Donna Wanicki, age 16, of New Bedford, Mass., for her question:
WHO WAS IGNACE JAN PADEREWSKI?
During World War I, a famous Polish pianist and composer named Ignace Jan Paderewski abandoned his career as a musician to devote his energies to the cause of Polish freedom. At the close of the war, Poland again became an independent nation, largely because of Paderewski's efforts.
Paderewski was born in 1860 in Podolia, now part of the Ukraine in Russia. He began taking piano lessons at the age of six and proved to be a child prodigy. When he was 12 years old, he entered the Warsaw Conservatory and six years later, when he was only 18, he was appointed a professor there.
In 1887 Paderewaki began a brilliant career as a concert pianist, playing to enthusiastic audiences in Europe and America. He came to America for the first time in 1891 and gave 117 recitals in 90 days.
During World War I, Paderewski gave concerts to raise relief funds for Poland and he also helped enlist men for the Polish Army. Paderewski then represented his country at the Versailles Peace Conference and the League of Nations.
Paderewski also served as premier, as well as minister of foreign affairs, in the Polish Republic. But political disputes arose and he and his cabinet remained in power for only 10 months.
In 1922, Paderewski resumed his concert career. His first postwar tour, which included 60 concerts, 1s said to have earned him about $460,000.
The first volume of his life story, called "The Paderewski Memoirs," was published in 1938. He made his last American concert tour in 1939.
When Germany invaded Poland and World War II began, Paderewski devoted himself to the cause of Poland again. He was named president of the new Polish Parliament in exile.
The government in exile which Paderewski helped to establish for Poland in 1939 was called the Polish National Council.
In 1940, Paderewski gave up his home in Morges, Switzerland, overlooking Lake Geneva. He returned to the United States and made his home on a ranch in California.
Pianist, composer and statesman, Paderewski died 1n New York City in 1941 at the age of 81.
Paderewski's compositions include the opera, "Manru," "Sonata in A minor" for violin and piano, six humoresques for piano, "Polish Fantasy" and "Concerto in A minor" for piano and orchestra.
Paderewski's last composition, "Symphony in B minor," is a musical picture of the tragic history of Poland.