Photo: kingaevnuk.com
Kinga E. Vnuk
Kinga E. Vnuk
“Songs of the Polish Soul” will feature musical settings of poems by the Polish Renaissance poet Jan Kochanowski. A folk melody as well as two original songs by Kinga E. Vnuk are also on the program.
Jan Kochanowski (1530-1584) is considered one of the most important early Slavic poets. He wrote a variety of meditative “Songs,” numerous light “Trifles,” and 19 heartbreaking threnodies called “Laments.” Linden trees are found throughout Poland and his poem “On the Linden Tree,” is known by Polish people everywhere.
Kochanowski was a Renaissance man who studied in Padua in the 1550s. Initially he wrote in Latin but soon switched to the vernacular. He helped develop and establish standards for the Polish language. Another major achievement is his Psałterz Dawidów, a free adaptation of the Book of Psalms into the Polish language.
Vnuk earned a master’s degree in music education from the Academy of Music in Łódż, Poland. In addition to being a composer she’s an accomplished organist, harpist, and vocalist, appearing in concerts throughout Southeastern Wisconsin. She will be joined by other members of the Modern Minstrels Ensemble, a group she founded.
The ensemble is comprised of Tatiana Migliaccio on violin, Ingrid Tihtcheva on cello, Marie Venné on flute, Julia Vnuk on violin, and Kinga Vnuk on piano and harp.
Migliaccio was born in Ukraine, graduating with a Master’s degree in Music from the Lviv National Music Academy. She played with the Lviv Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra and toured with them throughout Europe. She is now on the faculty of the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music and plays in the Wisconsin Philharmonic, Festival City, Milwaukee Ballet, and the Bel Canto Choir Symphony orchestras.
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Tihtcheva earned her degree in music performance from the University of Southern Mississippi. Currently she’s a member of the Wisconsin Philharmonic and Festival City Symphony in addition to teaching privately. Marie Venné is a Native of Portage and now resides in Oak Creek. She is also a member of the South Milwaukee Municipal Band. Julia Vnuk is a high school sophomore and the daughter of Kinga Vnuk. She plays violin with the Philharmonia ensemble of the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra. Kinga Vnuk will be the lead vocalist with Marie and Julia providing supporting voices.
You may wish to bring your dancing shoes since you will also be treated to “Jeszcze Marcinie,” a dance melody from 16th century Poland. Besides being educational, the concert promises to be delightful.
The concert takes place 4 p.m. Sunday, May 15 at All Saints Lutheran Church, 9131 S. Howell Ave., Oak Creek. Polanki, the Polish Women’s Cultural Club of Milwaukee, will host a reception following the concert in the adjacent Fellowship Hall. An exhibition of paintings by Kinga E. Vnuk will be on view.
Tickets are $10 and will be available at the door or by calling 414-332-1728. For additional information, visit polanki.org.
