Stan Breckenridge is preparing for his lecture titled Call & Response, Rhythm, and Vocalities: Three Staples of African American Music
Malgorzatta Krasowska, Fulbright Director, is speaking about the many activities to date by current American and Polish Fulbrighters
Here Stan Breckenridge is explaining the significance of vocalities in African American music.
Here call & response and rhythm are demonstrated in order to engage the audience.
Fulbrighters are encouraged to participate b clapping various rhythms.
Here Fulbrighters are doing the famous dance by The The Temptations titled, The Temptation Walk, to their hit “My Girl.”
On December 7, 2012 American and Polish Fulbrighters traveled to Lublin and spoke about international academic exchange at various educational and community institutions.
On November 30, 2012 Stan Breckenridge gave a lecture titled Call & Response, Rhythm, and Vocalities: Three Staples of African American Music to university and high school students at the British Centre in Lublin.
A PowerPoint presentation that included audience participation.
The audience is being prepared to sing a song in a call & response manner.
Here the audience is asked to synchronize various rhythms with their hands and feet.
Here Breckenridge is demonstrating syncopated rhythms.
This was a fun group of individuals who were eager to learn about music through lecture and participation.
For the past week or so the weather has been very pleasant. Bordering on 70 degrees, the sun’s rays have once again lightly touched the leaves on the many trees in Lublin, and thus creating the Golden season of Poland. Weather forecasts appear to be similar for the ensuing days, so people are out throughout the days enjoying the it before what is suppose to be a very bitter winter (burrrrr).
A view of beautiful buildings and streets of Lublin just before entering the entrance to Old Town.
As you can see, new architecture is built along side the original brick entrance to Old Town, Lublin.
I’m sitting at an indoor/outdoor cafe enjoying the music by the accordion player (seated just below the yellow building – Trybunal building).
In addition to structures built centuries ago, stands very colorful buildings. The Trybunal (left) – – where I gave a winter concert in 2005 – – is the focal point of Old Town.
Once inside Old Town, you are magically taken to a time centuries past.
There are two types of cobblestone streets. Here is more colorful one.
Here is the less colorful type of cobblestone streets.
While walking on the cobblestone roads one day I quickly glanced to my left to find a secret passageway to the Lublin Castle! Well okay, it’s not a secret – – but I like to imagine it is. One thing for sure though, this did lead to the Lublin Castle – – I’ll include in my next post.
Here is what I came upon after traveling through my secret passageway mentioned in the previous photo. This medieval castle is one of the oldest such buildings in Poland that served as a residence for Royal families. It was established by Casimir II the Just.
This view is facing the university where I teach (Marie Curie Sklodowskiej).
This view shows students walking to and from the university as well as their dormitories.
Another view from the flat that shows the “Golden Season in Poland”.
Yes, it snowed on October 27th here in Lublin. In fact I was traveling from Warsaw that afternoon, following a presentation at the University of Warsaw, where it had snowed even more.
Here is a photo from the same window of my flat following a brief snowfall on October 27th. As you can see there are very few tree leaves. This is also what it looked like when my students from the University of Marie Curie Sklodowskiej came over for a morning class in early November.
Here is a photo of the very large cemetery on Lapowa in Lublin during “All Souls Day” on November 1st. In a place where many find ominous or sorrowful, it is quite a beautiful and joyous occasion in Poland. Like in the U.S., “All Saints Day”, it is a day to remember and celebrate the lives of family and friends who are no longer with us.
During “All Souls Day” on November 1st nearly everyone visits family and on friends. Most businesses, government offices, and schools are closed on this day in Poland.
My goal in this gallery is to give a comprehensive view of the beautiful city of Lublin, which is south of Warsaw and north of Krakow (also spelled Cracow).
STAN BRECKENRIDGE 