dd t X P re S S Ion s 1 II Pianist plays music to o touch ones soul According to an old legend when the Pied Piper of Hamelin played his musical pipe all the children ran from their homes and followed him Today there is a real spied pled piper But instead of his magical pipe he plays a nine foot Baldwin grand piano and not only do children gather around him as he plays but adults as well Coming to Vernal Dec 4 is Wladimir Jan Kochanski a serious classical musi- musi musician musician cian to perform a Christmas concert He will provide music to touch your soul at atthe atthe the Vernal Junior High auditorium beginning at pm Not only does Kochanski play classical music but he plays childrens children's songs and spiritual songs as well Some of his childrens children's songs include l Flight light of the Bumble Bee London Bridge Hush Little Baby Dont Don't Say a Word Yankee Doodle Dandy r This is My Country Can a Little LittleChild LittleChild Child Like Me and many more Some of his spiritual songs include The Lord is My Shepard The Lords Lord's Prayer I I Walked Today Where Jesus Walked Come Come Ye Saints I Know That My Redeemer Lives and many more He also performs good contemporary music e Na Nak Nar k r zw r a ar ah h- h r I t tJ J 1 r II t r 1 F i j w f ft t n i M L 1 t I 1 i d t ti t I h r ii I p L- L LI I 11 J t tb b i ii I j I I I II jj j h f 1 y rl i l III b I i I iI t t r I ff I l JW I III ti I Wh II 11 a ai aia rl a WLADIMIR Jan Kochanski Is a classical musician top left and right Kochanski is pictured with Pope John Paull Paul U bottom left eft Kochanski plays for the children as well bottom right I J d 1 1 dW 1 1 iJo 1 if L J Wladimir Kochanski's goal In life since he gave his first concert at the age of 12 years old and looked out over the audience to discover only th the wealthy and socially prominent In attendance is isto isto to take the snobbery out of classical music and share his love of this music with everyone His mission has taken him to cities large and small throughout the United States Canada France Italy and theland the theland land of his heritage Poland Kochanski encourages parents to bring their children and its not unusual to see en- en entire entire tire families attend his concerts Not only does he want to introduce as many new listeners as possible to music his second mission is playing benefit concerts for the Polish relief This came from seeing the long food lines during a concert tour to Poland Kochanski Kochanski draws packed houses and leaves leaves his audiences emotional and at a high pitch of excitement According to reports Kochanski is well his to box office on way becoming a phenomenon In a dwindling art during this era of roll rock and country western He has been acclaimed by many as the greatest pianist since lie He has a dazzling technique and mastery of the keyboard which makes even the most difficult feats appear effortless He has hasan hasan an incredible speed and evenness which w ich creates perfectly controlled sound As a young student he had a 13 note span which was the envy of piano students Through his years of study and practice he has achieved control and discipline seldom seen For quite a while he tried to run away from his destiny by taking up flying business and teaching Finally he ac- ac accepted accepted the fact that he was only happy playing the piano and sharing his music He designs programs that will reach the hearts and imaginations of his listeners He explains the music before he plays and describes the lives of the composers The Texas born classical pianist who received his training at the prestigious Juilliard School of Music in New York City Ci- Ci Cily ty ly is unique Most serious artists loathe the thought of being entertainers Kochanski feels this is a mistake Atten- Atten Attending Attending ding a concert should not be like eating you spinach do it because Its It's good for you Kochanski feels adamantly that au au- au audiences should enjoy themselves and that its it's up to him to see that they do By approaching music in this way Wladimir Kochanski has become one of the rarest in the world of classical music music-an artist who con draws big crowds Into concert conceit halls His method is simple As he walks out onstage onstage-a tall handsome six footer with sandy hair and an engaging smile dressed traditionally In black tie and tails lans he looks like every other classical performer but then Instead of sitting right down arranging himself on the piano bench and immediately launching into his program exactly aS a'S listed In the printed Kochan Kochanski kl turns to his audience and begins to speak He tells them about what he is about to play He might begin with J Chopin Ballade explaining to the audience that each of Chopin's Ballades tells a astory story Each of you will have a different idea he says It might be about a girl and a boy in inlove inlove love as Chopin was with George Sand but each ballade does tell a story And so the concert continues as Kochanski plays in his bold romantic Style com com- commenting and explaining before and after each piece If he feels so Inclined he might deviate tram from the printed program and add something he feels ing for his new friends or he might even take one or two requests and has even played Turkey in the Straw Because Kochanski feels so strongly about his Polish heritage he u usually plays something by his childhood hero Ignac plus a few Polish folk songs Since Kochanski was invited to play for Pope John Paul II he often in- in includes includes his arrangement of Oh Divine Redeemer The Pontiff loved it so much that he Instructed Kochanski to play Jt it whenever you can During intermission Kochanski invites the children in the audience onstage to sit around the piano while he performs something especially for them Some of the children who may have never seen seena a concert grand piano before often get up upon upon on tiptoe to peer inside the piano as Kochanski's fingers sweep up and down the keyboard fascinated to watch the hammers hitting the strings like rapid rapid- rapidly rapidly ly pumping pistons They have lots of questions and Kochanski Is delighted to answer often sharing their little jokes One precocious little boy thought hed he'd fluster Cluster Kochanski with the question your favorite rock group They both doubled up with laughter when Kochanski answered Mount Rushmore From numerous fan letters he receives it would seem seem that Kochanski is indeed successful In winning new au- au audiences audiences for classical music His very favorite letter was from a woman woman in Las Vegas Nev who reportedly had to dra drag her husband to the concert lie a f K i d dg dt g t i td f I 1 1 j It f t j I t w e t 4 wt f t r t w WI it p r 1 I N If t I I t 5 41 t I fJ h f i tv i tw f I 1 iJ t i r t Ii t I W if f If II PI i I 1 11 s s 1 1 t 1 I t fo I f 1 j It I r a n nt t f Y JI J f v f ji 4 f tU lr 11 I A m J t r 1 I 1 M M tI L r f insisted he did not like stuffy music Arriving at the concert friends were sur- sur surprised surprised to see him and asked Are you looking forward to a great evening I was he replied but my wife made me come here instead The happy ending to her story IS that her husband was so enthused after hearing Kochanski that he has since insisted on driving over miles to hear a repeat performance But what about the critics Do the cities like what he Is doing Kochanski generally doesn't read reviews A critical knock will not deter him from his mission to excite people about classical music He feels that If critics realize what hes he's trying to accomplish they would have to applaud And many critics have One even wrote an editorial about his performance headline An Unstuffy Unstuffy fy Editorial For A Similar Concert and It reads Perhaps when you were maybe eight years old your parents demanded you attend a classical music performance manse mance It was difficult to sit still In your Sunday clothes and mom got angry when you kicked the chair out of boredom After the concert you told your hear that kind parents if you wanted to of music you would sit In the grocery store Although at that age you weren't sure what the word vow meant you made one to never see another classical artist Its time to break that oath Wladimir Kochanski wili display his piano piano playing ing skills In Tooele on Satur- Satur Saturday Saturday day Yes he plays classical music and yes you probably should dress up But Buthe's Buthe's hes he's worth It it His classical music repertoire Is ex ex- ex extraordinary but his performances include In- In Include clude timely popular tunes also Mr Kochanski Is well aware of the attitude many people hold toward classical music and Intentionally gives an entertaining variety At last years year's concert In Tooele for example he took requests from an au- au audience au audience full of suggestions Few per per- performers performers formers dare to become so involved with an audience as Mr Kochanski This rapport could be your best re- re reintroduction reintroduction introduction to classical music available Or if you have a child Mr Kochanski's concern with enticing youth to classical music can start your own children off to a lifetime appreciation of music Whether you attend this rare cultural event for yourself or others the Important tant thing Is dont don't miss this opportunity ty to enjoy a master at work Kochanski comments I would like to see the golden era of music return I long for the day when a child taking music lessons will play a little Bach or Beethoven along with the Beatles Kochanski plays over 10 solo recitals each season lie He toured 40 cities in 40 days in 1981 After graduating from Juilliard he was stricken by chronic Internal bleeding He was hospitalized for three years Through his doctors doctor's treatment and the holistic regime of diet and exer- exer exercise exercise cise prescribed It saved his life He now works out for 45 minutes every day While at home in California he also swims walks on the beach and lifts weights At the age of five he was shopping with his mother and friend and heard a piano from somewhere In the store By the time he was found he was well into his first lesson The first lessons were for 30 minutes which was all they could afford Kochanski wasn't like most children His parents had to make him take a break go out and play or something to keep him from constantly practicing lie He spends four hours in the mornings and four hours In the evenings practicing On concert days he warms up for two hours plus the time on stage After his concerts it isn't unusual for you to see him go out Into the audience to meet the people In fact this is part of his performance Meeting the people Is an Important part of each performance Money from the benefit concerts he undertook went to buy food clothing medicine and to help underwrite the cost of creating the Pilgrims Pilgrim's Home in Rome The Polish people going out of Poland cant ant take any money with them and they needed a place to stay that wouldn't cost them any money Proceeds from his performance in inVernal inVernal Vernal will go to the Uintah Learning Center l j 1 n ry F F a a at g t 1 i r ri i i 1 f 4 e t t