Professor Maja Nosowska
Chair of Piano Chamber Music
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| Head of the Chair Professor Maja Nosowska |
An autonomous group of pianists-pedagogues who teach chamber music at Department 2 (Piano, Harpsichord and Organ Department) and pianists-tutors who are directly involved in the teaching of instrumental and vocal skills.
A WORD OF INTRODUCTION FROM SENIOR PROFESSOR JERZY MARCHWIŃSKI
On 6 October 2002, the Senate of the Fryderyk Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw passed the historical vote which officially established the Chair of Piano Chamber Music. In this way the CPCM became first in Poland and a unique on an international level structure in higher music education system.
Creating such a new department still stays in opposition to a bit simplistic vision of chamber music that is commonly shared by musical environment not only in Poland. According to this vision piano departments evoke associations with individual, solo performance and the word pianist traditionally means solo pianist. On the other hand, chamber music is seen as serving rather a subservient function than being based on partnership relation between individual musicians.
Meanwhile the professional pianist pursues two different but equally important lines of activity: solo performance and ensemble playing, both of which are expected to be rendered with equal perfection. Taking that fact into consideration, the Warsaw CPCM training profile focuses also on psychological aspect of the chamber musicians- training with it's major aim to educate and "create" new generations of chamber players convinced that they will be as much valued and appreciated in their future professional career as the solo musicians. Such point of view helps large masses of pianists from feeling frustrated, degraded and disappointed for the rest of their lives.
The Fryderyk Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw is unique in its pioneering decision to establish two equal chairs at the Department of Piano, Harpsichord and Organ, one devoted to solo piano playing and one devoted to group piano playing.
Professor Jerzy Marchwiński
Jerzy Marchwiński
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
In 1978 Professor Jerzy Marchwiński, with the active support of the academic authorities (Rector Professor Bogusław Madey), established a new and unique structure, the Chair Of Piano Chamber Music. This was a rational decision for several reasons:
- organisational - there are two instrumental departments at the Warsaw Academy, i.e., the Department of Piano, Harpsichord and Organ and the Department of Orchestra Instruments
- substantial - the pianist who collaborates with singers, instrumentalists, orchestras and other pianists, and is capable of playing an important role in instrumental and vocal teaching or the concert performances of their partners, is confronted with different problems from those confronting the pianist who largely plays chamber music in one-name ensembles;
- historical - chamber music is developing extremely dramatically all over the world, the collaborating pianist's responsibilities are more demanding than before and therefore it is necessary to seek new systemic didactic solutions.
The Chair, which has now been operating for more than a decade, can boast a number of successes. Some are practical, e.g., an organisational framework for teaching and a syllabus have been developed, the rationale for dissertations in chamber music has been fixed and widely adopted all over Poland and accepted by RWSA, and qualifying courses have been given new impetus. But who knows, the greatest success has perhaps been in the sphere of mentality and awareness. The community of pianists who teach piano chamber music has integrated, a forum for exchange of ideas and opinions has been provided and there is now much greater awareness of how chamber music can and should be played.
The Chair was eventually suspended and underwent various vicissitudes but everyday life and the obvious distinctness of the issues involved in the training of chamber pianists always led to the spontaneous emergence of organisational units focused on this particular area. This natural evolution led to the establishment of the Institute of Piano Chamber Music, affiliated with the Department of Piano and Organ, in 1998, headed by Professor Jerzy Marchwiński. In 2002 the Institute was once again transformed into an independent Chair within Department 2. Since 2005 the Head of the Chamber is Professor Maja Nosowska-Pasławska.
THE BASIC CURRENT ACTIVITIES OF THE CHAIR OF PIANO CHAMBER MUSIC
TEACHING - first semester of a vista playing (sight reading) and basis of chamber music, then four semesters of licentiate studies and two - of master studies. The CPCM ensembles have won numerous awards and certificates of merit at national and international competitions;
POSTGRADUATE STUDIES - Accessible to both Polish and foreign postgraduates (and conducted in English, French, German and Russian). These courses offer a number of options, e.g., training for competitions, extending one's repertoire, focus on co-operation with singers, post-graduate training for teachers who teach pedagogues and students, the art of concert performance; this year Chair of Piano Chamber Music starts with Postgraduate Studies of Vocal Coaching.
ORGANISATION OF THEME CONCERTS - these concerts are part of the Academy's concert agenda;
concerts regularly given at the College of Europe in Warsaw since March 2003 and in Warsaw University
Master COURSES - Alison Pearce - the course for pianists and singers (March 2000), The Piano Duo Symposium - Bracha Eden and Alexander Tamir, (April 2002)
Emanuel Ax master class devoted to various chamber formations: piano Sonatas, Trios and Quartets (January 2003), Master class of prof. Lee Kum-Sing (May 2006), International Master Classes of Music Interpretation and Festival in Nowy Sącz (every year), Master class of prof. Avedis Kouyoumdjian (March 2008)
SYMPOSIA - organisation of every year symposia on "Partnership on Music" devoted f.ex. to: "The Place, Role and Responsibilities of the Pianist in the Education of Instrumentalists and Vocalists" 2002, "Co-operation between singers and pianists" 2003, "A'vista playing - as a needful element in musicians education" 2004, "Profesor Jerzy Marchwiński - lecture didactic classes" 2005, 2006, 2007, seminars
COMPETITIONS - International Piano Duo Competitions in Białystok - the IVth will be done in November 2008
PUBLISHING - the work Unknown Polish Cello Miniatures was published in 2002; presentation and concert 29 April 2002; Jerzy Marchwiński Partnership in music - polish, english, german translation, The Place, Role and Responsibilities of the Pianist in the Education of Instrumentalists and Vocalists, Co-operation between singers and pianists, A'vista playing (sight reading) - as a needful element in musicians education
CO-OPERATION WITH PRIMARY AND SECONDARY MUSIC SCHOOLS - including organisation and consultation of methodics courses for teachers (e.g., summer courses and festivals in Nowy Sącz), consultation and development of syllabuses for primary and secondary music schools.
NEWS
This year Chair of Piano Chamber Music starts with POSTGRADUATE STUDIES of VOCAL COACHING.
Chair of Piano Chamber Music invites for the piano chamber music masterclasses on 10th to 14th of March 2008 at The Chopin Music Academy. Classes will give outstanding pianist, professor of The Universitaet für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Vienna - AVEDIS KOUYOUMDJIAN.
IVth International Piano Duo Competition in Białystok, November 2008
19th May 2008 - concert "New Vienna School" - with Zemlinski, Berg, Webern, Schönberg chamber music
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Prof. Irena Protasewicz on the concert at the College of Europe in Warsaw The Academy of Music in Warsaw is vibrant with concert activities. It is here that the intensive teaching, conducted by wonderful musicians, real artists, finds its ultimate justification. The variety and range of programs offered by the Academy are sources of great enjoyment and respect. The school makes every effort to ensure the highest possible standards of performance. The Chair of Piano Chamber Music takes an active part in these projects. Recently it suggested that its students should give concerts off premises. The choice of site was not in the least accidental. For nearly 10 years, Warsaw has been the seat of the College of Europe which has students from many European countries. Lectures and classes are in English and French. The events and changes taking place in the new European structures make it quite imperative for Polish students to relate to their peers from other countries. Before we organised the first concert, we had to overcome a number of obstacles. The fact that the College has no piano on its beautiful campus was a major problem. And then the most wonderful opportunity came by. Zofia Vogtman, pianist and pedagogue, donated a piano to the Academy of Music. She made no objections to lending the instrument to the College of Europe for a while. The two schools signed an appropriate agreement. Professor Jerzy Marchwiński, Head of the Chair of Chamber Piano Music, represented the AMFC Rector and Dr Piotr Nowina-Konopka, Rector of the College of Europe, represented the College in Natolin, Warsaw. This way, our students gave their first concert at the College on 16 March 2003 in order to share the joys of music with the multi-lingual students who had chosen to study in Warsaw. The program included the work of our patron, Fryderyk Chopin, songs by F. Schubert, waltzes for four hands by J. Brahms, an amusing series of songs by L. Bernstein called I Hate Music. The Accordion Quintet played Mendelssohn, Moniuszko and Khachaturian. The audience responded with such enthusiasm and spontaneity that we can only hope that the idea will catch on and there will be many more equally enjoyable concerts. I had the honour and pleasure to announce the concert in English. I briefly reviewed the history of our Academy, its goals and plans and introduced listeners to the climates of the works they were to hear. In these days of unpleasant political misunderstandings, vileness and the tragedy of war, all we can do is live on, refusing to be overcome by doubt, and cultivate the idea of true beauty which only Art can offer. |
| The first anniversary of Witold Lutosławski death |
| L. van Beethoven, all sonatas and variations for piano and cello; two concerts on the occasion of the 225th anniversary of Beethoven's birth |
| F. Schubert - 200th birth anniversary, chamber music; two concerts |
| Homage to Johannes Brahms (100th death anniversary) |
| Aleksander Tansman - 100th birth anniversary |
| Evening of the 100th birth anniversary occasion of prof. Jerzy Lefeld |
| Claude Debussy - chamber works (in 80th death anniversary) |
| Francis Poulenc - the 100th birth anniversary |
| L. van Beethoven - all Sonatas for piano and violine |
| Homage to Kazimierz Wiłkomirski |
| Richard Strauss song evening - on the 50th death anniversary; cooperated with The Vocal Department |
| The mysticism in music - A. Schnittke, G. Mahler, O. Messiaen |
| Dimitr Szostakowicz - chamber concert on the occasion of the 25th death anniversary; cooperated with The Vocal Department and The Instrumental Department |
| Concert in Musikchochschule Konservatorium in Bern |
| Arnold Schönberg and His Work |
| Duo, Trio, Qurtet |
| "To preserve for posterity" - Carl Czerny piano duos |
| Karol Szymanowski chamber works |
| Krzysztof Penderecki chamber music |
| Song evening - H. Berlioz (200th birth anniversary), H. Wolf (100th death anniversary); cooperated with The Vocal Department |
| Famous piano trios |
| Homage to - A. Dvorák (100th death anniversary), L.Janácek (150th birth anniversary), Ch. Ives (50th death anniversary) |
| Witold Lutosławski - on the 10th death anniversary |
| G. Fauré, M. Ravel i A. Berg - chamber works |
| Bela Bartok - on the 60th death anniversary |
| French chamber music |
| Lorca, Crumb, inspirations; cooperated with The Vocal Department |
| Arround Mozart |
| Dimitr Szostakowicz - on the 100th birth anniversary |
| He and She in Robert Schumann songs; cooperated with The Vocal Department |
| Polish pupils of Nadia Boulanger |
| Dymitr Szostakowicz - "The Bitter freedom"; cooperated with The Vocal Department |
| Maurice Ravel - on the 70th death anniversary |
| Concert in The Conservatoire National de Region de Versailles and Palais des Invalides |
| The piano chamber music of polish composers around Chopin era (I. F. Dobrzyński, F. Lessel, J. Elsner, I. M. Komorowski, Wł. Żeleński, H. Melcer) |
| Karol Szymanowski - world of the song; cooperated with The Vocal Department |
| English music (Purcell, Finzi, Bridge, Elgar, Britten, irish traditional music) |
| Periodic concerts in the Mathematic Department on The Warsaw University | |
| Periodic concerts in The College of Europe in Warsaw |
Compiled by: The Fryderyk Chopin Academy of Music