There are 27 wonderful pianists of a very high caliber who will show off their interpretations of a broad array of music including classical, romantic and 20th century repertoire and at least one piece by Paderewski. The International Competition Jury includes two pianists from Poland, Prof. Adam Wibrowski, Prof. Wojciech Switala of Katowice, Prof. Lee Kum Sing, as well as Prof. Wojciech Kocyan of Loyola Marymount University who serves as Artistic Director for the Paderewski Society and Prof. John Perry of the University of Southern California.
All the way through, a photography exhibit by Polish artists from the Group KRAK led by Andrzej Kolodziey, will adorn the walls of the Colburn School. The exhibit will include two images that I took - such as the keyboard of Chopin's 1845 piano, from the collection of the Polish Library in Paris.
To celebrate the life and art of Ignacy Jan Paderewski (1860-1941), a Polish pianist, statesman, and composer, let's read a poem by California's Kathabela Wilson:
What Paderewski Taught Me About Being
good
he tells me
the heart moves
moves like the ocean
sometimes like a mountain
constantly in greeting
his words
my pulse the same
surprises
trembles
holds back
rushes forward
washed always
in silence
silence for what is not
for what has been taken
for what is left
for what has been given
a nation for what is right
the dearly loved
what he always wanted
from the edge
of her seat
a woman leans forward
holds
a breath
time waits
the woman breathes out
whish of wind
essence of man
dark and light
rubato of being
becomes being again
