Padereweski: Page 02-03 · PDF fileselections by Paderewski, Chopin, Lizst, and Beethoven, as...
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n grand tradition, the fascinating lega- cy of Polish pianist, composer, and statesman Ignacy Paderewski will be celebrated in Paso Robles when the 2008 Paderewski Festival takes place in the heart of the downtown. Dignitaries from the maestro's Polish home- land will arrive in Paso Robles to take part in the festival. The extended weekend from Nov. 13-16 promises to delight everyone with a variety of events. They include piano concerts, a winner’s competition recital, a cinema showcase, Polish Mass and brunch, exhibits, a history lesson, and an educational program. Highlighting the Festival will be two events held in the historic Paso Robles Ballroom on Saturday, Nov. 15. Winners of the Paderewski Youth Piano Competition will perform at 4 p.m., providing an opportunity for the public to witness talents of some of San Luis Obispo County’s most musi- cally gifted youths. Winners were cho- sen from two groups: Junior Division (ages 9-14) and Senior Division (ages 15-18). After the concert is the annual “Elegant Evening,” from 5-8 p.m., in which Down- town Paso Robles merchants welcome the public in an open house atmosphere more reminiscent of yesteryear with winter refresh- ments, hors d’oeuvres, trolley rides, entertain- ment, and more. Immediately following “Elegant Evening” is the much-anticipated Paderewski Festival Paderewski’s Downtown Connection arly in this century, Ignacy Jan Pader- ewski lived, worked, and conducted busi- ness in downtown Paso Robles, at the height of his fame as a world-renowned pianist, composer, statesman, and humanitarian. While suffering from arthritis in his hands, he was told by a friend in 1913 to visit Paso Robles for the healing mud and sulfur baths. The people of Paso Robles were enamored as he practiced the piano in the lobby of the spectacular Hotel El Paso de Robles. After a long residency at the hotel, in 1914 Paderewski purchased 2,000 acres of land in the Adelaida area on the eve of World War I. He was widely hailed for Poland’s becoming a nation after WWI and served in 1919 as Poland’s prime minister. He brought Zinfandel vines to his Rancho San Ignacio, and eventually his holdings reached 4,000 acres. With the first harvest, wine was made for him at York Mountain Winery. His legacy will always remain a distinguished influence in our local wine and classical music culture. In honor of Paderewski as an influential citizen of Paso Robles and the world, the Downtown Paso Robles Main Street Associa- tion is collaborating with organizers of the 2008 Paderewski Festi- val by adding Elegant Evening Downtown to the many delightful venues for our visitors and local residents to enjoy. An evening of hospi- tality on Saturday, Nov. 15, Elegant Evening Downtown runs from 5-8 p.m. with compli- mentary trolley rides, live mannequins from the beloved Nutcracker, strolling vocalists, musi- cians, dancers, and re- freshments. Our down- town businesses thank the community for their patronage throughout the year with this ele- gant celebration. Before and after Elegant Evening, sever- al events celebrate this renowned Paso Robles resident. See the schedule on the next page. -Millie Drum “Gala Performance,” featuring pianist and composer Nikita Mndoyants. He will perform selections by Paderewski, Chopin, Lizst, and Beethoven, as well as his original works. Talented beyond his years, the 19-year-old artist played his first solo recital at the Jan Sibelius Academy Concert Hall in Helsinki at age nine before quickly touring a dozen cities in distinguished concert halls throughout in Europe. Later, Mndoyants won First Place at the 2007 Paderewski International Piano Comp- etition held in Bydgoszcz, Poland. Keeping a thriving Pad- erewski connection in North County has been of deep importance to Paso Roblans. Last July 2008, a group trav- eled to Poland who each embodied qualities of govern- ment, community, business, education, and social and artistic culture. Paso Robles Mayor Frank Mecham led the contingent of six Paderewski Festival board members on their visit. The group also included Joel Peterson (Board President and grandson of Paderewski Festival co-founder Virginia Peterson), Steve Cass (Board Secretary and owner of Cass Vineyards), Rachel Hamilton (Cuesta College Liaison and Paderewski Youth Competi- tion Coordinator), Paula O’Farrell (Festival Archivist and Historian), and Marek Z . ebrowski (Paderewski Festival Artistic Director and Director of Polish Music Center at USC). Made possible by the generous sponsorship of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland, the group met in Kraków. 2008 P ADEREWSKI FESTIVAL SET FOR NOVEMBER 13 THROUGH 16 By Melissa Chavez Paderewski Paderewski i E Ignacy Jan Paderewski converses with Polish composer and friend Zygmunt Stojowski in Paso Robles.
Transcript of Padereweski: Page 02-03 · PDF fileselections by Paderewski, Chopin, Lizst, and Beethoven, as...
n grand tradition, the fascinating lega-cy of Polish pianist, composer, and statesmanIgnacy Paderewski will be celebrated in PasoRobles when the 2008 Paderewski Festivaltakes place in the heart of the downtown.Dignitaries from the maestro's Polish home-land will arrive in Paso Robles to take part inthe festival.
The extended weekend from Nov. 13-16promises to delight everyone with a variety ofevents. They include piano concerts, a winner’scompetition recital, a cinema showcase, PolishMass and brunch, exhibits, a history lesson,and an educational program.
Highlighting the Festival will be two eventsheld in the historic Paso Robles Ballroom onSaturday, Nov. 15. Winners of the Paderewski
Youth Piano Competition will performat 4 p.m., providing an opportunity forthe public to witness talents of some ofSan Luis Obispo County’s most musi-cally gifted youths. Winners were cho-sen from two groups: Junior Division(ages 9-14) and Senior Division (ages15-18).
After the concert is the annual “ElegantEvening,” from 5-8 p.m., in which Down-town Paso Robles merchants welcome thepublic in an open house atmosphere morereminiscent of yesteryear with winter refresh-ments, hors d’oeuvres, trolley rides, entertain-ment, and more.
Immediately following “Elegant Evening” isthe much-anticipated Paderewski Festival
Paderewski’s Downtown Connection
arly in this century, Ignacy Jan Pader-ewski lived, worked, and conducted busi-
ness in downtown Paso Robles, at the heightof his fame as a world-renowned pianist,composer, statesman, and humanitarian.
While suffering from arthritis in hishands, he was told by a friend in 1913 to visitPaso Robles for the healing mud and sulfurbaths. The people of Paso Robles wereenamored as he practiced the piano in the lobby of the spectacular Hotel El Paso de Robles.
After a long residency at the hotel, in1914 Paderewski purchased 2,000 acres ofland in the Adelaida area on the eve ofWorld War I. He was widely hailed forPoland’s becoming a nation after WWI andserved in 1919 as Poland’s prime minister.
He brought Zinfandel vines to hisRancho San Ignacio, and eventually hisholdings reached 4,000 acres. With the firstharvest, wine was made for him at YorkMountain Winery. His legacy will alwaysremain a distinguished influence in our localwine and classical music culture.
In honor of Paderewski as an influentialcitizen of Paso Robles and the world, the
Downtown Paso RoblesMain Street Associa-tion is collaboratingwith organizers of the2008 Paderewski Festi-val by adding ElegantEvening Downtown to the many delightfulvenues for our visitorsand local residents toenjoy.
An evening of hospi-tality on Saturday, Nov.15, Elegant EveningDowntown runs from5-8 p.m. with compli-mentary trolley rides,live mannequins fromthe beloved Nutcracker,strolling vocalists, musi-cians, dancers, and re-freshments. Our down-town businesses thankthe community for theirpatronage throughoutthe year with this ele-gant celebration.
Before and afterElegant Evening, sever-al events celebrate this renowned Paso Roblesresident. See the schedule on the next page.
-Millie Drum
“Gala Performance,” featuring pianist andcomposer Nikita Mndoyants. He will performselections by Paderewski, Chopin, Lizst, andBeethoven, as well as his original works.
Talented beyond his years, the 19-year-oldartist played his first solo recital at the JanSibelius Academy Concert Hall in Helsinki at age nine before quickly touring a dozencities in distinguished concert halls throughoutin Europe.
Later, Mndoyants won First Place at the2007 Paderewski International Piano Comp-
etition held in Bydgoszcz,Poland.
Keeping a thriving Pad-erewski connection in NorthCounty has been of deepimportance to Paso Roblans.Last July 2008, a group trav-eled to Poland who eachembodied qualities of govern-ment, community, business,education, and social andartistic culture.
Paso Robles Mayor FrankMecham led the contingentof six Paderewski Festivalboard members on their visit.The group also included JoelPeterson (Board Presidentand grandson of PaderewskiFestival co-founder VirginiaPeterson), Steve Cass (BoardSecretary and owner of CassVineyards), Rachel Hamilton(Cuesta College Liaison andPaderewski Youth Competi-tion Coordinator), Paula
O’Farrell (Festival Archivistand Historian), and MarekZ.ebrowski (Paderewski Festival
Artistic Director and Directorof Polish Music Center at USC).
Made possible by the generous sponsorshipof the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of theRepublic of Poland, the group met in Kraków.
2008 PADEREWSKI FESTIVALSET FOR NOVEMBER 13 THROUGH 16
By Melissa Chavez
Paderewski Paderewski
i
E
Ignacy Jan Paderewski converses withPolish composer and friend ZygmuntStojowski in Paso Robles.
They toured other historic cities, and visitedmany beautiful and symbolic locations withprofessors, estate and learning institute direc-tors, the Polish consul general, a Royal Castle curator, and a music association direc-tor. The contingent was even treated to theesteemed company of Polish First LadyMadame Maria Kaczynska.
Described as a whirlwind trip, per-haps the most significant step wastaken after the American delegationshared a friendly lunch atPaderewski’s own estate dining room.The small group assembled around a small table, where the contingent and Mayor Mecham sat with Starosta
Mieczyslaw Kras (Supervisor of the Tarnówdistrict) and Krystyna Szymanska, of thePaderewski Center Tarnow, Kasna Dolna.
With a pen at the ready, all observed themoments when mayor and super-visor signeda preliminary agree-ment toward the goal of
artistic and businessexchange, sealingtheir intent to bondPoland closer towardthe United States.
Less than sixmonths later,Poland’s own distin-
guished deputation is visiting Paso Robles asthe honored guests of the “2008 PaderewskiFestival.” Both Supervisor Kras and DirectorSzymanska will arrive and bring with themDirector Ryszard Z
.adlo, of the Office of
Promotion and Tourism for the TarnówRegion.
What has begun as the lovely beginning ofsister city exchange will no doubt continue toflourish as representatives from both countries
nurture their relationship to the strains ofPaderewski.
Paderewski FestivalSchedule ofEventsNovember 13
Concert byMidnight Winds at 7p.m. with selections byChopin, Paderewski,Kilar, and more at NorthCounty ChristianFellowship, 421 9thStreet in Paso Robles.Admission is $10. Visitpaderewskifest.com.
November 14“An Evening with
Paderewski,” PianoConcert begins at 7 p.m.featuring pianist RudolfasBudginas at Cass Winery.Originally from Lithuania,Budginas earned hisDoctorate of Music Arts atUniversity of SouthernCalifornia and has appearedextensively throughout theworld as an acclaimed andaward-winning solo andchamber ensemble per-former. He serves as theconductor of the ThomasAquinas University Cham-
ber Orchestra and Cuesta College pianoinstructor. Admission is $35/person, $75/Family TicketPackage for four, $25/seniors, or $15/stu-dents and Standing Room Only. A Polishthemed dinner is available after the concertfor $40/person. Seating is limited. Visit cass-wines.com for more details or call Erin at227-2888.
November 15Five big events are
scheduled. First, a spe-cial screening ofMoonlight Sonata at11 a.m. features the latePaderewski in aromantic tale interwov-en with exquisite pianosolos, performed byPaderewski himself.Beethoven’s famous“Moonlight Sonata”sets the tone. The SanLuis Obispo Inter-national Film Festivalwill sponsor this rarep r e s e n t a t i o n .Admission is free.
A “Paderewski Memorabilia Exhibit/ Note
to Note” is free to the public from 12 noon to4 p.m. with little-seen items from private col-lections.
Winners from the Paderewski YouthPiano Competition will play in the PasoRobles Ballroom at the “CompetitionWinners Performance.” The event starts at 4p.m. and is free to the public.
The annual “Elegant Evening” event takesplace throughout Downtown from 5-8 p.m.and features a Polish theme with perform-ances, wine, appetizers, and a Steinway play-er piano.
The highly anticipated “Gala Performance”presents concert pianist Nikita Mndoyants inthe Paso Robles Ballroom at 8 p.m. Tickets:$35/ adult, $25/seniors (65+), and $15/stu-dents. Tickets are available onpaderewskifest.com.
November 16Following a Polish Mass at 10 a.m. is a
“Brunch and History Lesson” that chronicles“Paderewski’s Paso Robles Connection,” astold by Christine Smith at 11 a.m. at St.Rose Catholic Church at 820 Creston Road.Tickets are available at the parish for$18/adult and $5/children.
Capping the Festival weekend is a NorthSLO County Concert featuring pianistTorsten Juul-Borre at 3 p.m. at TrinityLutheran Church at 940 Creston Road inPaso Robles. Call 238-5342 for tickets.
On a recent visit to the maestro’s home-land, a group of Roblans headed up byMayor Frank Mecham (below) met with
special hosts, including Polish First LadyMadame Maria Kaczynska (right).
The Paderewski Festival “GalaPerformance” features 19-year-oldpianist and composer NikitaMndoyants.
Time Magazine, Jan. 23, 1928:Paderewski received honorarydegrees from at least ten universities worldwide lauding his political achievements.
Paderewski as ayoung musician: Hecould be consideredthe Elvis of his time.
Courtesy The Paso RoblesCollection. All rights reserved.Used by permission.
