Mirosław Gąsieniec

Dancing Around The World 1

The album for piano four hands Dancing Around the World was written around the turn of May and June 2021. I was inspired to write the ten dance pieces that make up the first book by my work in April that year on the jury of the tenth Inter-Schools Piano Competition under the same name that has been held for many years at the Jadwiga Szajna-Lewandowska State Primary School of Music in Oława.
The idea for that competition - possibly the only one of its kind in Poland - is to familiarise children and youngsters with piano music of a dance character. It is organised by a long-serving piano teacher at that school, Mrs Joanna Kassie-Kościukiewicz. Always on the lookout for new repertoire for budding young pianists, she asked if I would compose some dance works for piano four hands, which I was only too glad to do.
Appreciating and admiring Mrs Kassie-Kościukiewicz's many years' work and commitment to organising this competition, I take great pleasure in dedicating this album to her. At the same time, I am grateful for the confidence she showed in me, and I hope that my compositions will make at least a modest contribution to the artistic development of young Polish musicians.
- Mirosław Gąsieniec
translated by John Comber

Softcover.