Cleveland Cultural Gardens

Ben Stefanski and the Polish American Cultural Center orchestrated a remarkable dedication of the replacement Chopin bust in the Polish Cultural Garden on Sunday, October 17, 2010.

The Garden looked immaculate and the centerpiece fountain never has looked as attractive and verdant.  Artfully arranged chairs in great number occupied the center of the octagonal

Centerpiece, octagonal fountain never looked better

shaped Garden as well as above and outside the center in five areas.

The speakers were both highly informative as well as brief and to the point.

Featured performer and Chopin raconteur was Dr. David Dubal, Professor of Performance and Piano at the Julliard School of Music in New York City.  Not planned, however, was the happy coincidence that Professor Dubal grew up one block away from the Garden and has family in Cleveland.  Assisting Dr. Dubal in his lecture-demonstration on Chopin’s life and works was Ms. Dongning Yang, a protege of Dr. Dubal, now in residence at the Cleveland Institute of Music.  The Steinway piano was provided by Steinway Hall in Akron.  It sounded spectacular thanks to the artists and the remarkable sound system brought in specially for the occasion.

The Polish American Cultural Center is to be congratulated on its exemplary re-dedication as well as its ongoing commitment to restore the historic cultural figures in the Polish Cultural Garden.

For extensive and full color photos of this event click on the following Polonia Cleveland link in Flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/poloniacleveland/5096638922/

Dr. David Dubal lecturing and demonstrating on Chopin's life and music

Piano virtuoso Ms. Dongning Yang performs

Polish folk costumed youngster

Polish urban folk costumed greeters met guests at the Garden entrance