News

Friends' President Ben James returned to Poland for the first time since the pandemic to re-establish conections with various Chopin-related organisations and to establish cooperations.

Commissioned after her performance for the Friends in 2019, Penelope Thwaites’ AM piece ‘Mazurka: A Tombeau de Chopin’ for piano trio is her imagined sequel to the "story" of Chopin’s second Ballade.

For her services to the Polish community in Australia, including with the Friends of Chopin Australia, Wanda Horky was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the Australia Day Honours List for 2021.

In commemoration of the centenary of the regaining of Poland’s independence (1918-2018), the Friends of Chopin Australia commissioned two pieces of new music.

Friends President Ben James was invited to be part of the jury for the 7th Ewa Malewicz Music Competition 2019 for young Polish Australian musicians.

Friends President Ben James made another visit to Poland this time to attend the prestigious Chopin and his Europe Festival, among other activities.

In recognition of his distinguished activities for the Friends of Chopin Australia, Ben James was awarded the Decoration of Honour for Merit to Polish Culture by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland and presented by H.E. Michał Kołodziejski, Ambassador of Poland to Australia.

In recognition of her decades of services to Polish culture and the Polish community in Australia, Wanda Horky was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland by the Polish Government. Wanda was given her award by the President of Poland Andrzej Duda on a state visit to Australia at a ceremony in Sydney.

Dr Andrew Cichy produced a small paper on the three heroes of the three partitions of Poland: Tadeusz Kościuszko, Fryderyk Chopin, and Ignacy Jan Paderewski, to help commemorate Constitution Day.

Launch of the book Konsul: biografia Władysława Noskowskiego by Bogumiła Żongołłowicz with a musical interlude by Alexander Yau was held at the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Canberra.

Friends President Ben James travelled to Warsaw again as a guest of the Beethoven Easter Festival, and continued the Friends links with Chopin institutions and activities in Warsaw. This trip coincided with a special gala concert for the launch of the 1st International Chopin Competition on Period Instruments to be held in September that year.

Inspiration of young musicians and providing pathways for further growth and achievement is of central importance to the Friends. We have arranged masterclasses and private lessons for students with eminent visiting teachers and performers.

The winner of the 2nd AICPC Chopin Composition Competition was Christopher Williams. His piece, “Toccare”, was included in the repertoire requirement of 3AICPC17.

Ben travelled to Warsaw in March 2017 to attend the Beethoven Easter Festival as a guest of the Ludwig van Beethoven Association, as well as to finalise activities in Poland in support of the 3rd edition of the Australian International Chopin Piano Competition.

In November 2016, Ben James returned to Warsaw to attend the second International Chopin Competitions Conference to present and promote the upcoming 3rd edition of the Australian International Chopin Piano Competition.

A public lecture from Dr Steven Lagerberg, retired physician, author, and passionate Chopin enthusiast, held at the Australian National University School of Music. Dr Lagerberg presented on his ten year quest to research the cause of Chopin’s death.

In October, Ben James returned to Warsaw on behalf of the Friends of Chopin Australia to attend the 17th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition as a guest of the National Institute of Fryderyk Chopin.

The Friends of Chopin Australia are formally admitted into membership of the International Federation of Chopin Societies (IFCS) and formally notified of admission on 19 May 2015.

The Friends of Chopin Australia were invited to attend the first annual Chopin Competitions Conference held in Radziejowice Palace in Warsaw in April 2015. Wanda Horky and Ben James attended the Conference on behalf of the Australian International Chopin Piano Competition.

In April 2015, Ben James travelled to Poland on behalf of the Friends for a series of meetings arranged by the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Canberra and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Poland) to further the interests of the Australian International Chopin Piano Competition, and to raise the profile of the Friends of Chopin Australia in Poland.

The winner of the 1st AICPC Chopin Composition Competition was Antoni Bozicevic. His piece, “Dan Gnjeva” (Day of Wrath), was included in the repertoire requirement of 2AICPC14.