I can’t wait for the next Briefing Session. It will be fun to do presentations about different composers and play a piece by them.

As I finish my research on Chopin, which included everything and anything that could even remotely relate to Poland, I’ve made a short list of famous people who are Polish, events which took place in Poland, and have found a few pictures of some beautiful places in that country.

People

Frederic Chopin – Composer (1810 – 1849)
One of the most well known composers, Chopin was born in Poland in 1810, and is credited with over 100 compositions of various styles.

Maria Sklodowska-Curie – Scientist (1867 – 1934)
Thought to be one of the greatest scientist of her time, Maria was awarded 2 different Nobel Prizes for her work in physics and chemistry.

Jan Karski – Diplomat (1914 – 2000)
A member of the Underground Polish Army during World War II, Karski spent much time seeking help from the western countries, including the USA, even meeting with President Roosevelt.

Pope John Paul II – Pope (1920 – 2005)
Ordained as Pope in 1978, Pope John Paul served until his death in 2005.  A total of almost 27 years, one of the longest periods of service in the history of the Catholic Church.

Events

966 – Then Prince Mieszko adopted Christianity.
1476 – Poland is plagued by grasshoppers and widespread famine.
1500-1600 – Considered the “Golden Age” of Poland & Lithuania when political stability, prosperity, and cultural achievement reached their peak.
1939 – Invaded by German forces as World War II began.

Places

Treblinka – A Nazi death camp during WWII, now occupied by a monument to it’s history.

Palace on the Water – Originally built as a private bathing house, in 1764 King Stanislas Poniatowski began remodeling it into the “Palace” it is now known as.  It is surrounded by a beautiful park called Lazienki, (Lazienki means ‘the baths’).

Since I have been researching Chopin I have learned some interesting things about the history of Poland, so I thought I would share them with all of you.

Poland

Throughout the years Poland has been repeatedly divided by other countries into their own land, as well as occupied by foreign armies.  Each time, Poland has fought back and, in time, regained its borders for itself.  Since being occupied in WWII by Germany, Poland has worked to put itself back together and move forward into the 21^st century.

Poland is located in Europe.  The northern border is along the Baltic Sea, and in the west Poland is connected with Germany and the Czech Republic, in the south Slovakia, and on the eastern side, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, and Russia.

Governed by a democratic republic, Poland is in some ways much like the U.S. in its rules of government.  Each president is elected for 5 years and is allowed two terms in office.  The Senate or Senat are elected for four years, by a majority vote on a provincial basis.  The Sejm, a lower house, are elected under a complex system of proportional representation to serve four-year terms.

Poland continues to build and better itself to keep its own up and coming generation at home.

I love the interval game Miss Natalie is doing! I missed the second word. Have any of you guys gotten them all right?

It’s always exciting to start a New Year and think of all the possibilities for improvement and progress in piano studies. I just came across this great article titled, 10 Ways to Improve Your Musicianship in 2010.  I encourage you to read it and think about what ideas you want to implement for yourselves. In fact, if you leave your favorite idea from Chris Foley’s article in the comments below, I’ll give you a bonus of 10 points at your next lesson!

My favorite is 5. Go on a diet – of listening. I really want to make a point to listen to more quality piano performances this year – both in person and via recordings. If you come across any great recordings, post a link here or let me know!

I created this song myself. I used the  whole tone scale at the beginning. It is called peaceful evening.