The Wojtek the Bear Memorial Event

Date: Saturday 26th October 2013
Time: 7pm
Address: Lauriston Hall, The Sacred Heart Church, 28 Lauriston Street, Edinburghh​
Tickets: £10 (including glass of wine / Wojtek Beer from Beartown Brewery), Tickets available from: treasurer@scotpoles.co.uk, secretary@scotpoles.co.uk

PROGRAMME
Welcome by Chaiperson of Scottish Polish Cultural Association Mrs Izabela Brodzinska
PART 1

Presentation by Ms Aileen Orr of the Wojtek Memorial Trust
Short Documentary film about Wojtek the Bear
Classical Selection of songs by Iwona Kowalkowska & Aleksandra Fudali-Matusewicz
G. Caccini – canzona „Amarilli mia bella”
W. A. Mozart – song “Als Luise die Briefe …”
W. A. Mozart – aria from Hohzeit des Figaro” (Wesele Figara) “Porgi amor”
F. Cilea – aria from Adriana Lecouvreur “Ecco, respire appena – Io son l’umile ancella”
G. Puccini – ara from Gianni Schicchi – “O mio babbino caro”
G. Gershwin – “Summer time”
E. Grieg – song “Ich liebe Dich”
G. Faure – Apres un reve
F. Poulenc – Les chemins de l’amour’
Interval (about 20-25 minutes) Wine reception

PART 2

Matthew Sielewicz-Stanhope Scottish songs
Iwona Kowalkowska & Aleksandra Fudali-Matusewicz presenting Polish songs
St. Moniuszko – song Łza”
Fr. Chopin – song „Rzeka”
Fr. Chopin – song „Piosnka litewska”
Fr. Chopin – song – „Gdzie lubi”
O. Kolberg – song „Jaskółeczka”
O. Kolberg – song „Wiosna”
M. Karłowicz – Mów do mnie jeszcze”
St. Niewiadomski – song „Konwalijka”
St. Niewiadomski – song „Szumi w gaju brzezina”
St. Niewiadomski – „Otwórz Janku”

Biographical notes
Iwona Kowalkowska – soprano

Iwona is a well established soprano singer in Poland. She sang with the Opera Nova Theatre in Bydgoszcz and the Warsaw Chamber Opera. She worked with the National Opera House in Warsaw. As a soloist Iwona has worked under many distinguished Polish Orchestra Directors. She made numerous appearances abroad and amongst them South Korea, Holland, England, Germany and Belarus. At present she is working on Chamber music and is giving concerts in Poland and abroad as well as teaching at the Academy of Music in Poznan as a tutor of Classical voice.

In 2004 she became the laurate of the Music Competition in Paris. She has sang many famous opera parts for example: Mozart and oratoria, as well as music by composers of different styles. Iwona took part in the first world premiere of the recording of opera by George Bizet the ‘Don Procoppio’ (Dynamic 2003) and in 2008 recorded a song cycle by S Niewiadomski called ‘The Sun’ (Slonko) (published by Muza 2008).
Her educational career includes a teaching period at the Bialystok University, Faculty of Music and Pedagogy, teaching at the University of Warsaw, Music department and teaching in South Korea in Daeg, Keymiung University. Her favourite work is teaching chamber music to young people.

Iwona is keen on presenting her repertoire to an Edinburgh audience and inlcudes a classical selection as well as music by Polish composers . Since 2009 she is based in Poznan Music Academy, teaching many young international talents and pursuing her reserach career in Classical Chamber music.

leksandra Fudali - Matusewicz - fortepiano

Alexandra is a graduate of the Academy of Music in Lodz, Piano being her principal instrument under the tuition of Bozena Szymonowicz (1987) where she began her teaching career. At the Academy she collaborated with other professional musicians like Prof S Firlej, principal instrument cello and Prof A Wierzbinski, Violin. 
Her teaching career has also expanded beyond the University of Lodz to the University of Zielona Gora in Western Poland. She has made many radio recordings. As a Chamber music pianist she has taken part in international festivals. In Edinburgh she is accompanying the soprano Mrs Iwona Kowalkowska, in the concert for the Wojtek Memorial Trust and will be presenting two parts: Classical selection and music by Polish composers.

Thanks and acknowledgments

Scottish Polish Cultural Association would like to express thanks to the sponsors of the event the Beartown Brewery, Ms Rosalind Macaskill for wine donation, all the members of the Committe involved in organising the event, the Woytek Memorial Trust, the Artists who contributed to it: Ms Iwona Kowalkowska, Aleksandra Fudali-Matusewicz, Mr Matthew Sielewicz-Stanhope.

A big thank you to everyone who came and supported the cause.

We would welcome more members who want to support our organisation.