P.O. Box 272
Paso Robles, California USA 93447
(805) 237-2620
info@paderewskifest.com
Board of Directors
Joel Peterson
President
Stephen Cass
Treasurer
Marek Zebrowski
Artistic Director
Marjorie Hamon
Cultural Exchange
Maria Lyon
Youth Competition
Gary Nemeth
Non-Profit Liason
Gracie Rey
Sponsor Development
Rob Sharp
Marketing
Cri Cri Solak-Eastin
Public Relations & Web site
2010 Advisory Board
Dave Dumont
Robert Fonarow
Rachel Garrett
Mike Gibson
Frank Mecham
Norma Moye
Paula O'Farrell
Barbara Partridge
Christine Smith
In His Honor
Ignacy Jan Paderewski (1860-1941) was a virtuoso pianist, composer, statesman, humanitarian and orator. Although his bold political vision for a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural United States of Poland was never realized, his musical legacy continues to inspire generations of musicians all around the globe.
Paso Robles is proud of its most famous resident, Ignacy Jan Paderewski, who visited this Central California city on many occasions for 25 years between 1914 and 1939. He stayed in the El Paso Hotel (now the Paso Robles Inn) and took cures in Paso Robles’ hot springs. He eventually bought nearly 3,000 acres of farmland in Paso Robles, Rancho San Ignacio and Rancho Santa Helena, where he planted wine grapes, almonds and a variety of fruit trees. In addition to his musical and political accomplishments, he also is remembered as a pioneer of vine cultivation and credited with bringing Zinfandel wine grapes to California.
To commemorate Paderewski’s association with Paso Robles, the Paderewski Festival was launched in 1991. The festival was suspended temporarily from 2001 to 2006, when it was re-launched under the leadership of the Polish Music Center at the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music and Paso Roblans led by Steve Cass of Cass Winery and Joel Peterson, grandson of the Paderewski Festival's founder Virginia Peterson.
A sister city agreement between Tarnów, Poland and Paso Robles, California, was signed in 2008 with the goal of establishing cultural, educational, personal and commercial exchanges between the two cities that share historical ties to Ignacy Jan Paderewski. The first such exchange program was held in June 2009, when three young pianists from California’s Central Coast—finalists from the 2007 and 2008 Paderewski Youth Piano Competitions in Paso Robles—participated in a series of piano workshops and master classes alongside three Polish students. The program was held at the manor house of Paderewski’s former estate, Kąśna Dolna, in the province of Tarnów. American and Polish students performed jointly in concerts in Kąśna Dolna and at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków. Wines from Paso Robles were featured in tastings during receptions following each of the youth concerts.
2010 Paderewski Festival
November 10 – 14, 2010
In the mid 1930s, Paderewski expressed a wish to establish free music education for talented youth in Paso Robles, a community where he once owned large ranches with vineyards and almond groves. This year’s anniversary edition of the Festival will honor Paderewski’s initiative to bring music to fellow Californians by making all concerts during the 2010 Paderewski Festival in Paso Robles free of charge. To accommodate the highest possible number of concertgoers, reservations are strongly suggested by proceeding to order your free tickets here. Otherwise, seating will be on a first-come basis.
The 2010 Paderewski Festival in Paso Robles will open on Wednesday, November 10 with a Festival Prelude concert at Vina Robles Winery, featuring two young pianists from Tarnów, Poland: Barbara Doroszuk, age 14, and Marian Michalski, age 12. Winners of several competitions in Poland, these talented musicians are participating in this year’s Student Exchange Program initiated last year between the cities of Tarnów and Paso Robles. Their program includes works by Bach, Haydn, Chopin and Paderewski. A no-host wine reception begins at 6 p.m. with music to follow. Admission is free; donations to Paderewski Festival Student Exchange Program welcome.
The Opening Concert of the 2010 Paderewski Festival in Paso Robles will take place on Thursday, November 11 at 7 p.m. at the historic Mission San Miguel. The performers include the Paso Robles High School Band and Choir. The program will include two of Paderewski’s best-loved piano compositions, the Menuet Op. 14 and Legende, Op. 16, arranged for the Paso Robles Band especially for this performance. Maestro Santino Galvan will lead the Band, and Choirmaster Mary Schmutz will conduct the Paso Robles High School Choir. The band and choir will join forces in a rousing finale: Paderewski’s only choral work, Hey, White Eagle!, written for the Polish troops fighting in Europe during World War I. The American premiere of this work in transcription for wind band and choir is dedicated to the student performers celebrating Paderewski’s 150th birthday. Admission is free; donations to the 2010 Paderewski Festival welcome.
British virtuoso Jonathan Plowright will give a master class for local pianists and finalists of the Paderewski Youth Piano Competition in Paso Robles. Mr. Plowright’s master class will be held on Friday, November 12, from 2-4 p.m. at California Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo. Admission is free and the event is open to the public.
Composer Krzesimir Dębski
Cass Winery in Paso Robles will host a Polish Jazz Concert, featuring Poland’s most famous composer of concert, film, and jazz music, Krzesimir Dębski. Maestro Dębski, who also is a virtuoso violinist and pianist, will be joined on stage by his wife, Anna Jurksztowicz, a renowned jazz and pop vocalist. Dębski, Jurksztowicz and their musical guests will perform in the Barrel Room of Cass Winery on Friday, November 12. A no-host reception starts at 6 p.m. with music to follow. Admission is free; donations to the 2010 Paderewski Festival welcome.
Jazz and pop vocalist Anna Jurksztowicz
2010 Paderewski Festival activities on Saturday, November 13, begin with an exclusive vineyard tour of the former Paderewski ranch and vineyard, followed by lunch and wine tasting at Epoch Estate Wines from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Admission to this event requires purchase of a 2010 Friends of Paderewski VIP Pass.
“Paderewski Dedications,” an audio-visual lecture by Dr. Małgorzata Perkowska, begins at 2:30 p.m. in the Matador Room, Paso Robles Inn. Dr. Perkowska, author of over 20 books and world’s foremost expert on Paderewski from the Department of Musicology at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland will highlight several fascinating personalities among Paderewski’s circle of admirers. Admission is free; donations to the 2010 Paderewski Festival welcome.
Winners of the 2010 Paderewski Youth Piano Competition will be featured in a recital at the historic Paso Robles Inn Ballroom on Saturday, November 13 at 4 p.m. This year, emerging talents from San Luis Obispo County will again compete with young entrants from Santa Barbara and Monterey Counties for the privilege of appearing at this year’s festival and participating in the Youth Exchange in Poland. Admission is free; donations to the 2010 Paderewski Festival welcome.
The 2010 Paderewski Festival Gala Concert will feature highly-acclaimed piano virtuoso, Jonathan Plowright. His performance at the Paso Robles Inn Ballroom on Saturday, November 13 at 8 p.m. will include works by Paderewski, Busoni, and Chopin. As in the past few years, the Festival Gala Concert caps the annual Paso Robles Elegant Evening, a popular event among the residents and merchants in the city’s Downtown. Admission is free; donations to the 2010 Paderewski Festival welcome.
Pianist Jonathan Plowright
The 2010 Paderewski Festival will close with the matinee Festival Finale, a recital presented by students from the Tarnów-Paso Robles Exchange Program on Sunday, November 14 at 11 a.m. at Pear Valley Winery. Brunch will follow the music. Admission to the concert is free; brunch $20.
Get One of the Limited 2010 Friends of Paderewski VIP Pass Now
The 2010 Friends of Paderewski VIP Pass includes exclusive vineyard tour of the former Paderewski ranch and vineyard, followed by lunch and wine tasting at Epoch Estate Wines, additional hosted wine tastings, plus preferred seating at the lecture and all performances. $150 per person. Limited to 30. Purchase yours today.