Frederic Chopin Monument Rededication Polish Cultural Garden - Cleveland
October 17, 2010
The Cleveland Polish American Community paid tribute to one of the great masters of Romantic Music, Polish-born composer and pianist Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849). On Sunday October 17, 2010, Mass at St. Stanislaus Shrine Church in Slavic Village included a full orchestra in the Choir playing Chopin’s glorious and emotional music.
Following Mass and a reception and lunch at the Polish American Cultural Center, the community gathered at the Polish Cultural Garden for the Dedication of the restored bronze bust of Chopin.
The bust of Chopin was covered with a Polish flag until the unveiling.
Eugenia Stolarczyk sang the Polish and American National Anthems.
Eugenia Stolarczyk
Rev. Michael Surufka, O.F.M. the Pastor of the Shrine Church of St. Stanislaus, gave the Invocation and the crowd answered in Polish.
Rev. Michael Surufka
Ben S. Stefanski II gave a history of the Chopin sculpture in the Polish Cultural Garden.
Ben S. Stefanski II
He then recognized the delegates of the Polish Cultural Garden: Gary Kotlarsic, Irene Morrow and Glenn Sobal and the donors to the Chopin bust restoration:
David Krakowski
Ewa Pezacka
Elizabeth Dabrowski
Eugene and Barbara Bak
The John Paul II Polish-American Cultural Center
The Liberty Holden Park Trust
(Original Donors of the 1947 Monument: The Harmonia-Chopin Singing Society)
This was followed by remarks from the Guest of Honor, Polish Consul General Ewa Junczyk-Ziomecka from New York, NY.
Polish Consul General Ewa Junczyk-Ziomecka
Then the restored bust was unveiled.
Then special guest Dr. David Dubal, Professor of Performance and Piano at Julliard in New York City approached the Steinway piano that was brought in from Steinway Hall in Akron.
He spoke of the influence of Chopin and introduced piano prodigy Dongning Yang.
Dr. David Dubal and Dongning Yang
Dr Dubal and Ms Yang performed several Chopin pieces as Dr. Dubal explained them to the audience.
