Club Event Reports

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The Club welcomed the New Year on December 31, 2019 with a New Year's Eve Ball at the Imperial Ballroom, TheOlymp ic Collection, with Zbigniew Gałązka as the DJ. The Modjeska Prize for 2019 was awarded to emigrant actresses Maria Nowotarska and Agata Pilitowska from Toronto, Canada.

The winners performed in their own play, Good Evening, Monsieur Chopin, based on Chopin's letters, on January 31, 2020 at the Magicopolis Theater in Santa Monica. Dominika Świątek beautifully interpreted the favorite songs of Ewa Demarczyk, Jacek Kaczmarski and others in the "Sweet Peas and Roses" recital on February 29, 2020, in the Santa Monica Library concert hall. The

recital turned out to be a farewell to the “live” meetings format. After the meeting in February 2020, the Club canceled all scheduled performances due to the

"pandemic" ban on meetings by the state of California.  With live events being cancelled, we switched to Zoom format. In September, Anna Maria Mickiewicz of London, UK, read her poetry in English and Polish. On October 10, 2020, the “Polish Hollywood” meeting took place, featuring. Aleksandra Kaniak, Marcin Harasimowicz, and Monika Ekiert. The meeting was hosted by Elżbieta Kanski, who repeated this role in the next “Poland and Hollywood”  event. On November 14th, actors Katarzyna Smiechowicz, Marek Probosz and film

director Matt Szymanowski discussed their careers and projects. Christmas Caroling on December 20, 2020 was conducted by Prof. Stanisław Górka from Poland. The Modjeska Prize 2020 was awarded to Polish actor Andrzej Seweryn. The presentation took place on January 2, 2021 via Zoom. The event video with an interview by Katarzyna Smiechowicz is posted on YouTube.

In January 2019, the Hellada Gallery hosted  Monique Lehman’s tapestry art. In February, the Piramides Duo held a concert "Mickiewicz Akustyczhne"—Piotr Kajetan Matczuk (voice, piano, guitar) and Tomasz Imienowski (bass guitar) at Playa del Rey. Then, Magdalena Grzebałkowska, Krzysztof Komeda's biographer, talked about her book. In March 2019, Wiktoria Tracz, sang songs with lyrics by Krzysztof Dzikowski. On March 29, 2019, I invited the club to my own lecture “Who was Modjeska?” accompanying an exhibition of Helena Modjeska at the Laguna Art Museum. In May 2019, Magicopolis hosted the world premiere of the experimental play "Helena" about Helena Modjeska, written and performed by actress Marta Ojrzyńska. In June, we invited club members to a cabaret: "Qui Pro Quo—Polski Kabaret," a program of songs from Piwnica pod Baranami, Qui Pro Quo, Kabaret pod Egidą performed by the Polish Club from Las Vegas. Ten days later, there was a meeting with the Fantazja Theater from Sydney, Australia, which brought Andrzej Kołodziey's play about Salvador Dali, The Trial of Dali to the Hollywood Fringe Festival. At the same festival, we also had the opportunity to admire Monika Ekiert's talent in The Seven Year Itch, in the famous role of Marylin Monroe. In September 2019 we held a lecture by Prof. Andrzej Targowski about his book "Limits of Civilizations." On September 29th, at the residence of Prof. Wojciech Kocyan, we held a piano recital by the brothers Łukasz, Dominik and Kasper Yoder. In November, we held a concert by Shandy & Eva at Kulak's Woodshed in North Hollywood, promoting their CD. In December 2019, the Kolodziey family invited the Club to their residence in Beverly Hills, for a meeting with the basketball player Marcin Gortat, interviewed by Marcin Harasimowicz. Of course, we sang Christmas carols, beautifully led by Karolina Naziemiec. 

Since the beginning of the term of the new Board elected in June 2018, many events have taken place. The board, led by Maja Trochimczyk, President and Witold Sokolowski, Vice President, included also Elbieta Trybus, Secretary, Elzbieta Przybyla, Treasurer, Chris Justin, Technical Director, Krystyna Okuniewska Artistic Director, Ewa Barsam, Director of Community Relations.  We started the season from a lecture by an outstanding scientist, long-term member Dr. Jan Iwanczyk on September 22, 2018. There were events just for us and co-organized with others, for example the PAPA Club in Orange County (Polish Theater from Toronto). We also met at events co-sponsored by the Club: Polish Film Festival Los Angeles, Gala Concert of the Consulate of the Republic of Poland; or the Paderewski Lecture Recital at USC. In

2018, we celebrated the 100th anniversary of Poland regaining independence at many events. In October, we organized our own concert of patriotic songs performed by Katarzyna Sadej mezzosoprano and Barbara Bochenek, piano. We helped the Consulate to organize the Independence Concert on November 5th at the Colburn School of Music. During our Christmas Caroling Reception on December 15, 2018, the Helena Modjeska Prize was presented to Jadwiga Barańska and the mini-recital of Christmas Carols was

performed by the legendary soprano Teresa Kubiak and the outstanding pianist Wojciech Kocyan, with the help of children from the Polish School. The Modjeska Prize, established in 2010, is a lifetime achievement award in the field of acting. So far, the laureates included Jan Nowicki, Anna Dymna, and Barbara Krafftówna. We ended the year of the events of the 100th anniversary of regaining

independence by visiting the Dar Młodzieży Sailing Ship in the San Pedro port.

Andrzej Seweryn Visited the Club for a lecture, hosted by Ewa and Efraim Barsam. More information coming soon

Christmas Carols by Jolanta Tensor were accompanied by guitarist Tomasz Fechner. More information coming soon.

Artur Getz gave a recital of songs at the Chmielewski residence in Pasadena. More information coming soon.

The Club attended a lecture at the NASA/JPL Von Karman Auditorium organized by President Andy Dowen. More information coming soon.

Past presidents met at an event  - L to R, Edward Pilatowicz, Maja Trochimczyk, Jerzy Gassowski, Jolanta Zych and Andrew Dowen. More information coming soon. 

The Club Board and Past Presidents received a total of 19 medals from the Polish government for the club's 40th anniversary, poster by Lech Majewski. More information coming soon.

In 2011, the Club visited JPL/NASA Von Karman Auditorium for a lecture by Polish scientists working for JPL on various projects.

More information to follow.

In 2010, the Club presented its first  annual Modjeska Prize to Polish actor Jan Nowicki, at an event held in the Kolodziey residence in Beverly Hills. More Information to follow.

In 2009, the Club visited Arden, the Historic Home of Helena Modjeska in Orange County and held many other events, under the leadership of Andrzej Maleski, President.