul Kulak's studio, known as Kulak's Woodshed, crammed with photographs and posters, and bizarre decorations (chairs on the ceiling, CDs strung up like laundry...). This unique space holds a secret: a set ultra-professional video and sound equipment is tucked away and video cameras move on tracks around the performance space creating attractive visuals… The program was packed with world premieres, but also with beloved jazz standards... But first, let's introduce the performers.

AGA ZARYAN‘s mellow, expressive voice and impeccable musicality have earned her many accolades from the music critics. The artist owes her worldwide recognition to a unique style, with a characteristic lightness of phrasing and a warm tone of voice. She was the first Polish artist to release records under New York’s legendary Blue Note Records label that has issued recordings of such legends as: Norah Jones, Nina Simone, Miles Davis and Bobby McFerrin. Aga Zaryan is a recipient of the most important awards in the music world, including the Fryderyk for a CD dedicated to poetry of Warsaw Uprising. She is one of Poland’s finest jazz vocalists and a winner of multiple Vocalist of the Year honors from Polish Jazz Forum magazine. 

DAREK OLESZKIEWICZ, known professionally as DAREK OLES, is a Grammy-nominated jazz bassist and educator, the pillar of Los Angeles jazz world.  Born in Wrocław, Poland, Darek began his musical education early and played various instruments before focusing on the acoustic bass. He gained recognition in Poland through numerous awards and performances with leading jazz groups. In 1988, he moved to Los Angeles, where he studied with Charlie Haden at the California Institute of the Arts. Oles has since become a faculty member at both CalArts and the University of Southern California. He has performed and recorded with jazz luminaries such as Brad Mehldau, Pat Metheny, Joe Lovano, and many others. His extensive discography includes about 100 albums, several of which have been nominated for Grammy Awards.

A native Californian, born in San Diego, LARRY KOONSE grew up in a musical family and began studying guitar at age seven, deeply influenced by his father, jazz guitarist Dave Koonse. At fifteen, he recorded his first album with his dad (Dave and Larry Koonse; Father and Son Jazz Guitars). In 1984, he became the first to earn a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies from USC. His career highlights include international touring & collaborations (six years on tour with the John Dankworth quartet and vocalist Cleo Laine), being featured on over 300 albums, including Mel Tormé, Luciana Souza, Natalie Cole, Rod Stewart, Lee Konitz, Bob Brookmeyer, and others, and multiple Grammy nominations with Billy Childs’s chamber sextet (Lyric and Autumn: In Moving Pictures) and Luciana Souza’s projects (Tide, Book of Chet). Koonse also led and co-led groups such as the L.A. Jazz Quartet and released critically acclaimed solo albums on Jazz Compass label. He appeared as a soloist at Carnegie Hall, Disney Hall, Sydney Opera House, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and more. 

Four-time Grammy winner MUNYUNGO JACKSON is a percussionist, composer, arranger, and producer, bringing an ever-growing collection of instruments to his craft.  The rich array of his traditional and unusual percussive sonorities may be heard on recordings in diverse musical genres, from funk, pop, and jazz to Latin, reggae, and the traditional dance music of Nigeria, Senegal, Ghana, Haiti, Brazil, and Cuba. Munyungo was born in Los Angeles, California, into a creative family that well prepared him for a 30-year music career. His parents, Arthur Jackson Jr. and Genie Jackson, were both deeply involved in music, dance, and writing, and Munyungo is the nephew of the legendary jazz, pop, and blues singer-pianist Nellie Lutcher, who recorded for Capitol Records. Munyungo’s exceptional versatility made him a highly sought-after performer for studio sessions, concerts, and tours. Throughout his career, he has shared the stage with iconic artists such as Miles Davis, Stevie Wonder, Sting, Kenny Loggins, Herbie Hancock, Dianne Reeves, the Zawinul Syndicate, George Howard, Ronnie Laws, The Temptations, Four Tops, The Supremes, Bennie Maupin, Bill Summers, Marcus Miller, and many others. He has also worked with numerous ethnic music and dance ensembles, further showcasing his talents.

The first joint album of this group of expert musicians, Picking Up the Pieces (2006/2011), is a deeply expressive, critically and commercially successful CD that marked Aga Zaryan’s transition from national to international acclaim. Featuring a potent mix of jazz standards and a few original pieces, it explores emotional and spiritual narratives centered on women’s experiences. The album was a major breakthrough: it achieved double platinum in Poland and became a European adult contemporary bestseller. Critics praised its intimate feel and fresh interpretations. Newsweek highlighted Zaryan’s “charm and talent.” Almost 20 years later, now is the time for "Second Time Around"!

Having such an impressive ensemble to support her flexible and enchanting voice, Zaryan began the evening with the Oscar-winning title song from the film "The Thomas Crown Affair," written by Michel Legrand. It set the tone for the first part of the program that was ballad-like and reflective. The program featured world premieres of original compositions by Oleszkiewicz and Koonse with lyrics by Zaryan herself, including the touching "Save the Children." The singer perfectly matched this poignant tune with her interpretation of Sting's little-known song, "The Russians"—who perhaps "also love their children…" regardless of what else they do… 

Consul General of the Republic of Poland, Paulina Kapuścińska,

Next, since the concert was in early August, Zaryan decided to honor the fighters and victims of the Warsaw Uprising (which began on August 1, 1944) and performed a song from her CD dedicated to the Uprising's young poets. This song, with lyrics by Krystyna Krahelska was a sweet love poem written about a month before her death on August 2, 1944. The contrast of delicate youthful sentiments and the tragic premature death of the poet was deeply poignant. personal connection was mentioned by Zaryan: her grandparents and those of Michal Tokaj the song’s composer also fought in the Uprising. Consul General of the Republic of Poland, Paulina Kapuścińska, spoke the heroism and patriotic zeal of the brave fighters and the tragic loss of life and destruction of Warsaw in her preliminary remarks. Interestingly, after the recital, Aga Zaryan and the Consul discussed the tragedy of the Uprising with an audience member, Professor Andrzej Targowski, honorary president of the Association of the Children of the 1944 Uprizing. As a 7-year-old, he survived the murder of his family, shot in one of massacres of civilians by German forces.

Dr Irmina and Prof. Andrew Targowski, Consul General of the Republic of Poland, Paulina Kapuścińska,

The second part of the program featured Zaryan’s lively interpretation of the standard, "Second Time Around," with a score by Sammy Cahn and music by Jimmy Van Heusen, familiar from the repertoire of Frank Sinatra. Melodies by Wayne Shorter, Tina Turner, and Steve Wonder, performed at a more upbeat pace, were interspersed with a series of the singer’s duets with bassist Darek Oleszkiewicz and guitarist Larry Koonse. Percussionist Munyungo Jackson enlivened the atmosphere with delicate accents of an unusual array of “noise-makers” and demonstrated his class in playing polyrhythms on the bongos. Listeners also praised Zaryan's warm, honeyed voice, which blended beautifully with the ensemble. I didn't know it was possible to have such wonderful dialogues while singing with a double bass, but my fellow attendance member, a jazz vocalist Karolina Naziemiec, confirmed that indeed, Darek is a great partner for singers in jazz duets, and the proof is in her own recording posted on Spotify.  

All the performers deserved praise since they are all masters of the highest caliber, with a vast list of achievements and awards, including Grammys and Fryderyk Awards. Moonrise Press sponsored this exclusive event, and the Paderewski Musical Society helped with its promotion.  We look forward to the album, "Second Time Around"!

Dr Maja Trochimczyk

INFORMATION ABOUT THE VENUE AND EVENT ORGANIZERS

KULAK’S WOODSHED is a Live Music Video Recording Venue that seats 49, with 24 Track Pro Tools audio and Webcast created for the promotion of singer songwriters. Artists here range from beginners to Grammy winners.Created by Paul Kulak in 1999, Kulak’s Woodshed evolved into a community labor of love, operated by skilled volunteers and supported by audience donations. All are welcome, any age, and music styles. Self serve snacks, soft drinks, tea, and coffee. Pet friendly. Their last Polish event was a concert by Ewa Zmijewska and Shandy Caspar in 2019. 

Established in 2008, the PADEREWSKI MUSIC SOCIETY is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that honors the legacy of Ignacy Jan Paderewski, the celebrated concert pianist, composer, philanthropist and Prime Minister who guided Poland to independence after WWI. Paderewski edited Chopin's scores for publication and is known as THE person who brought Chopin's works to light with his rousing worldwide performances in the early 1900s. Since its inception, in addition to having organized three international piano competitions, the Society has sponsored concerts, piano recitals, masterclasses, fundraising events and film screenings. The roster of world-class artists presented included well-established names as well as the most promising members of the younger generation and included Lee Kum Sing, John Perry, Piotr Kosinski, Hubert Rutkowski, Xiayin Wang, Andrew Yang, Zheeyoung Moon, Adam Wibrowski, Edward Wolanin, Peter Toth, Gloria Campaner, Dmitry Rachmanov, Gloria Cheng, Kamil Pacholec and Wojciech Kocyan. Most recently, the Society established a scholarship fund to aid in the education of most deserving young pianists.

Since 2008, MOONRISE PRESS (President Maja Trochimczyk), published over  20 books of poetry and studies of Polish culture. Past publications include Gorecki in Context: Essays on Music (2017), two histories of the Modjeska Club in Polish and English, and 15 volumes of poetry by California poets.  Current projects include Four-volume Collected Plays by Kazimierz Braun (vol. 4 is in preparation), 168 sonnets by Konrad Tademark Wilk, and more. The press also contributed to USC Polish  Music Center’s Paderewski Lectures and Modjeska Club events. 

"Timeless Dialogues" - American Debut of Paulina Tomczuk with Dominik Yoder (Vol. 16, No. 2)

 

On 20 May 2025 at the Martin Luther King Auditorium of Santa Monica Public Library, the Helena Modjeska Art and Culture Club presented a wonderful concert of two young musicians, Paulina Tomczuk, violin, and Dominik Yoder, piano.  They played a set of pieces for violin and piano, after showing off their talents in solo sections of the well-received concert. 

Born in Zielona Gora, Poland, Paulina Tomczuk is a graduate of Fryderyk Chopin Music University in Warsaw (2024) where she is currently continuing her Masters' studies with Agata Szymczewska. Simultaneously she studies at Hochschule der Künste Bern in Switzerland with Professor Bartłomiej Nizioł. A young soloist's path to fame leads through the thorns of countless competitions, and Ms. Tomczuk has participated in about 70, winning numerous honors.  Three recent ones are: the 4th Prize at the 6th Wanda Wiłkomirska International Polish Music Violin Competition in Częstochowa (Poland, 2024), the 1st Prize at the 1st Miniature Competition in Warsaw (Poland, 2022), the 1st Prize at the Kyoto International Music Competition (Japan, 2021), the Grand Prix at the 2nd Wiłkomirski National Chamber Music Competition in Łódź (Poland, 2021), and the 1st Prize at the ISCART International Music Competition (Switzerland, 2021).  She has performed as a soloist and in chamber ensembles in Poland, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Turkey. This concert was her American debut and it truly revealed her talent. 

For the solo violin portion of the concert, she selected three pieces from different time periods - Johann Sebastian Bach's contemplative and polyphonic Andante and Allegro from Sonata for Solo Violin No. 2, BWV 1003, followed by pensive and chromatic first movement, subtitled L'Aurore from Eugène Ysaÿe's Sonata for Solo Violin No. 5, Op. 27 and ending with brilliant and sparkling with vitality Caprice No. 1 by Polish composer Grażyna Bacewicz. I forgot to ask what violin she played, but it sounded exquisite, filling the auditorium with rich, honeyed tones. Being a classical music weirdo, I used to listen to Bach's solo violin sonatas (that I much prefer to those for solo cello) both as "little night music" at home and while driving, to calm myself down amidst the chaos of Los Angeles freeways. Once I got into the mood of the Andante, I found the peace and serenity of pure musical dialogue - a difficult feat to perform on a solo instrument with four strings and one bow.  Yet, Tomczuk was able to bring out the inner voices and maintain apparent continuity of intertwining melodies.  

The Belgian, late Romantic Ysaÿe is violinists' perennial favorite, yet somehow left me lukewarm. We do not have to like all the world's music, even though I'm sure the young violinist performed this dark piece very well. However, Bacewicz's Caprice in stunning interpretation of Paulina Tomczuk aptly made up for this disappointment - it was so vivacious and brilliant that it seemed that sparks were flying from the musician's bow. Bacewicz was a professional, prize-winning violinist and knew the instrument exceptionally well.  This is a gem in contemporary repertoire, with its virtuosic staccatos, spizzatos, flying arpeggios and shifts of register and texture. What a fantastic piece and what an extraordinary performance!  Looking for words, here, to stop repeating adjectives. Oh, I found it, in the magical vocabulary of Mary Poppins: Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!

Unlike Paulina Tomczuk, whom I have seen and heard for the first time, I've had the pleasure of witnessing the artistic growth of Dominik Yoder over many years.  As former Director of USC Polish Music Center I often lent scores from our collection to Roza Kostrzewska Yoder, a Polish music fan who does the most to promote Polish music in California of all musicians and officials that I know. She finds age-appropriate music by Polish composers for all her students, including her three sons, Kacper, Dominik and Lukasz.  It must be hard to be the middle child in any family, let alone a family of two pianist parents and three pianist siblings. The good thing, there is excellent music heard and played in that cultural oasis of a home every hour of every day. . . The challenge is to find one's individuality and personal style amidst such competition. 

Kasper, Dominik, Lukasz Yoder with their parents and the Board of the Modjeska Club

at the Wojciech Kocyan Residence in Baldwin Hills, CA, September 2019.

And Dominik Yoder did exactly that.  As his official bio notes "he directed unusual passion and determination toward music from a very young age, beginning piano studies at the age of two on his own initiative." If his older brother was playing, Dominik wanted to play as well... When he performed for the Modjeska Club in 2019 along with his two brothers, the audience was impressed with their impeccable technique, virtuosity, and musicality. At that time, Dominik stood out because he was not just a pianist, but also a composer. He played one of his pieces - in a somewhat post-romantic, post-Rachmaninoff style that had little to do with the dissonances and complexities of contemporary modernism, but a lot more in common with the spiritual and emotional world of Romanticism. A beautiful and inspired miniature of dense chords and poignant melodies. Well done! That's what I thought then.  

Since that time, Dominik spent hundreds of hours at the keyboard and traveled to numerous competitions, expanding both his impressive technique, the pianistic repertoire, and the expressive range of music he could comfortably interpret and make his won.  To return to the list of his achievements he recently won the Beverly Hills International Auditions and the New York Music Guild Competition. Earlier, "he  received Second Prize in the 2025 Hartford International Chopin Competition, Fourth Prize in the 2025 Fujairah International Piano Competition, Second Prize in the 2024 Los Angeles International Liszt Competition, the Gold Medal in the 2018 Kosciuszko Foundation Competition for Young Pianists in Washington, D.C., and the Grand Prize in the 2018 Redlands Competition, thanks to which he performed with orchestra. He has been awarded First Prize in more than a dozen local, regional, and state competitions. In 2022, Dominik received the Wybitny Polak (“Outstanding Pole”) award from the 'Teraz Polska' Foundation at the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Los Angeles."

For the solo piano portion of the concert,  Dominik Yoder selected Franz Liszt's most popular Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 in C-sharp minor, followed by Chopin's Nocturne Op. 62 No. 1 in B major, filled with nostalgia and musical filigrees of delicate arpeggios, the dramatic and passionate Étude-Tableau Op. 39 No. 6 in A minor by Sergei Rachmaninoff and concluding with Sergei Prokofiev's virtuosic and boisterous Sonata No. 3 in A Minor. The Hungarian Rhapsody is a very difficult choice - since every classical music listener has heard it countless times, and those into popular music treat it as a soundtrack to a Disney cartoon. Alas, in being ridiculed by cats and mice chasing each other, the timeless music does lose its allure. But, luckily, in Yoder's interpretation it gains back its status of a celebrated masterpiece and more. His pianistic technique is impeccable, with hands flying over the keyboard with astounding velocity and accuracy.  The key to technique is to make all keys, all fingers even - so many pianists who do not practice enough after becoming "professional" lose the ability to even-out the dramatic arpeggios and scales, so suddenly there are holes in them when one finger is slightly too weak and "off." Not so, in Dominik Yoder's interpretation! His hands are a joy to behold and the fruit of their work a joy to hear! Virtuosity and brilliance in a Liszt piece is a given. What impressed me the most while listing to Yoder's interpretation of the "timeless chesnut" was how he brought out the inner voices, the sonorous details, the shifts of tempo, mood and touch... These highlights changed and enriched the music, making it sounds fresh and original. So I completely forgot about the cats and mice that stubbornly invaded my mind at the beginning.... Thank you, Dominik, for saving the music from desecration by popular entertainment! Bravo.

He was no less brave in following the Hungarian Rhapsody by one of Chopin's best known and beloved Nocturnes. At one of his home concert I was not happy because the shift from one, fast and dramatic piece to another, slower one was made too fast. It is one thing to practice, and another to completely enchant and delight the audience.  In the Nocturne, Dominik Yoder displayed the "unbearable lightness of being" - the delicate, ephemeral arpeggios, the sweet, slightly sorrowful melodies - the audience was still, almost holding their breaths, so focused on anticipating and hearing the next note, the next climax of a heavenly ascending phrase. . .  If I continue, I'll end up writing too much purple prose, so let's return to the program. The two Russian works, Rachmaninoff's Etude and Prokofiev's Sonata were written by pianists for pianists, with such overabundance and density of chords, scales, arpeggios, contrasts, forte fortissimo accents, that the audience was completely transfixed by this sonic onslaught.  The pianist fully revealed his serious, intense, dramatic side - as a Romantic virtuoso prima facie. 

Thus, when I read comments from Ewa Solinska and Prof. Adam Wibrowski claiming that Dominik Yoder is ready to compete in the Chopin International Piano Competition in Warsaw, I was not surprised. He said he does not know enough Chopin by heart yet, so he will wait another five years.  Let's wish that in those years, his talent and musicality expand even further, so he reaches the podium of this most important Piano Competition in Poland. 

For the "dialogue" portion of the concert, the willowy young violinist changed into a stunning red dress.  She brought out some technology on stage - a tablet with the music and a pedal to press on to change the pages. How does the world change! Oh my, oh my... At least she does not have to haul a suitcase of paper around the world when going to concert. On the other hand, who could forget the cosmic vision of harpsichord soloist Elizabeth Chojnacka, with a crown of red curls above a tight silver uniform straight from outer space as she threw to the floor gigantic sheets of music glued to purple cardboard. When the music was over - Xenakis, Boulez et al. - the stage was covered with the music. This was one of my most favorite memories from Warsaw Autumn Festivals... 

Our flame-red violinist and somber black-clad pianist first ventured into the classical territory. The Sonata for Violin and Piano in E-flat major, K. 302 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was composed in 1778 in Mannheim and published as the composer's Opus 1, known as one of his "early" sonatas. The work consists of two movements, Allegro and Andante grazioso. The challenge of Mozart lies in the apparent textural simplicity and transparency of his textures. Here's the melody, here's the accompaniment... But the real challenge is the precision of rhythm, phrasing, the delicacy of touch.  And, with two musicians, the challenge is to hear their impeccable coordination. One is the soloist, the other accompanies, then there is a switch and the roles reverse.  Paulina and Dominik met this challenge head on and conquered that mountain! Bravo.  It was a real delight to follow their musical dialogues and interchanges. When I listen to Mozart, it seems the music always dances a minuet in a crinoline and a wig. But it dances in the center of a vast ballroom, so each stumble, each step is clearly seen. Luckily, this time, there were no stumbles. 

I did not remember Claude Debussy's Beau Soir for violin and piano from my music history studies and rightly so - it is an arrangement for violin and piano of a song first published in 1891 and setting a lovely verse by Paul Bourget:

, Lorsque au soleil couchant les rivières sont roses

Et qu'un tiède frisson court sur les champs de blé,

Un conseil d'être heureux semble sortir des choses

Et monter vers le cœur troublé.

Un conseil de goûter le charme d'être au monde

Cependant qu'on est jeune et que le soir est beau,

Car nous nous en allons, comme s'en va cette onde :

Elle à la mer, nous au tombeau.

When at sunset the rivers turn pink / And a warm tremor rustles the wheat fields,/ An advice to be happy seems to arise from the world / and ascend towards the troubled heart.

It is an advice to savor the charm of being in the world / while we are young and the evening is beautiful / For we are leaving, like this wave that goes out / to the sea, so we go out to the tomb.

Debussy was not even 30 years old, and his choice of this melancholy text -  "carpe diem" or else - seems indicative of youthful angst.  Around that age people suddenly realize that they are not immortal, they will not be forever young, and there is a next generation already chasing after them. The music is appropriately sweetly delightful and somewhat nostalgic, even more in the violin-piano version.  When the violin reached the continually ascending while fading notes in pianissimo, the audience was transfixed into silence that was followed with an audible "aaach" afterwards. That's the magic of classical music - to so enchant and entrance the audience, to so take them into cosmic spheres of beauty, that they cannot help but sigh, when the music ends. This was one of my most favorite pieces on the program. 

Sergei Rachmaninoff's Vocalise is the last of his Songs op. 14, written in 1915 without words, and sung in that way by many world-famous sopranos. It was also arranged for many instruments that imitate the voice, in the ebb and flow of its flowing melodies. A charming, romantic piece, allowing the violinist to showcase the emotional versatility.  I must say, having heard it many times before I was struck by the number of repetition of the same melody in the music. If someone is not romantically inclined, is it still as beautiful? Or just repetitive?  The difference between deep romanticism and shallow sentimentality is difficult to maintain. While the musicians gave justice to the music, the piece itself seemed too tedious to me.  But what can I say? Could I even sing or play it? It is easy to criticize and complain while sitting on the sidelines... 

Luckily the fantastic, perfectly structured and played Scherzo by Johannes Brahms from the F A E Sonata brought the listeners back to the highest level of Romantic artistry.  Brahms wrote this movement for a work composed jointly with Robert Schumann and Albert Dietrich in 1853 for the virtuso violinist Joseph Joachim, with the intention of having him play the sonata, but he never did. Instead he premiered Brahms's Violin Concerto.  The work is based on a motive outlining the German phrase that was Schuman's personal motto: "Frei aber einsam" ("free but lonely"). Luckily, the repetitions and recurrences of this phrase in the Scherzo never become as tedious as those of the theme in the Vocalist. Brahms's Scherzo, as interpreted by two astounding virtuosi was truly a perfect ending to this concert. I was grateful to hear classical music so alive and so well under the fingers of these talented young musicians.  

The encore was another treat - Henryk Wieniawski's Romance from Violin Concerto No. 2, Op. 22, with the orchestra reduced to the piano.  Again, the two musicians displayed their artistry, seamless collaboration, musicality and sensitivity in the most expressive phrases... Overall, the audience greatly appreciated their versatility, musicality, technique, and poise. The applause only ended because the guards were urging everyone to leave, as it was way past the Library's closing time! 

It will be great to follow the young virtuosos' careers and see how far they will go. Meanwhile, what the listeners took home was another set of unforgettable memories of high art, high class, high society... The Western civilization has such treasures to share...

Modjeska Club's President Maja Trochimczyk, Treasurer Anna Sadowska, Dominik Yoder, Paulina Tomczuk, and Secretary Beata Czajkowska