Pianist Pamela Howland has a deeply personal connection to Poland, the land of Frederick Chopin. Her grandfather emigrated from Poland as a little boy. Several years ago, Pam and her family returned to Poland to find her grandfather’s birthplace. They found the location in Żyrardów, a small town near that of her musical hero’s Chopin, who was born in Żelazowa Wola, 29 miles west of Warsaw.
Pam has since returned to Poland to perform concerts on numerous occasions. Her most recent return came in June of 2013, when she participated in Warsaw’s World Music Day. During the festival, Pam played two performances in two very different venues. The first Chopin recital came in the very elegant Belgian embassy in Warsaw at the behest of the ambassador. Pam’s second performance took place in a less much less prestigious, outdoor venue.
But as Pam tells it, the artistic payoff she received from her second performance of Chopin’s music went far beyond her wildest expectations.
300x250 Ad
300x250 Ad