Celebrating Diversity: Polish American Heritage Month: A Selected Bibliography

The Chopin Foundation of the United States »
The Chopin Foundation of the United States was founded in 1977 by Blanka A. Rosenstiel to support talented American pianists and make classical music accessible to the general public. The foundation sponsors the National Chopin Piano Competition in Miami every five years and sends the winners to the International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw, which is held in the same year. The foundation organizes national tours for aspiring pianists and awards scholarships to high school piano students. The website features performance videos from the Chopin Competition.

The Lira Ensemble »
The Lira Ensemble is the only professional performing arts company in the United States specializing in Polish music, song and dance. The group performs in Chicago and throughout the Midwest, and occasionally does concert tours of Poland. The Lira Ensemble’s Inter-Ethnic Concert Series has performed in partnership with Chicago’s African American, Jewish and Mexican communities. In 2001, the ensemble was presented with the Human Relations Award by the Chicago Commission on Human Relations in recognition of this highly successful outreach effort.

Mazowsze State Folk Song and Dance Ensemble »
Mazowsze, one of the world’s most famous folk dancing groups, was created in 1948 by a decree of the Culture and Art Ministry to preserve traditional Polish culture. The troupe has performed worldwide to rave reviews, including a 2010 North American tour. The website gives a history of the ensemble, a calendar of performances, a virtual tour of its headquarters in Karolin and photographs of performances showcasing some beautiful stage costumes. There is also a page for purchasing CDs and other publications.

The Museum of Musical Instruments »
The Museum of Musical Instruments, part of The National Museum in Poznan, is the only museum of its kind in Poland and one of few in Europe. The museum houses 2,500 objects from a variety of time periods and locations. Folk instruments from Eastern Europe comprise more than a third of the collection. The museum also has the only conservation studio in Poland devoted to musical instruments. The website features photos of some prominent instruments as well as panoramic views of the galleries.

Paderewski Symphony Orchestra »
The Paderewski Symphony, a member of the Illinois Arts Council, performs not only the traditional music of Poland, but also has introduced many contemporary works to audiences throughout the Chicago area. The symphony also supports a music academy offering its students the opportunity to receive a musical education reflective of its mission “to provide Chicago’s Polish Americans with a cultural experience that can become part of their daily life…that music, aside from being the only language common to all mankind, is the best weapon against prejudice and discrimination.”

Polish Jazz Network »
Jazz has been very popular in Poland since the late 1940s, and it continued to thrive even when it was banned by the government. The Polish Jazz Network, a coalition of musicians, professionals and jazz enthusiasts, promotes the work of Polish jazz artists worldwide by providing links to Twitter, Facebook and several blogs. The site also contains a Polish music store that offers a wide variety of Polish jazz recordings along with Polish recordings in other genres, like Christmas music and soundtracks. The Polish Jazz Network is an excellent one-stop site for information on Polish jazz and jazz in general.

Polish Music Center »
Housing the largest collection of Polish music in the United States, the Polish Music Center, part of the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music, includes manuscripts, books, musical scores, recordings and journals. Some of these rare sources date back to the early 1800s. The center publishes a monthly newsletter, a semi-annual scholarly journal and a series of books on the history of Polish music.

Polish National Opera and Polish National Ballet »
Both opera and ballet have a rich history in Polish culture. For more than 170 years, the Teatr Wielki (Grand Theatre) in Warsaw has served as the home of the Polish National Opera and the Polish National Ballet. The building was built between 1825 and 1833 and was almost destroyed in 1939 during the siege of Warsaw. The theater includes a museum showcasing paintings, drawings, photographs, set designs, costumes, manuscripts and theatrical programs.