CommonGround is the annual New York State arts-in-education conference that brings over 150 administrators, teachers, teaching artists, and community members together for three days of policy setting, planning, exchange of skills and inspirational speakers. This gathering contributes to fresh curriculum design, school reform and new models for classroom learning.
This year the NYS Alliance for Arts Education will be serving as the lead organizer of the conference, working in collaboration with Partners for Arts Education and the Empire State Partnerships, the NYS Department of Education, the BOCES Arts in Education Network, the Association of Teaching Artists, and the Capital Region BOCES. The 2010 conference will be held from March 24-26 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Albany, NY.
The Conference organizers are currently seeking proposals for workshops. Guidelines are located at the conference website.
Four former members of the City Side Band, Jim Raczkowski, Ron Urbanczyk, Bob Krupka and Gene Rzezenik have joined together with Bruce Nowak (sax and clarinet) to form the New Direction Band.
The Band will make its debut performance on December 5th for the fifth annual Euro-American Holiday Dance at Club Loreli in Hanburg, NY with the Auslanders.
Following on their openning gig, the Band will be featured at Kolędy Night at the Potts Banquet Hall on Saturday, December 19th. This event will benefit the Response to Love Center and will feature the St. John Kanty Choir under the direction of Larry Maguda.. Sister’s Johnice, Catherine and Rose will also be featured leading the Polish and American Christmas Carol Sing-A-Long.
On New Years Eve the New Direction Band will be setting the mood at the Matthew Glab Post Party in Lackawanna, NY.
In addition to our new name, new music and new musicians, the Band will be presenting the Stas and Stella’s Mostly Traditional Polish Wedding at dinner theatres throughout 2010 with some new skits and music. The next show is scheduled at the Lancaster Opera House on April 8th and on April 9th at Ripa’s Restaurant on Walden Avenue in Lancaster.
When Eve was created distaff extension of Adam, and Adam dug the earth,
Who among them was noble and who of peasant birth?
True, Adam is our father, Eve is our mother,
We all are their children, and each of us a brother.
Translation by Dcn Jim
Gdy Ewa kądziel przędła, Adam ziemię kopał,
Kto tam był szlachcic wtenczas i kto komu chłopał?
Tak Adam gdy nam ojcem, Ewa gdy nam macią,
Wszyscyśmy sobie równą z tych rodziców bracią.
From the Kosciuszko Foundation: Ania and Piotr Filochowski, violinists accompanied by Charity Wicks, pianist in concert at The Kosciuszko Foundation:
Ania and Piotr Filochowski, violinists accompanied by Charity Wicks, pianist will perform a program of works by Brahms, Chopin, Paganini, and Wieniawski on Sunday, November 22, 2009, 3 P.M. at The Kosciuszko Foundation, 15 East 65th Street (between Madison & 5th Avenues), New York City, NY 10065
Ania and Piotr Filochowski are award-winning violinists and international soloists originally from Poland. They have studied with today’s greatest masters of the violin at The Juilliard School and Yale School of Music. Their mentors are world-renowned artists, including Itzhak Perlman, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Midori, Ruggiero Ricci, and Aaron Rosand. All their past concerts were received with great enthusiasm and acclaim, as was their concert featured on PBS, so do not miss the chance to hear the remarkable sibling violinists in their only New York City recital this fall! The program will feature some of the greatest hits for the violin, as well as other beautiful and fun works. It will surely be a concert to remember!
Admission: $20 Tickets available at the door.
For reservations call the Foundation Office at 212.734.2130 or contact the Foundation by E-mail.
Bishop Thaddeus Peplowski, bishop of Buffalo/Pittsburgh Diocese of the Polish National Catholic Church marked a sign of the cross on the door as part of the blessing ceremony at the new Holy Trinity Church in Woodlawn. The bishop then handed the parish documents and keys to Edward Puchalski, the chairman of the parish committee, and to Fr. Gary Spencer, pastor of the parish. Bishop Peplowski also blessed and anointed the walls of the church, the altar and tabernacle with holy chrism, holy water and incense…
1 I have loved that the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping
And He hath not turned away His face from the begging one.
2 And He hath inclined His ear unto me
And having accepted a supplication of the humble one He gave what I had asked for.
A tragedy and a consolation
3 For troubles compassed me from all sides
And for a hard heartache I had not measure in sorrow.
4 When the half of my soul was deprived of me
And all decorations of life and fortunes fell down from my head.
5 I knew not in that adventure, where to turn unto
And for confusion of the internal senses I forgot about a medicine from the heaven.
6 Until a good friend shall say unto me some time:
Trust the Lord in thy wanting and He shall console thee.
7 I only thought, gasped and told and at once help from the heaven
For our God is good and the Lord is very pitiful.
Beneficent God
8 His generous hand granteth benefits unto unworthy and thankless ones
And also often unto unaware ones.
9 The human wanteth not to give or knoweth not how or feareth becoming poor because of a gift;
But God, as a sea, filleth both small and big rivers with waters of countless graces.
10 Wonderful generosity of this Lord that giveth so much, having everything
And having given so much He gave also in addition Himself unto people for salvation!
The grace which I have received
11 I have received, I confess: I humiliated myself and the Lord made me well
Not looking at my vileness, that I am unworthy, but at His omnipotence, that He is beneficent.
12 For He, having thrown off a garb of heartache, dressed me up with a wedding coat
And making up for the loss, He dried my ears from weeping.
13 Giving me a similar rescue, He gave a brake and restoration in the fall
And this way He teared my soul out of death.
14 Dispensing the grace for supporting in the adventure,
He gave a footing for the legs against a mistake that should abuse the eternal majesty.
15 Therefore I thank the Lord for this grace with a low bow;
I thank for making up for the loss and I stay in certain hope that I shall be liked by Him in the land of the living as well.
16 Glory unto the Father and unto the Son and unto the Holy Spirit;
As it was in the beginning, so it is now and it shall be forever and in the ages of ages. Amen.
1 Ukochałem, iż wysłuchał Pan głos płaczu mego
I nie odwrócił oblicza Swego przed żebrzącym.
2 I nakłonił ucha Swego ku mnie,
A suplikę uniżonego miłościwie przyjąwszy, dał, o com Go pokornie żądał.
Dramat i pocieszenie
3 Albowiem ogarnęły mię były zewsząd dolegliwości,
A dla ciężkiego utrapienia w żalu miary nie miałem.
4 Gdy mi odjęta była połowica dusze mojej
I wszystkie ozdoby życia i fortun z głowy mojej spadły.
5 Nie wiedziałem w takiej przygodzie, gdzie się obrócić,
A przez zamięszanie zmysłów wnętrznych zapomniałem o lekarstwie z nieba.
6 Aż ci mi kiedy niekiedy dobry przyjaciel powie:
Zdaj na Pana żądanie Twoje, a On cię pocieszy.
7 Jenom pomyślił, westchnął i wymówił, aż zaraz z nieba pomoc,
Gdyż Bóg nasz dobry i Pan wielce litościwy.
Dobroczynny Bóg
8 Szczodra ręka Jego sypie dobrodziejstwa na niegodnych i niewdzięcznych,
A często i na niewiadomych.
9 Nie chce dać człowiek albo nie umie albo się datkiem zubożyć boi;
Bóg zaś, jako morze, i małe, i wielkie rzeki napełnia wodami łask nieprzebranych.
10 Dziwna tego Pana szczodroto! Który mając wszytko, tak siłę daje,
A dawszy siłę i sam się dał ludziom na zbawienie w przydatku.
Łaska, której doznałem
11 Doznałem, wyznawam: uniżełem się, a Pan mi dobrze uczynił,
Nie patrzając na podłość moję, żem niegodny, ale na wszechmocność Swoję, iże jest dobroczynny.
12 Bo zrzuciwszy ze mnie wór utrapienia, odział mnie płaszczem weselnym
I nagrodziwszy stratę, osuszył oczy moje od płaczu.
13 Dawszy mi ratunek podobny, dał hamulec w upadku i podźwignienie,
A tak wyrwał duszę moję od śmierci.
14 Udzieliwszy łaskę do podparcia w przygodzie,
Dał warunek nogom od usterku, majestat wieczny obrażającego.
15 Za tę tedy łaskę Panu z niskim upadnieniem dziękuję;
Dziękuję za nagrodę utraty, a oraz i w pewnej nadziei zostaję, że Mu się podobać będę w krainie żyjących.
16 Chwała Ojcu i Synowi i Duchowi Świętemu;
Jako była na początku, tak i teraz i zawsze i na wieki wieków. Amen.
That Attributeth the Fortunate Election in Anno 1672 unto God’s Destiny
The thankfulness for the Giver
1 Praise the Lord, all nations!
Sing Him and thank with joy, generation of Slavic Lech!
2 Let the resounding echo spread upon the Polish plains
And let the noise of merry Vivat! spike the heaven!
3 God, our Creator that giveth the kings, liveth;
Let the king, given by God, live longlastingly too!
4 The king that not a feminine womb or a paltry cradle shall raise unto the throne,
But the volition of God of hosts through the votes of the numerous knighthood shall make the lord.
5 Not corrupted electors, not sophisticated scheming or some refinement,
But the votes of the noble people have chosen the best from among itself.
The excellent choice
6 Be delighted, free for an age Sarmatia,
That used to stay in a little captivity under the reign of the aliens, as in a sweetened curb!
7 Joy, Polish men, for getting the lord from your blood;
Ye that until now, electing foreigns, used to judge thyself unworthy of the sceptre!
8 Be merry, fecund mothers, for the lesser necessity of the knowledge of the abroad languages for your sons with the old Polish virtue,
When they shall talk perfectly with the king-compatriot in Polish!
9 Take courage, holy justice,
Because there is no more need to explain the judging king the native laws!
10 I know that there is nice for thee, virtue and rectitude,
Because that lord that the goodness hath exalted above the equals, cannot be friendly for the crimes!
11 Flourish now and shine, Polish fame,
When the sign of salvation is elevated above the Mussulmanic moon!
The king given by God
12 But thou too, our liberty, worship God’s name,
That hath put in way that through the free election we have chosen the well-pleased of the heaven;
13 That in the rumble and noise of so many assembled heads —“
And remember that upon Mount Sinai God hath given Israel the order and the order’s giver in the thunder and beating of lightnings too —“
14 This way it was proper both for God that giveth to announce His benefit
And for the people that taketh to renounce not the appropriate thankfulness!
The Defender of the Republic
15 Now let not the kingdoms that stay under the monarchs say:
Our hope in the baby that sucketh the breast of his mother.
16 But let Poland with the adjoined provinces say:
My hope in God that giveth me the kings, knowing me as His property.
17 The Lord is my Giver, Protector and Guardian
And although —“ Poland sayeth it —“ for the wars I am naked from the decoration, He is able to give me back the first beauty.
18 He needeth not the rainforcements for the war,
Because even a fly, when He ordereth, is a soldier for Him, and He recruiteth frogs unto the army against Egypt.
19 Of His volition an angel shall beat the forces of Sennacherib
Or, as in France, one girl shall smash English athletes.
The doxology
20 This is the day that the Lord hath made and decided, of the election of our king;
Let be unto Him only, the Giver, honour and glory in the ages of ages.
21 Glory unto the Father and unto the Son and unto the Holy Spirit;
As it was in the beginning, so it is now and it shall be forever and in the ages of ages. Amen.
Szczęśliwą elekcyją in anno 1672 przeznaczeniu Boskiemu przypisujący
Wezwanie do wdzięczności Podawcy
1 Chwalcie Pana, wszytkie narody!
Śpiewaj Mu i dziękuj z radością, słowieńskiego Lecha pokolenie!
2 Niech się po równinach polskich tubalne echo rozchodzi,
A odgłos wesołego Vivat! niechaj niebiosa przebija!
3 Żyje Bóg, Stwórca nasz, króle podający;
Niech i król długowiecznie żyje, od Boga podany!
4 Którego nie żywot niewieści albo marna kolebka na tronie posadzi,
Ale wola Boga zastępów przez głosy mnogiego rycerstwa panem uczyni;
5 Nie przekupieni elektorowie, nie wymyślne praktyki albo subtelność jaka,
Ale najlepszego spośród siebie kreski szlachetnego ludu obrały.
Świetny wybór
6 Ciesz się, od wieku wolna Sarmacyja,
Któraś pod panowaniem obcych, jak w przysłodzonym wędzidle, w nieznacznej zostawała niewoli!
7 Radujcie się, mężowie polscy, że ze krwie waszej otrzymaliście pana;
Którzy obierając cudzoziemców, dotądeście sami siebie niegodnymi berła sądzieli!
8 Weselcie się, płodne matrony, że synom waszym przy staropolskiej cnocie mniej potrzebna zagranicznych języków umiejętność,
Kiedy z królem-ziomkiem po polsku doskonale się rozmówią!
9 Podnoś głowę, sprawiedliwości święta,
Bo już sądzącemu królowi ojczystych praw tłumaczyć nie trzeba!
10 Cnoto i poczciwości, wiem, że-ć miło,
Bo nie może ten pan występkom być przyjazny, którego dobroć nad rówienniki wywyższyła!
11 Zakwitnij, sławo polska, i rozjaśniej teraz,
Kiedy nad bisurmańskim miesiącem znamię zbawienia wywyższone!
Król podany przez Boga
12 Ale i ty, wolności nasza, wielbij imię Boskie,
Które zdarzyło, że przez wolną elekcyją obraliśmy upodobanego niebu;
13 Że w huku i odgłosie tak siłu zgromadzonych głów —“
A wszak i na górze Synaj we grzmocie i biciu piorunów podawał Bóg Izraelowi zakon i zakonodawcę —“
14 Tak przystało i dającemu Bogu ogłosić dobrodziejstwo Swoje,
I biorącemu ludowi nie zaniechywać powinnej wdzięczności!
Bóg Obrońcą Rzeczypospolitej
15 Niechajże teraz nie mówią królestwa pod monarchami zostające: Nadzieja nasza w niemowlęciu, piersi matki swojej ssącym,
16 Ale niech mówi z przyległymi prowincyjami Polska: Nadzieja moja w Bogu, który mi króle podaje, znając mię dziedzictwem Swoim.
17 Pan jest Podawcą moim, Opiekunem i Stróżem, A chociażem —“ tak mówi Polska —“ przez wojny obnażona z ozdoby, mocen jest pierwszą mi przywrócić krasę.
18 Nie potrzebuje On na wojnę posiłków,
Gdyż u Niego i mucha, kiedy każe, żołnierzem i z żab wojska zaciąga przeciw Egiptowi.
19 Z woli Jego wybije anioł wojska Sennacherybowe,
Albo, jako we Francyjej, dziewczysko jedno potłucze mocarzów angielskich.
Doksologia
20 Ten ci jest dzień, który uczynił i postanowił Pan obrania króla naszego;
niechajże Jemu samemu, Podawcy, będzie cześć i chwała na wieki wieków.
21 Chwała Ojcu i Synowi i Duchowi Świętemu,
Jako była na początku, tak i teraz, i zawsze, i na wieki wieków. Amen.
I almost puked in a club in a Stalinist suburb in Poland, and not for any of the reasons I had ever almost puked before, in a club or anywhere else. The cause was straightforward enough, but it only really makes sense in context.
I went to Krakow, Poland, at the end of October for Unsound, an ambitious music festival whose bill included a week’s worth of performances by a disparate lot: Stars Of The Lid, Omar-S, Sunn O))), Kode 9, Grouper, Johann Johannsson, Pole, Monolake, Nico Muhly, Biosphere, 2562, Ben Frost, and a group of Hasidic Jews from France who played gleaming blue keytar in front of smiling Stars of David, to name just a few. The mix was all over the place, and the mood followed suit.
The mood of Krakow, as much as could be gleaned during a fleeting week there, was rich. The city itself is beautiful and more than a little eerie. Some of the buildings, including an enormous castle right in the city center, date back to the 11th century. Certain statues and gargoyles could probably get active status in an actors’ guild, so expressive are their writhing gestures and anguished looks. Images of dragons proliferate. At least one of the countless churches open to leering boasts desiccated skulls as decoration. The whole city, especially at night, looks fantastic in a fog.
The Unsound Festival, started in 2003, is one of a group of municipally minded music festivals that belong to a burgeoning collective known as I.C.A.S., or International Cities Of Advanced Sound. Others include Mutek in Montreal, Club Transmediale in Berlin, Dis-patch in Belgrade, Sperm Festival in Prague, and Communikey in Boulder, Colorado. Each shares an affinity for electronic and experimental music, as well as the artier ends of indie-rock and classical composition. Each also answers for a stated ethos that —favors quality, critical reflection, innovation and exchange over profit.— (Disclosure: I went to Krakow as a guest of Unsound, both to cover the festival and to help plan an Unsound offshoot to happen in New York in February 2010.)
Unsound 2009 got off to a disquieting start. Opening night featured a contemplative set by the Polish composer Jacaszek, who traffics in ambient sounds haunted by churchly voices and slathered with strings. He played a laptop, backed by cello and violin, in a serene Japanese art museum called Manggha. A crowd of several hundred sat rapt, especially during a piece that played alongside a black-and-white video of swallows swooping in ethereal formation. After the concert came a screening of Beats Of Freedom, a documentary about revolutionary music in Poland from the 1960s to the fall of Communism in the late ’80s. It was startling, as a visitor, to watch such a film in the presence of an audience for whom the notion of —revolutionary music— is both recent and very real. It was even more startling to hear such an audience throw up its hands and laugh away chilling tales of secret-police interrogations and spells of military aggression—”laughter as absurdist rejoinder…
