This is a formal black tie dinner and dance evening for the benefit of the Friends of Polish Studies Fund at the University of Washington. Beautiful music provided by Bert Carlson and Company. Cocktail Hour 6-7 pm, dinner at 7 pm, dancing from 8:30 pm. Organized by Janusz Zoltowski and the Friends of Polish Studies.

Where: Nile Country Club, Edmonds Area, 6601 244^th St SW, Mountlake Terrace, WA; tickets $75 per guest

More: For tickets and reservations contact Bozena Razniewski (425) 255-6580

This is the annual meeting for the members of the Polish Home Association. It is also an election meeting for the Board of Trustees and the Officers of the PHA (see candidate list). PHA members can vote by proxy, see the Polish Home website for forms and other election info. Mateusz Karczewski serves as the PHA election commissioner this year.

Where: at the Polish Home

More: contact  Mateusz Karczewski;  candidate list

This event was originally scheduled on Jan 16, 2007.

Dr. Piotr Lewinski, the visiting Fulbright scholar at the University of Washington, will talk about contemporary life in Poland. His talk Myths About Life in Poland will touch on topics such as how Solidarity is viewed today, why Poles like to kvetch and criticize and why you cannot find workers while the unemployment is high.

Where: at the Polish Home,

More: contact do Dr. Lewinski

Dr. Ivona Kaminska will give a piano performance and lecture about Polish national dances by  Chopin, Szymanowski and other composers for the Eastside Music Teachers'
Association in Bellevue. Ms. Kaminska is a Director and co-Founder of the Chopin Academy of Music in Issaquah.
 

Where: at the Bellevue Sherman Clay, 1000 Bellevue Way, N, Bellevue; admission free
More: about Ivona Kaminska, Chopin Academy of Music

The Polish School from Seattle invites to a traditional carnival party for kids from noon till 5 pm at the Polish Home. It will feature games and competitions with awards, dances with a DJ and a raffle. There will also be a dinner and desserts available at the restaurant.

Where: at the Polish Home, admission free; dinner $10/$5 regular/half portion

More: contact Principal Krystyna Swietlicka (206) 720-0683 or vice-Principal Barbara Strutynski (425) 746-3037

Mr. Skrzypek is an accomplished classical pianist based in Warsaw, Poland. At the Tacoma Youth Symphony Association he will give a lecture/demonstration of Modest Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. Besides being active as a pianist, Pawel Skrzypek is a piano teacher active both in Poland and the US.

Where: at the Tacoma Youth Symphony Association; tickets & info (253) 627-2792

More: about Pawel Skrzypek, Gold Country Piano Institute in California, his website

This two hour documentary tells the story of Nazi theft and subsequent rescue of Europe's arts treasures in World War II. Among the masterpieces featured extensively in the film is Leonardo da Vinci's Lady with an Ermine, stolen from the Czartoryski Museum in Cracow, Poland. The movie has two screenings at the Jewish Film Festival in Portland, OR.

Where: at the Jewish Film Festival in Portland, OR; tickets

More: More about the movie and movie site

Mr. Skrzypek is an accomplished classical pianist based in Warsaw, Poland. His concert Of Emperors and Masters at Everett Symphony features Meistersinger Overture by Richard Wagner as well as Symphony No. 8 and Emperor Concerto by Beethoven. Pawel Skrzypek won several prestigious competitions and tours regularly on all continents.

Where: Everett Symphony at Everett Civic Auditorium

More: about Pawel Skrzypek, Gold Country Piano Institute in California, his website

This is a monthly meeting of the Project committee. Come to discuss and support more changes at the Polish Home! This is an open meeting, everybody interested in the project is invited to come and discuss issues. Volunteers are also welcomed at the meeting!

Where: at the Polish Home, just drop by; refreshments are provided!

More: Polish Home Foundation, Polish Home

By Rafal Olbinski

This is cancelled due to problems with the KCLS library rules.

This is the first meting of the Polish Story Time: an activity time for kids, where they can listen to children books in Polish and also play together. The targeted age is kindergarten. The group has just been organized and is looking for help from all parents interesting in developing Polish language skills in their kids and connecting with other Polish parents. If you would like to volunteer please contact Ela Cwalina by the end of December, 2006.

Where: Please contact Ela, if you can offer an advice

More: Ela Cwalina

Mariusz Kwiecien

Mr. Kwiecien is a young Polish baritone who returns to Seattle to sing the title role in Mozart’s Don Giovanni at the Seattle Opera. His other visit to Seattle was in 2003 when he took part in the production of Don Pasquale by Donizetti.  Despite his age, Mariusz Kwiecien is a very accomplished singer having performed in the Metropolitan, La Scala, Vienna State Opera and other best opera  houses.

 Where: Seattle Opera at McCaw Hall; tickets; Mr. Kwiecien sings in 5 out of 8 performances

More: Mariusz Kwiecien, his fan site,  Don Giovanni

This event is cancelled due to a recent accident of the group leader.

The VOX group made a big splash as a quartet with several hits and festival awards (including a win at the Opole Festival) in early 1980s. The group nowadays consists of the following members Witold Paszt, Dariusz Tokarzewski & Jerzy Słota. They come to Seattle with their best hits from the CD Bananowy Song (2001).

Where: at the Polish Home, in Polish; cancelled

More: about VOX (in Polish); Ivona Przydzielski (425) 820-1207, or Zbig Przydzielski

This is a traditional wafer sharing (oplatek) for members and friends of the Polish Home with Fr. Stanislaw Michalek. The Polish Choir Vivat Musica will help with carol singing and everybody is invited to come and sing Polish and American carols along.

 Where: at the Polish Home

More: Ela Filipczuk

The book for the meeting is Rasa drapiezcow by Stanislaw Lem, published by Wyd. Literackie in 2006. Lem, who died in 2006 at the age of 85, was a writer and a philosopher; he is one of the few Polish writers who have achieved true world-wide recognition. Rasa drapiezcow contains his last texts, mostly from his somewhat irregular column at the weekly Tygodnik Powszechny. Lem’s books are widely available in English; Rasa drapiezcow can be bought on the Internet or borrowed from Club members.

 Where: at the Redmond Library, 15990 NE 85^th St in Redmond; admission free

More: about  Stanislaw Lem,  (in Polish) Rasa drapiezcow, Polish Book Club, contact to the Club Hanna Gil

Ama Dablan, Nepal

Marek Wencel is a local mountaineer who is also an award winning high altitude photographer. At the Polish Home he will share his pictures and his stories from Himalayas, Andes and other high ranges. The slide show will feature award winning pictures from competitions by National Geographic and Nikon, plus a whole slew of unique images form his expeditions. You can also buy his 2007 mountaineering calendar.

 Where: Polish Home, admission free

More: Marek  Wencel's website,  contact to Marek Wencel