“My Polish Diary” represents the personal musical journey of emerging pianist Kiryl Keduk, recent winner of the 2011 Kempinski Classical Music Fellowship: a pioneering Swiss arts support program instituted in 2009 by Kempinski Hoteliers. Although he was born in Belarus to a family of musicians, his Polish father took him – at the age of thirteen – to continue his education and piano training in Poland; he thus sees his artistic heritage as predominantly Polish. His fellowship award has since enabled him to continue his studies under distinguished teachers in other countries. In this, his debut CD, he offers a fascinating and well-chosen program of highly worthwhile, yet rarely heard works by five Polish composers of the Romantic era and the twentieth century: Frédéric Chopin, Juliusz Zarebski, Karol Szymanowski, Ignacy Jan Paderewski, and Witold Lutoslawski.

Kiryl – aged 25 as of this release – has won prizes in fourteen different international competitions, in which his extraordinary audience appeal has been recognized. He has established himself as a rising star on the European musical scene, noted for his technical brilliance, pearly tone, engaging musicality and interpretive intensity: qualities that are immediately apparent in this fascinating and unusual recording.