Leading pianists perform at London Chopin Festival

Dominika Mak, Janusz Sikora Sikorski, Aleksandra Swigut Piotr Pawlak and Ewa Sławińska-Dahlig, Director of the Chopin Society in Poland.

The long-awaited third annual Chopin Festival took place at the Polish Social and Cultural Centre (POSK) in Hammersmith last Saturday, with an impressive program, beautifully organised by Janusz Sikora-Sikorski.

Besides a classical concert of Chopin's music performed in the POSK Theatre, on their brand new Steinway, by two world class pianists: Aleksandra Swigut and Piotr Pawlak, together with rising stars Mateusz Dubiel, Dominika Mak, in the POSK Theatre, there was also a jazz concert, an exhibition presented by Warsaw's Fryderyk Chopin Institute, a Polish schools competition prizegiving and two fascinating lectures by Chopin experts.

The day began with a talk by Lady Rose Cholmondeley, President of The Chopin Society UK, 'Mysteries surrounding Fryderyk Chopin' on his family background and personal life. Prof John Rink, Professor of Music in the Cambridge Faculty of Music, and Fellow in Music at St John's College then gave a presentation on 'The Young Chopin', showing us the formative years of Chopin's life and the development of his musical genius.

The Mayor of Westminster and Chelsea, Will Lane, was one of the VIP guests at the gala concert. The event opened with a superb performance by Dominika Mak a graduate of Trinity College Cambridge, currently studying at the Royal Academy of Music. She played Three Mazurkas op 59, Ballade #4 in F Minor and the Barcarolle in F sharp Major.

Mateusz Dubiel, winner of the 51st Fryderyk Chopin National Piano Competition followed, with the beautiful Nocturne in E-flat Major op.55 nr.2 followed by the dazzling Sonata in b-minor op.55.

Next, Piotr Pawlak, a graduate from Gdansk Music Academy who told us it was his first visit to London, gave stunning interpretations of the Scherzos in B minor op 20, B flat minor op 31 and C sharp minor op 39. (I'm sure he'll be back in London soon.)

The concert ended with a magnificent performance by Aleksandra Świgut a graduate and teacher at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw, of the Andante Spianato and Grand Polonaise Brilliant opus 22, Variations on La ci darem la Mano from Mozart's Don Giovanni and the Prelude in D Flat major op 28 no 15.

There was a well deserved standing ovation at the end of the concert.

The evening continued with Chopin Jazz with the John Donegan Quintet in the POSK Jazz Cafe. (The centre also has a wonderful cafe, bar and restaurant serving delicious Polish food.) Altogether a wonderful festival!

The Chopin Society has been holding concerts in Westminster Cathedral Hall for the last three months. Their next concert will be on Sunday 17 November at 4.30pm when the Rosamune Trio featuring Martino Tirimo will be giving a recital of works by Mozart, Chopin and Tchaikovsky.

Another Polish event will be taking place in London in December. To celebrate the 130th anniversary of The Polish Catholic Mission in England and Wales, there will be "Polish Carols at Westminster Cathedral." The Ave Verum choir from South Norwood and Balham conducted by Jurek Pockert, accompanied by the Cathedral Organist; and the Fiołki choir, from the Mazury Dance Company, conducted by Jadzia Słomka and accompanied by musicians of the "Kapela, Estrada Regionalna 'Równica' Im Renaty Ciszewskiej" from Poland will be performing on Saturday 7 December at 2pm. (More information to follow on ICN)

For more information about the Chopin Society see; www.chopin-society.org.uk

Read more about events at the Polish Social and Cultural Association in London, (POSK): https://posk.org/en/