“Discovering Paderewski”

The forum will be dedicated to a pianist, world-renowned composer who unites Ukrainian and Polish cultures, honorary citizen of Lviv, Ignacy Jan Paderewski. The program includes concerts and plays. So, the well-known Ukrainian composer Myroslav Skoryk is preparing two premieres.

The festival will begin at Lviv Philharmonic Society with a concert of symphonic music pieces by Ukrainian composers, contemporaries of Ignacy Jan Paderewski: Levko Revutsky, Viktor Kosenko, and Borys Liatoshynsky. Ukrainian symphonic music will be performed by Academic Symphony Orchestra of Lviv Philharmonic Society conducted by  its chief conductor Illia Stupel, the solos will be performed by Lviv pianist Joseph Ermin, reportedly by i-pro.kiev.ua.

On November 15 a soiree of piano music “Time of poets and virtuoso musicians – Chopin, Liszt, and Paderewski” will be held on the stage of Lviv Philharmonic Society. The works of musicians who have played an important role in Paderewski’s establishing as a composer will be performed. Those include Chopin and Liszt. The soloists of the evening, Lviv-based pianist, art director of the festival Marianna Humetska and outstanding Polish virtuoso Karol Radziwonowicz, will perform along with solo programs several works for four hands, in particular Tatra Album by Paderewski.

The central event of the festival will be the project “From Paderewski to Penderecki,” which will be held on November 16 in Lviv Opera House. Two legends of Polish and Ukrainian contemporary music art, Krzysztof Penderecki and Myroslav Skoryk will meet on the stage. Penderecki will conduct his work Credo performed by choir Dumka, children’s choir Radunytsia, orchestra INSO-Lviv, and Polish soloists. And maestro Myroslav Skoryk will present his Concert for violin with orchestra No. 9 and Concert for viola with orchestra which will be performed by soloists from Germany and Switzerland.

During the concert the awarding ceremony of Paderewski Prize for contribution to the development of Ukrainian-Polish cultural cooperation will be held by Ignacy Jan Paderewski Polish-Ukrainian Foundation. The medals of Lviv oblast council, which symbolically immortalize the unity of the two cultures, will be as well awarded.

On November 17 within the framework of the festival a theater festive event will be held for the first time. In gallery Dzyha the Drohobych Theater “Alter” will for the first time show the play A Screenplay for Three Actors by Boguslaw Schaeffer, one of the most interesting contemporary Polish composers and playwrights, whose destiny, like Paderewski’s, is closely intertwined with Lviv.

The festival will be closed by the concert of the leader of Polish jazz stage, pianist Leszek Mozdzer, on November 18 in Lviv Philharmonic Society. A winner of many music awards, including Jazz Oscars, and initiator of incredible projects Leszek Mozdzer will come to Lviv in order to pay tribute to his legendary compatriot.

Within the framework of the festival the film Penderecki: Path Through Labyrinth (director Anna Schmidt) will be shown, and a meeting with Leszek Mozdzer and Krzysztof Penderecki will be held at Lviv National Music Academy. The festival as well will begin its activity in Ivano-Frankivsk (on November 13 the piano recital “Oskar Kolberg and dancing works by Chopin” will be performed at the philharmonic society by Polish pianists).