73. Festival

73rd
Duszniki
International
Chopin Piano Festival

 

 

3-11 August 2018

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We are pleased to announce the open- ing of the 73rd edition of the Festival. The situation is, however, quite different from that of previous inaugurations, as far as I remember them. In March, after suffering a severe illness, Mr. Andrzej Merkur passed away. He was the President of Chopin Festival Foundation and an integral part of the Festival for over 40 years, in fact all his professional life. It is hard to overestimate his vast experience, his calmness under pressure, his determination and his professionalism. We scarcely imagined ever facing such a dramatic, grim and unexpected situation.

Being a friend of Andrzej Merkur and his artistic collaborator for 26 years, I would allow myself to express my and, I believe, your deepest sorrow. At the same time I would dearly like to thank Mr. Merkur for his “Life’s work” during the Duszniki-Zdrój International Chopin Piano Festival.

Ladies and Gentlemen, our mission, our trademark and a widely known feature of our Festival is to promote and cultivate talented pianists of the younger generation. This year we intend to stay faithful to our principles. Besides acclaimed Artists, we will present some remarkable young pianists whose artistic careers are developing dramatically. There is little doubt that in the next few years they will become the most honoured guests in the most significant concert halls in the world. It is with the greatest joy and satisfaction that we welcome to Chopin’s Manor the “stars” of our festival. These are the Artists whose brilliant recitals and concerts have established the high level and reputation of the festival for many years.

The audience will undoubtedly give a warm welcome to our long-awaited guests. Such renowned musicians as Sergei Babayan, Alessio Bax, Rachel Cheung, Boris Giltburg and Jonathan Plowright, whose previous performances here in Duszniki are still engraved in our memory.

In the Jubilee year, the 100th anniversary of the regaining of Polish Independence, we also welcome a number of illustrious Polish Artists: Ewa Pobłocka and the family band Multi Trio, Wojciech Świtała, Jakub Jakowicz, Tymoteusz Bies and Piotr Alexewicz. I am also honoured to give an especially warm welcome to the legendary Polish pianist Lidia Grychtołówna.

We also welcome the excellent teachers who will give master classes during the Festival: Professor Vanessa Latarche from the London Royal College of Music and Professor Eugen Indijc, well known to all Polish music lovers, who lectures at the Schola Cantorum in Paris. Meeting such great teachers and working with them will be a priceless and very inspiring experience for all those who comprise the classes, the laureates of the latest edition of Polish Chopin Piano Competition.

Ladies and Gentlemen – on behalf of all the organizers of the Festival and also on behalf of yourselves, I wish to thank our unfailing sponsors. It is thanks to them we can experience such profound artistic experiences. We are also grateful to our media representatives, especially to the Polish Radio Channel 2, for not permitting Polish music lovers forget the Duszniki Festival and for carrying out their difficult task with extensive professionalism and charm.

Finally I would now like to wish all the very best to the new President of the Festival Foundation, Mr. Mariusz Fituch. All of us here present wish you the best of luck in working on the Festival in the future, as well as the determination and passion to carry it through to a brilliant conclusion.

I am convinced that this year the Festival will give rise to many deep reflections and provide us with many beautiful, unforgettable moments and wonderful artistic experiences.

Piotr Paleczny

Program PDF

3 August
Friday
20.00Inauguration recital dedicated to the memory of Andrzej Merkur – President of the Foundation – Wojciech Świtała
4 August
Saturday
9.30Master Class prof. Vanessa Latarche
11.00Promotional concert
16.00Piano recital Luigi Carroccia
20.00Piano recital Daniel Ciobanu
I prize – Rio de Janeiro 2016
II prize A.Rubinstein – Tel Aviv 2017
5 August
Sunday
9.30Master Class prof. Vanessa Latarche
11.00Promotional concert
16.00Piano recital Andrey Gugnin
I prize – Sydney 2016
20.00Piano recital Jonathan Plowright
On the 100th anniversary of Independence
6 August
Monday
9.30Master Class prof. Vanessa Latarche
16.00Promotion of the Young
Piotr Alexewicz, Tymoteusz Bies
19.00Chamber music concert MULTI TRIO – Ewa Pobłocka with daughters Ewa Leszczyńska – soprano and Maria Leszczyńska – cello
22.00Extraordinary recital – meeting with the audience – Lidia Grychtołówna
7 August
Tuesday
9.30Master Class prof. Vanessa Latarche
16.00Piano recital Alexander Ullman
I prize – F.Liszt, Utrecht 2017
19.00Charity recital by participants in the Master Class
22.00NOCTURNE
8 August
Wednesday
9.30Master Class prof. Eugen Indjic
16.00Piano recital Martin James Bartlett
20.00Piano recital Rachel Cheung
Audience Award- Van Cliburn 2017
9 August
Thursday
9.30Master Class prof. Eugen Indjic
16.00Recital Jakub Jakowicz – violin and Bartosz Bednarczyk – piano
20.00Piano recital Boris Giltburg
10 August
Friday
9.30Master Class prof. Eugen Indjic
16.00Piano recital Rémi Geniet
II prize Queen Elisabeth – Brussels 2016
20.00Piano recital Alessio Bax
I prize – Leeds & Hamamatsu
and Lucille Chung
 – Piano Duo
11 August
Saturday
9.30Master Class prof. Eugen Indjic
11.00Promotional concert
16.00Piano recital Eric Lu
IV prize – Chopin competition, Warsaw 2015
20.00Final recital Sergei Babayan
Gugnin_009
Grychtolowna_063
Nokturn_113
Nokturn_160
Nokturn_124
Jakowicz-Bednarczyk_
Nokturn_265
Plowright_040
Poblocka-Trio_
Poblocka-Trio_070
Rachel_Cheng_
Switala_i_kwiaty_093
Switala_i_kwiaty_3661
Switala_i_kwiaty_366
Plowright
Ullman1
Alexewicz_082
Bartlett_042
Ullman
Bax-Chung_053
Bies_069
Babayan_festival_duszniki_zdroj
Carroccia_018
Ciobanu_020
Carroccia_082
Eric_Lu_012
Ciobanu_147
Giltburg_083
Giltburg_127
Geniet_069
Grychtolowna_044
Giltburg_139
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Gugnin_009
Grychtolowna_063
Nokturn_113
Nokturn_160
Nokturn_124
Jakowicz-Bednarczyk_
Nokturn_265
Plowright_040
Poblocka-Trio_
Poblocka-Trio_070
Rachel_Cheng_
Switala_i_kwiaty_093
Switala_i_kwiaty_3661
Switala_i_kwiaty_366
Plowright
Ullman1
Alexewicz_082
Bartlett_042
Ullman
Bax-Chung_053
Bies_069
Babayan_festival_duszniki_zdroj
Carroccia_018
Ciobanu_020
Carroccia_082
Eric_Lu_012
Ciobanu_147
Giltburg_083
Giltburg_127
Geniet_069
Grychtolowna_044
Giltburg_139
previous arrow
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