RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Praised by critics in Europe and the United States for his lyricism, virtuosity and an intensity of performance, pianist Martin Labazevitch appeared in many concert halls and festivals in Poland, Ukraine, Finland, Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain, Israel, Japan, South Korea and the United States; and,
WHEREAS, He is a recipient of many awards and recognitions in piano competitions in the U.S., Spain and Japan as well as recipient of the Honorary Ambassador Award in Stalowa Wola, Poland, Rina Menashe Award in Israel, Kosciuszko Foundation Award in New York as well as the Harold Bauer Award for the most promising pianist at the Manhattan School of Music; and,
WHEREAS, Born in Poland, Martin Labazevitch studied at the Odessa Conservatory in Ukraine, with Anatoly Kardashev, before immigrating to the United States, and obtaining scholarship to study at the Manhattan School of Music with Mme Nina Svetlanova and later with Cuban-American virtuoso Horacio Gutierrez - whom he considers his greatest inspiration. Currently, he is pursuing his doctoral studies with Jose Ramos Santana in Washington DC; and,
WHEREAS, Martin Labazevitch performances have been broadcast on radio stations throughout the U.S. such as WQXR, WWFM, and WFMT in New York, WFMT in Chicago as well as classical radio stations in Poland and Lithuania; and,
WHEREAS, Martin Labazevitch has been a soloist with leading orchestras in Spain, Poland, Lithuania, Japan, and the United States. As a chamber musician, he is a founding member of the Paderewski Trio, an all-Polish ensemble, which for the entirety of its existence had been coached by the late Isidore Cohen - member of the Juilliard String Quartet and the Beaux Arts Trio; and,
WHEREAS, Martin Labazevitch has performed with the Beethoven Academy Orchestra, Rzeszow Philharmonic and Lutoslawski Chamber Orchestra in Poland. Held performances at the Lithuanian National Philharmonic Hall and with the Vilnius String Quartet in Lithuania. Had a recital tour in Spain with his duo partner, cellist Ratal Jezierski. He performed at the Tedmed conference at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. He performed at the Weill Recital Hall in New York as the winner of the La Gesse Foundation auditions, and recital at the Dame Myra Hess series in Chicago; and,
WHEREAS, In 2017, Martin Labazevitch made his debut with the Spokane String Quartet in Spokane, WA. In 2018 he accompanied Aisha Syed Castro at her debut at the Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall to an enthusiastic reviews from the Strings Magazine. In 2019 Martin Labazevitch will join Ms. Castro during her Heritage Tour, which will take them to Carnegie Hall's Zenkel Hall as well as Chicago, Dominican Republic, Lima, Peru and London, England; and,
WHEREAS, Martin Labazevitch is the co-artistic director of the Puerto Rico International Piano Festival in San Juan, serves on the board of directors of the Rosalyn Tureck International Bach Competition in New York City and is the founder and artistic director of the Kosciuszko Foundation Chopin Piano Competition and Chopin Piano Academy in Washington DC; and,
WHEREAS, On October 18, 2019, Martin Labazevitch will be performing with Ms. Aisha Syed-Castro at the Dominican American Midwest Association's twentieth anniversary. The Dominican American Midwest Association (DAMA) promotes cultural awareness and the advancement of education of the Dominican community of great Chicago; and now therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, gathered here this eighteenth day of September 2019 A.D., do hereby congratulate Martin Labazevitch on his accomplishments; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be prepared for presentation to Martin Labazevitch and the Dominican American Midwest Association.
Alderman, 30th Ward