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. 

Chopin with Cherries Poems at Chopin Festival in New York, November 17, 2022 (Vol. 13, No. 5)

"Chopin with Cherries" poems found their way into the program of the 24th International Festival Chopin and Friends held in New York in November 2022. The festival featured 6 concerts and ended with “Grand Finale: Polish Frescoes” at the Polish Consulate in New York on November 17, 2022.   Hosted, by actress Weronika Wozniak, host, the program featured an AV Installation "Where is Chopin" by Jaroslaw Kapuscinski (Professor at Stanford University). 

The program of November 17 Gala Concert included Franz Liszt - Liebestraum A-flat No.3 played by Matthew Pulick - piano; Fryderyk Chopin - Ballade in G Minor Op.23, Antoni Kontski - "L'lsolement". Meditation op. 47 and Marcel Chyrzynski - Reflection no.8 for Piano (American premiere) played by Slawomir Dobrzanski - piano with poetry readings by Weronika Wozniak of poems by Maja Trochimczyk inspired by the music of Chopin. After the intermission Fei-Fei played Claude Debussy's Suite Pour le Piano " Bergamasque": Prélude, Menuet, Clair de lune, Passapied and Fryderyk Chopin's Andante Spianato et Grande Polonaise in E-flat Major Op.22.

Photo by Elżbieta Popławska from her review in Nowy Dziennik.

As journalist Elzbieta Popławska wrote in a review in Nowy Dziennik, “Weronika Woźniak, a Polish actress with great charm and talent, hosted the last evening of the festival. Weronika was born and raised in Poland. She graduated from acting school in New York. He is trying to conquer the New York scenes and break into the acting elite. She has already performed in many New York theaters, as well as in the Teatr im. Juliusz Słowacki in Krakow.” The first pianist was a talented sixteen-year-old student who currently studies music and often appears in concerts in New York.  In addition to  the Ballade op. 23 by Fryderyk Chopin, and a piece by Antoni Kątski, Dobrzanski gave the American premiere of a work by Marceli Chyrzyński, a graduate of the Academy of Music in Krakow, who teaches composition there as full professor since 2020. He holds the full range of Polish academic titles: Prof. dr. hab. In her review, Popławska thus described Prof. Sławomir Dobrzański: “an outstanding Polish pianist who distinguished himself with his playing technique and expressive performance.” 

 https://dziennik.com/wielokulturowy-pociag-zakonczyl-trase

The reviewer reserved the most enthusiastic praise for the pianist of the second half of the program, Fei-Fei of China, who had won Concert Artists Guild competition and was a finalist of the 14th International Van Cliburn Piano Competition. The non-musical aspects of the evening were provided by an  audiovisual installation "Where is Chopin" was prepared by Jarosław Kapuściński, a pianist and composer who studied in Poland at the Chopin Academy of Music and in Paris. He received his doctorate at the University of California and is  a professor at Stanford University.

Chopin Monument in Lazienki, Warsaw, photo by Maja Trochimczyk

As Kapuściński wrote in the program note for his work, "Where is Chopin (audiovisual projection, 2010, 31 min) explores the relationships between facial expressions of people listening to Chopin's Pre- ludes Op. 28 and the artist's re-composition of the music. To carry out the project Kapuściński traveled to 12 cities around the world where Chopin has never set foot but where his music has a meaningful cultural presence. He conducted interviews and performed the preludes in one-on-one sessions with over a hundred music lovers in Beijing, Buenos Aires, Helsinki, Istanbul, Jerusalem, Mexico City, San Francisco, Santiago, Seoul, Sydney, Tokyo, and Welling- ton. In each city he collaborated with a local photographer who documented the perceptions and emotions appearing on people's faces as they listened to or spoke about the music. The artist wanted to observe the psychological, perceptual and cognitive processes of music in its greatest human richness. The project shows how emotions emerge from music, how musical structures are interpreted, and what they mean to people around the world." 

http://www.jaroslawkapuscinski.com/Where_Is_Chopin/index.php

My three poems from the Chopin with Cherries anthology provided interludes for the music. They were recited by actress Weronika Wozniak, a graduate of Acting Conservatory at The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. While still in school, Weronika’s first short film Lost In The Wind dir. by Dan L. Nguyen Phan was screened at Cannes Film Festival. Upon graduation, since 2016 she has performed on numerous Off- and Off-Off-Broadway stages as well as in Hollywood Fringe Festival, Juliusz Slowacki Theater in Krakow, and Polish Theater Institute. Currently, Weronika is hosting a radio program “Trochę Kultury” at Nasze Radio USA – a young Polish international radio that boomed during the pandemic. Aside from acting, Weronika is a deshi at Ken Wa Kan Karate where she’s training for her black belt in Kyokushin/Oyama style. www.veronikavozniak.com

Veronika Wozniak recites Chopin with Cherries poems

The Chopin with Cherries poems have been posted on this blog, but let’s read them again, while listening to Chopin’s music. They are all based on memories of my Polish childhood, saturated with Chopin's music.

A Study with Cherries

After Etude in C Major, Op. 10, No. 1 and the cherry orchard

of my grandparents, Stanisław and Marianna Wajszczuk

I want a cherry,

a rich, sweet cherry

to sprinkle its dark notes

on my skin, like rainy preludes

drizzling through the air.

Followed by the echoes

of the piano, I climb

a cherry tree to find rest

between fragile branches

and relish the red perfection –

morning cherry music.

Satiated, sleepy,

I hide in the dusty attic.

I crack open the shell

of a walnut to peel

the bitter skin off,

revealing white flesh –

a study in C Major.

Tasted in reverie,

the harmonies seep

through light-filled cracks

between weathered beams

in Grandma’s daily ritual

of Chopin at noon.

Here's the famous Etude in White, Chopin's Etude in C Major, Op. 10, No. 1 played by Maurizio Pollini:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMM6h9Yf348

Postcard with Chopin's portrait and his birthplace in Zelazowa Wola.

Harvesting Chopin

 ~ for my Grandma Nina Trochimczyk and father Aleksy Trochimczyk, who took me harvesting

The straw was too prickly,

the sunlight too bright,

my small hands too sweaty

to hold the wooden rake

my uncle carved for me.

I cried on the field of stubble;

stems fell under his scythe.

I was four and had to work –

Grandma said – no work no food.

How cruel! I longed for

the noon’s short shadows

when I’d quench my thirst

with cold water, taste

the freshly-baked rye bread

sweetened by the strands

of music wafting from

the kitchen window.

Distant scent of mazurkas

floated above the harvesters

dressed in white, long-sleeved shirts

to honor the bread in the making

The dance of homecoming

and sorrow – that’s what

Chopin was in the golden air

above the fields of Bielewicze

where children had to earn their right

to rest in the daily dose of the piano –

too pretty, too prickly, too bright

My most popular and most often read poem from the Chopin with Cherries anthology is a recipe for mazurka of emigrants, a recipe - since the word "mazurka" refers both to a cake and the dance.  More information about the anthology is here: https://moonrisepress.com/chopin-with-cherries.html

Easter table in Trochimczyk's home in Poland in 1983, Warsaw, Poland.

How to Make a Mazurka

                        After Mazurka in A Minor, Op. 17, No. 4,

                        for my Grandparents, Stanisław and Marianna Wajszczuk,

                        who could play and bake their mazurkas like no one else

          Take one cup of longing

for the distant home that never was,

one cup of happiness that danced

with your shadows on the walls

of Grandpa’s house, while he played

a rainbow of folk tunes

on his fiddle, still adorned

with last wedding’s ribbons

            mix it – round and round to dizziness

stir in some golden buzz of the bees

in old linden tree, add the ascent

of skylark above spring rye fields,

singing praises to the vastness of blue

            mix it – round and round to dizziness

add chopped walnuts, figs, dates

and raisins, pour in some juice

from bittersweet grapefruit

freshly picked in your garden

            mix it – round and round to dizziness

  

add dark grey of rainclouds in Paris

that took Chopin back to the glimmer

of candles in an old cemetery

on the evening of All Souls’ Day

            mix it – round and round to dizziness

bake it in the cloudless heat

of your exile, do not forget to sprinkle

with a dollop of sparkling crystals,

first winter’s snowflakes at midnight 

Here’s the Mazurka Op. 17 no. 4 played by Helen Grimaud: https://youtu.be/KMg3mSk-BF8.

A Chocolate Mazurka with Almonds and Candied Orange Peel

After the concert, Slawomir Dobrzanski commented: "Your poems are beautiful! The festival audience in New York City loved them. Dzięki!"  The poems were also noted by Stan Borys and Marek Probosz who both attended the concert. Thank you for the kind words and special thanks to Jakub Polaczyk for including my work in the program. 

He earlier interviewed me, Jarek Kapuscinski, and Marek Zebrowski for his radio program, now available in podcast format. 

Polish American Historical Association's 2016 Creative Arts Prize for Maja Trochimczyk (Vol. 8, No. 1)

During the 74th Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado, the Polish American Historical Association presented its Annual Awards for 2016 to a group of distinguished individuals, including Brenda Bruce and Dr. Alvin M. Fountain II (Amicus Poloniae Prize) and Dr. Maja Trochimczyk (Creative Arts Prize).

The Awards Ceremony included a concert of Carols by KaroliNa Naziemiec and Robert Lewandowski, so it was an event worthy of being noted on the Chopin with Cherries blog.  The Awards were presented by PAHA's outgoing President, Prof. Grazyna Kozaczka of Cazenovia College, NY, whose award citations are quoted below.

Maja Trochimczyk with Grazyna Kozaczka, 

with Anna Mazurkiewicz in the background.

CREATIVE ARTS PRIZE

"The Creative Arts Award is bestowed on Dr. Maja Trochimczyk, for her achievements as a poet, especially in her two books dedicated to Polish victims of WWII, Slicing the Bread (Finishing Line Press, 2014), and The Rainy Bread (Moonrise Press, 2016). Her books of poetry include Rose Always, 2008; Miriam’s Iris, 2008; Into Light, 2016; and two anthologies, Chopin with Cherries, 2010, and Meditations on Divine Names, 2012. Dr. Trochimczyk served as Poet Laureate of Sunland-Tujunga, Los Angeles in 2010-2012 and was nominated for the Pushcart Prize in 2016."

Brenda Bruce, Dr. Alvin M. Fountain II and President Grazyna Kozaczka

AMICUS POLONIAE AWARD

"The Amicus Poloniae Award recognizes significant contributions enhancing knowledge of Polish and Polish-American heritage by individuals not belonging to the Polish-American community. It is presented to Dr. Alvin Mark Fountain II and Brenda Bruce who co-founded the Paderewski Festival in Raleigh, North Carolina in 2014 (paderewski-festival.org).

Dr. Fountain, the President of the Festival, is a former administrator with the State of North Carolina and for more than 25 years he taught history at North Carolina State University. In 2008, Dr. Fountain was appointed as an Honorary Consul of the Republic of Poland.

The Vice-President and Secretary of the Festival, Brenda Bruce is an accomplished pianist, harpsichordist, acclaimed teacher, and accompanist dedicated to the promotion of classical piano performance of the highest quality."

Maja Trochimczyk, President Grazyna Kozaczka, Brenda Bruce and Dr. Alvin M. Fountain II

During the 74th Meeting, two papers on Paderewski were presented:

"Following Paderewski: An Album of Autographs and Clippings from Brighton, England, 1890-1914" - Maja Trochimczyk, Moonrise Press, Los Angeles

"That Day in Raleigh, January 23, 1917; Paderewski, Wilson, and a Provincial Capital" - Alvin M. Fountain II, Honorary Consul, Republic of Poland, President, Paderewski Festival, Raleigh, NC

Maja Trochimczyk, Brenda Bruce, and Alvin M. Fountain II.

CONCERT BY KAROLINA NAZIEMIEC AND ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI

KaroliNa Naziemiec and Robert Lewandowski

The festivities ended with a wonderful concert of Polish and English Christmas carols in jazz arrangements, performed by Karolina Naziemiec and Robert Lewandowski. KaroliNa plays the viola and sings, accompanied by Mr. Lewandowski on the piano. Since it was a bit out of tune and an upright, it did sound a bit honky-tonky, suitably so for Denver, the Wild West of the past... It would be great to hear Mr. Lewandowski playing on a better instrument, though, as his technique was impressive.

The warm voice of KaroliNa was well suited to the dreamy interpretations of lullabies - Polish carols of this character are very popular and one of them, "Lulajze Jezuniu," has been cited by Chopin in his Scherzo in B minor, and his relationship to the carol repertoire has been explored by Jan Wecowski and cited on a previous edition of this blog, vol. 3, no. 13. 

Biographies of KaroliNa and Robert may be found on the PAHA News blog.

KaroliNa, Maja, and Robert at the Awards Ceremony