West Liberty University Welcomes Polish Pianist Andrzej Ślązak for Free Concert Sept. 6

West Liberty University (WLU) is proud to present a concert performed by internationally recognized pianist Dr. Andrzej Ślązak at 7 p.m. on Friday, September 6 in the Elbin Auditorium.
 
Dr. Ślązak is a piano professor at the Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce, Poland. There, he specializes in discovering, reconstructing, and re-presenting forgotten pieces of music lost to wartime and historical upheavals, or that were destroyed or deliberately concealed. He also serves as the director of the University’s Institute of Music.
 
The evening’s repertoire will blend the Hollywood film music of Polish composer Bronislaw Kaper with classical works by Johann Sebastian Bach. Ślązak will be joined by his doctoral student, Mr. Krystian Krauz, who will perform several pieces by Karol Rathaus, a highly regarded German-Austrian Jewish composer who fled from Nazi Germany in 1933. Rathaus’ works, once banned by the Nazis in 1930s Germany, are gaining notoriety thanks to being rediscovered and performed by musicians like Krauz and Ślązak.
 
“This concert was made possible by a unique partnership between West Liberty University and Jan Kochanowski University,” explains WLU Department of Music and Theater Chair Dr. Matthew Harder. “International partnerships such as this bring our students new perspectives and helps to broaden cultural understanding,” he adds.
 
Audiences can expect a passionate performance as Ślązak strives to instill his love of music, art, and literature in his students and audiences alike.
 
The concert is free and open to the public.
 
West Liberty University blends a small-town environment with a comprehensive college experience, fostering students’ aspirations through hands-on learning, personalized support, and unique academic programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Learn more at westliberty.edu.