Bridge
Friday November 15, 2013 at 7PM
Polish Slavic Center
177 Kent Street
(b/w Manhattan Ave & McGuinness Blvd)
Brooklyn, NY 11222
FREE Admission
Exhibition by Jasio Stefanski and Lauren Thorson titled Bridge.
Curator: Dr. Przemyslaw J. Moskal
Jasio Stefanski
Born in Warsaw, Poland, Jasio Stefanski is a designer working in Minneapolis, MN. He is a fifty-percent of design studio, Studio Set and teaches at The University of Wisconsin-Stout and at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. His work is both client-based and self-initiated, blurring the lines between traditional and digital medias with work ranging from installations to publications.
“Its a not so much a practice as it is a way of life, a way of approaching the world determined to translate its subtleties, exchanges, and tendencies on my own terms. I want to expose the essence of communication, attempting to provide avenues that we do not take often but find them to be very familiar. For that reason, my work relies on the familiarity that we share with typography, employing it for both its simplicity and vast complexity. It is about utilizing its necessity and connotation to push the limits of communicability in order to propose varying possibilities. This is not in an effort to be unclear or indecisive but rather to avoid becoming limiting. It’s about developing a holistic approach that utilizes a variety of media for both their limitations as well as their advantages. I learn through the products of these experiments, the failures and relationships, and the context in which they fall into.”
Lauren Thorson
Born in Des Moines, Iowa, Lauren Thorson received her MFA from the Minneapolis College of Art & Design. She is a fifty-percent of the design studio, Studio Set and currently teaches at The University of Iowa. She has exhibited and lectured nationally; worked as a designer and has been published internationally, recently being named one of The Walker Art Center’s “Ten Artists to Watch in 2013.” She has served as co-chair for the IEEE VIS Arts Program for the past two years, while actively pursuing research in data visualization with the University of Minnesota’s Interactive Visualization Lab since 2011. Her work is both client-based and self-initiated, ranging from traditional graphic design to more experimental visualization systems.
Jutrzenka Singing Society
#226
Polish Singers Alliance of America
The JUTRZENKA SOCIETY FOR YOUNG LADIES was organized by Helena Markowska in 1932 as Group # 2698 of the Polish National Alliance. Adam Trzcinski of the Moniuszko Male Chorus urged the club’s first president, Kay L. Markowska – Kostecka to give the membership a purpose – to preserve and promote their Polish heritage through the medium of song. Thus, on September 1, 1934, the JUTRZENKA SINGING SOCIETY came into being. The chorus was recruited by the Polish Singers Alliance and became the 226th member chorus of the PSAA in 1936.
Jutrzenka has always been extremely fortunate with outstanding choral directors. Their first , in 1934 was Stanislaw Osik. Then, followed, in order were: Walter (Pop) Zbytniewski (1935 – 1944); Prof. Alexander M. Bernyk (1948 – 1953); Stanley Zachradnik (1954); again, Prof. Bernyk (1955 – 1979); Jerzy Garbien (1980-1987); Robert Kulik (1988-1989); Dorothy Kostecka-Wieczerzak (l990); Jan Sporek (`1991); Leslaw (Jacek) Boryszewski (1992-1994); Jozef Czyz (1994 – 1995); and from 1995 to present, Izabella Kobus-Salkin.
What would a chorus be without singers? We must say, throughout the years, Jutrzenka has been blessed with dedicated women whose love for music through choral singing continues to draw them to weekly rehearsals devoting personal leisure time in bringing joy not only to themselves, but to others. Each gifted director brought out the best in their performances through hard work and perseverance. The women have always looked forward to singing at Polish and American community affairs, special concerts, dedications, celebrations, holidays, as well as District and International PSAA Conventions. The most recent concert, joining their fellow singers of member choruses of District Seven, was a dedication ceremony of the Shrine of Relics of Blessed John Paul II. The concert, held at St. Theresa of the Child Jesus in Linden, NJ on Sunday, September 29, 2013, was under the direction of Izabella Kobus-Salkin, Choral Director of the District.
The chorus always welcomes new singers to its ranks. Rehearsals are weekly, on Mondays, from 6 to 8:15pm beneath the rectory of Our Lady of Czestochowa – St. Casimir Parish located at 183 25th Street between 3rd and 4th Avenues in South Brooklyn. For further information, call 718-852-6812, 718-720-6089 or 917-288-9261.
Ms. Kobus-Salkin
Born in Poland, graduate of Music Academy in Lodz majoring in Voice and in Music Education, Ms. Kobus-Salkin was the principal mezzo-soprano at the Grand Theater of Lodz for more than 20 years and performed in such operas as “Carmen” (Carmen), “Don Carlos” (Eboli), “Aida” (Amneris), “Cosi Fan Tutte” (Dorabella), “Marriage of Figaro” (Cherubino) and musicals: “Man of La Mancha” (Dulcinea) and “Zorba Greek” (Leader). Besides her opera engagements, she sang many oratorios and cantatas: “Stabat Mater” by Pergolese, Scarlatti and Szymanowski, “Magnificat” by Bach and “Mass in B Minor” by Vivaldi, and performed as a soloist song cycles by Brahms, Schuman, Mahler, de Falla, Debusy, and Ravel. She toured USSR, Yugoslavia, Greece, Germany, Austria, Holland and Hungary. In addition to her solo career, she worked as a voice professor at the Music High School and the Music Academy, and was the President of ZASP (Performing Artists Association) at the Theater.
In the USA, she performed at Carnegie Hall, Weill Recital Hall, Kosciuszko Foundation, Cami Hall, Di Capo Opera Company, Consulate General of the Republic of Poland, the Aaron Copland School of Music (Queens College) and many others. Ms. Kobus-Salkin was also featured in a series of concerts in Boston.
Besides her active solo career, Ms.Kobus-Salkin has been the Music Director of District VII of the Polish Singers Alliance of America since 2001 and “Jutrzenka Singing Society” since 1995. She is a professor at the New York Conservatory of Music, Music Director at St. Francis de Chantal church in Brooklyn, and prior to that Music Director of “Con Amore” and “Hejnal” choirs. An active member of Marie Sklodowska-Curie Professional Women Association, Ms. Kobus-Salkin also organized numerous concerts featuring Polish singers, instrumentalists, actors and choirs.
Her dedication to proliferation of Polish culture was recognized in 1999 when she received a Commendation from the Office of the Comptroller of the City of New York for her distinguished contributions as a performer, conductor, voice teacher and musical director as well as for her dedicated leadership of the Polish Singers Alliance. In May 2000, “Polish American World” recognized her work naming Ms. Kobus-Salkin “Citizen of the Year”. In 2010 she received “Krzyz Kawalerski” from the President of Poland, Lech Kaczynski.
Ms Joanna Mieleszko
Described as having a “world class voice” and “astonishing resonance for such a young performer”, Joanna Mieleszko has already had opportunities to perform in venues such as Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, Manhattan School of Music, The Kosciuszko Foundation, Polish Slavic Center, Kurier Plus, Club Europa, Polish Festivals of NJ and NY, and more. She is also finalist of Young Classic Voice in Boston year 2013.
Joanna was born in New York City in 1993, and it is there where her young career blossoms. Starting off as a pianist at age five, Joanna was able to develop her ear and rhythmic integrity which aided her studies in voice over a decade later. Her vocal studies began at age 17 in the basement of a rectory under the tutelage of Izabella-Kobus Salkin who realized Joanna’s potential and intrigue. Joanna was soon admitted into the Manhattan School of Music which she currently attends and studies privately with esteemed international tenor, Neil Rosenshein.
Joanna, being a Polish-American, has deep roots in her native Polish culture. She incorporates both her interest in Polish literature/culture/history and music by performing rarely sung works by Poland namesakes such as Chopin, Szymanowski, Gorecki and Moniuszko as well as teaching people about these European treasures. Joanna keeps up with the Polish community of Rockaway as a cantor during the Polish mass of St. Rose of Lima, and offers her voice for events such as weddings, baptisms, funerals, etc.
Ms Klaudia Morelowska
Klaudia Morelowska is eighteen years old and she studies Vocal Performance (Classical and Opera) at Aaron Copland School of Music in Queens College. Singing is her passion and nothing makes her more joyous and fulfilled than sharing her gift with the people that support and appreciate her love for music. Klaudia is a sympathetic and an energetic person, that aside from music, fences Sabre. She represents a Queens College fencing team that is in the second division. This year, she won fourth place at the individual championships of the public schools in New York City. At Fiorello H. LaGuardia, Klaudia (As a senior) was one of the main lead roles in the school’s operetta “The Merry Widow”. It was an unforgettable and an inspiring experience for her. In her first semester at Queens College, she got accepted to be part of an Opera Studio class that is specifically for upperclassmen. One of the organizations that Klaudia is part of is “Relay For Life” from the American Cancer Society. Five years have passed since Klaudia started to use her creativity and imagination to raise money to find the cure and help the people fight cancer. This organization is really important to Klaudia, because just like every individual on earth, she was affected by cancer in her life. - Klaudia Morelowska
Guest Performance by Pawel Ignatowicz Duo
Pawel Ignatowicz Duo performance will feature a vast variety of musical pieces influenced by classical minimalism, acoustics as well as fusion. The unique blend of his composition is skillfully framed into an array of guitar sound. The guiding principle throughout his creativity is to engage his audience in a deeper understanding of the different forms, styles and rhythms music can offer. He seeks to enhance their sensitivity and draws particular attention to the distinct arrangement of tones, making their experience truly enchanting.
Music is a constantly changing and evolving entity. It reinvents itself with every performance, with every artist, across cultures and time.
Today it is not the man that defines music, but the music defines the man.
Compositions that Pawel wants to present at this upcoming concert, defines him as a musician and an artist, but also as a man who lives here and now.
Pawel Ignatowicz
Guitarist, composer and music producer, Pawel Ignatowicz, was born on December 20th, 1980 in Żywiec, Poland, into musical family. Influenced by his parents, both multi-instrumentalist, Pawel spent his childhood playing various instruments. His musical interests ranged from folk of the Beskid Zywiecki’s Highlands to the New Orleans Dixieland Jazz.
At the age of 8, he began to attend the Polish National Music School where he studied clarinet and saxophone. A couple years later he found his true love in guitar and started to concentrate preliminary on mastering this instrument. After finishing high school he continued education at the University of Silesia where he study jazz under Prof. Karol Ferfecki, a distinguished jazz guitarist himself. After graduation Pawel moved to New York to search for his own musical identity.
The musical sensibility of this young composer was influenced by a myriad of factors, from his childhood fascination with the compositions of Freddie Mercury through the virtuosity of Steve Vai and to the music of John Coltrane. It is because of the influence of this saxophonist that Pawel became interested in jazz and found his musical identity. In his compositions, Pawel combines varies categories and styles ranging from straight ahead jazz to fusion with elements of Jimi Hendrix and contemporary classical music of Steve Reich and Philip Glass. However, Pawel still remains open to new influences and trends, and wants to create musical spaces without the boundaries set by classification, placing emphasis on what is best in harmony and tone.
Pawel performed with many distinguished musicians including John Benitez (Chick Corea), Richie Cannata (Billy Joel, Celine Dion, Jennifer Lopez, the Beach Boys, Bernie Williams), Benito Gonzalez (Kenny Garrett), Luques Curtis (Gary Burton, Eddie Palmieri, Brian Lynch, Paquito D’Rivera), Dana Hawkins (Me’Shell Ndegéocello, Esperanza Spalding), Adam Baldych, Marek Dykta, Sławomir Jaskułke, Maciej Sikała, to name just a few. At the beginning of 2008, he released his first album, entitled “Talk To You Later”. In 2011, he recorded the soundtrack to the film by Rafal Janus “Double Breath”.
Julian Shore
25 year old pianist Julian Shore has been called “a pianist/composer who beyond the obvious elegance of his playing has a clear sense of the bigger artistic picture” (Ottowa Times). An “extremely precocious, serious musician” (JAZZIZ) he “riffs and waxes with a sense of space usually reserved for more veteran players.” (DownBeat) From Narragansett, Rhode Island, Shore grew up listening to his father playing Bach on his home piano and would often sing along as a toddler. After starting piano lessons at a young age he began studies with famed educator Hal Crook as a teenager. Shortly thereafter Shore was awarded a full scholarship to Berklee College of Music where he entered in Fall 2005. During his time there, under the mentorship of Danilo Perez, he performed in a young musicians ensemble in the Panama Jazz Festival alongside names such as Wayne Shorter, Brian Blade and many others. He graduated in 2009 and shortly after moving to New York, had a brief stint with singer Gretchen Parlato, touring with her band in early 2010 and then performing at the Stockholm Jazz Festival with her later that year. Since then he has continued to appear as both leader and sideman in New York where he is based, and across the globe. He has had the opportunity to perform or record with musicians such as Kurt Rosenwinkel, Gretchen Parlato, Myron Walden, Gilad Hekselman, Kendrick Scott, Mark Giuliana, Ferenc Nemeth and Hal Crook among many others.