Monday
Oct082018
Poland - 100 Years - Free Again - Celebrate
Monday, October 8, 2018 at 11:51AM 
Portland Polonia celebrate the centenary of the reconstitution of a sovereign Polish nation, achieved through the 1918, WWI Armistice, Treaty of Versailles. Sharing in the celebration are Polish Festival, Cascadia Composers and Willamette Falls Symphony. We offer rarely heard works by Polish composers and original musical compositions by regional composers, all in the Western Classical Concert Hall Tradition. Regional musicians and composers come together on two different stages: Sat., Nov. 10 at Portland's Polish Hall and Sun., Nov. 11 at Milwaukie High School Auditorium - details below.Historical background:
Poland began to form into a recognizable unitary and territorial entity around the middle of the 10th century under the Piast dynasty. Poland's first historically documented ruler, Mieszko I, accepted Christianity with the Baptism of Poland in 966, as the new official religion of his subjects.
Poland was a nation state from 1025 AD, when Bolesław I "the Brave" became the first Polish ruler to receive the title of "rex" (Latin: "king") and rebuked fealty to the Holy Roman Empire. Followed then a tumultuous history, which led to Poland's being fully partitioned and occupied by the Russians, Prussians and Hapsbergs from 1795 to 1918. Through this virtually stateless period, Polish culture survived primarily though the Catholic Church and deeply rich local traditions, but equally significant was the dedication of Polish artists to their national identity, many in exile, most notable: poet, Adam Mickiewicz and composer, Fryderyk Chopin.
Our celebration is not centered on historic personalities, places nor on dates. Rather, we celebrate the perseverance of dignity, artistic freedom and empowerment of human pride.
Sat., Nov. 10, the up-and-coming Delgani String Quartet, with pianist Asya Gulua, perform Cascadia Composers' original scores: all new works, composed by Jay Derderian, Matthew Kaminski, Stephen Lewis, Liz Nedela and Paul Safar, in celebration of the centenary, and which share the stage with Karol Szymanowski's "String Quartet no. 2".
Sun, Nov. 11, The symphonic offering is purely Polish (all Polish composers). The burgeoning Willamette Falls Symphony, conducted by Artistic Director Mark Perlman is joined by London-based, Portland native, violinist Darin Qualls, leading a program of rarely heard Polish music with Henryk Wieniawski's "Violin Concerto No.2 in D minor".
Proud sponsors of Portland celebration:
Polish Library Building Association
Polish Festival PDX
St Stanislaus Parish
Cascadia Composers
Willamette Falls Symphony
Consulate General of Poland in Los Angeles
Matt Czyzewski
Jozef Bylina
Agnieszka Laska
