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'''Mona Golabek''' (born June 23, 1950) is an [[United States|American]] concert [[pianist]] and author. She has appeared with many leading orchestras and made numerous recordings. Golabek wrote a book entitled ''The Children of Willesden Lane'' that chronicles her mother's experience with the Kindertransport which was published in 2002. A play titled "The Pianist of Willesden Lane," based on the book, adapted and directed by [[Hershey Felder]], and in which Golabek appeared in a one-woman show, opened at the [[Geffen Playhouse]] in [[Los Angeles]], [[California]] in April 2012.<ref>David C. Nichols, "Review: ''The Pianist of Willesden Lane'': a resonant tale of survival," [http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-pianist-of-willesden-lane-review-20120426,0,5322787.story ''Los Angeles Times,'' April 26, 2012].</ref> |
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==Biography== |
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Mona Golabek was born in [[Los Angeles]], California, the daughter of Lisa Jura, a concert pianist and Michel Golabek, winner of the [[Croix de Guerre]].<ref>Lisa Jura Golabek died in Los Angeles in 1997 at the age of 73. See "Lisa Golabek; Prodigy Who Became Concert Pianist, Music Teacher," [http://articles.latimes.com/1997/dec/19/news/mn-206 ''Los Angeles Times,'' December 19, 1997].</ref> Her father was born in [[Poland]] and was a member of the [[Polish resistance movement in World War II]], before he came to the United States. Her mother Lisa was born in Austria and was one of 10,000 children brought to England before [[World War II]] as part of the [[Kindertransport]], a mission to rescue children threatened by the [[Nazis]]. Although Mona's mother was rescued, her maternal grandparents died at [[Auschwitz]], as did her paternal grandparents. |
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Golabek was taught piano largely by her mother, who had in turn learned to play from her own mother (Mona's grandmother) Malka Jura, also a concert pianist. When asked in an interview whether she other piano teachers aside from her mother, Mona answered: "I studied with several outstanding pianists: [[Leon Fleisher]], Reginald Stewart, and Joanna Graudan. But my mother was my true teacher and inspiration".<ref>"Teaching the Children of Willisden Lane: Q & A with Mona," [http://www.learner.org/series/cowl/theauthor/qa.html ''Teaching the Children of Willisden Lane''] [retrieved April 18, 2012].</ref> |
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Mona won the [[Young Concert Artists International Auditions]] in 1972 which led to her [[New York City]] recital debut at [[Carnegie Hall]]. Afterword, she continued to study piano privately in [[Rome ]] and [[London]] before winning the [[Avery Fisher Prize]] in 1979 as well as the People's Award of the [[International Frederick Chopin Piano Competition]]. |
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She has since appeared in concert with major orchestras and conductors around the world and in recitals at the [[Hollywood Bowl]], the [[Kennedy Center]], and the [[Royal Festival Hall]]. A number of her recording have earned [[Grammy Award]] nominations and she was the subject of the [[PBS]] documentaries More Than the Music, which won the grand prize in the 1985 [[WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival]]. Concerto for Mona by [[William Kraft]] was dedicated to her. She is also a [[Steinway]] artist. |
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In 1992 Golabek and her sister Renee Golabek-Kaye,<ref>Renee Golabek-Kaye passed away on June 12, 2006, at the age of 52. See "Renee Golabek-Kaye, 52; Pianist Performed With Sister," [http://articles.latimes.com/2006/jul/05/local/me-passings5.5 ''Los Angeles Times,'' July 5, 2006].</ref> also a pianist, organized a performance and recording of [[Camille Saint-Saëns]]'s [[The Carnival of the Animals]]. The performance included the reading of [[Ogden Nash]]'s well known verses on animals with Saint-Saëns's music played underneath. The verses were read by 14 well-known actors, including [[Ted Danson]], [[Audrey Hepburn]], [[James Earl Jones]], [[Walter Matthau]], [[William Shatner]], [[Jaclyn Smith]], [[Lily Tomlin]], [[Betty White]], [[Joan Rivers]], [[Charlton Heston]], and [[Dudley Moore]]. Proceeds from the recording were given to charities that help animals, such as the [[American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals]]. Mona and Renee also performed as a piano duo on a recording that features [[Rave]]l’s Mother Goose Suite with narrator, actress [[Meryl Streep]], the [[Poulenc]] Two Piano Concerto, and [[Poulenc]]’s Babar the Elephant, with the [[New Zealand Symphony Orchestra]] conducted by [[JoAnn Falletta]]. |
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Since 1998, Golabek has hosted her own classical music radio program "The Romantic Hours," which she produces with former [[KFAC]] radio personality Doug Ordunio. The show is a wedding of love letters, romantic poetry and thoughts of writers and thinkers of the world with classical music.<ref>Andy Meisler, "TELEVISION/RADIO; Recipe for Romance: The Night, the Music, and Mona," [http://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/25/arts/television-radio-recipe-for-romance-the-night-the-music-and-mona.html ''The New York Times'', August 25, 2002].</ref> It is heard on classical stations around the country. |
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Mona has also established the Hold On To Your Music Foundation,<ref>[http://www.holdontoyourmusic.org/ Hold Onto Your Music Foundation] [retrieved April 18, 2012].</ref> which seeks to expand awareness of the ethical implications of world events such as the [[Holocaust]], and the power of music and the arts to embolden the human spirit in the face of adversity. Through the efforts of the [[Milken Family Foundation]] and the [[Annenberg Foundation]], an educational initiative for The Children of Willesden Lane was established. |
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In April 2012, Mona Golabek was featured in a one-woman show, ''The Pianist of Willesden Lane,'' directed by [[Hershey Felder]], at the [[Geffen Playhouse]].<ref>Kenneth Jones, "The Pianist of Willesden Lane; Fact-Based Play with Music, Premieres in L.A.; Hershey Felder Directs" [http://www.playbill.com/news/article/164959-Pianist-of-Willesden-Lane-Fact-Based-Play-With-Music-Premieres-in-LA-Hershey-Felder-Directs ''Playbill,'' April 17, 2012]. [retrieved online April 22, 2012]</ref><ref>Cynthia Citron, "Pianist Golabek Tells Her Mother’s Story at the Geffen," [http://www.lastagetimes.com/2012/04/pianist-golabek-tells-her-mothers-story-at-the-geffen/ ''LA Stage Times,'' April 24, 2012].</ref><REF>Travis Michael Holder, "LA Review: "The Pianist of Willesden Lane," [http://www.backstage.com/bso/reviews-la-theatre/la-review-the-pianist-of-willesden-lane-1006924152.story ''BACKSTAGE: The Actor's Resource,'' April 30, 2012]. [retrieved May 3, 2012]</REF> |
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==Book== |
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*Mona Golabek and Lee Cohen, ''The Children of Willesden Lane: Beyond the Kindertransport: A Memoir of Music, Love, and Survival.'' Grand Central Publishing, 2003. ISBN-13: 978-0446690270. |
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*A video series, "Teaching the Children of Willesden Lane," sponsored by the [[Annenberg Foundation]] has been promoted on-line.<ref>[http://www.learner.org/series/cowl/index.html Video of Teaching the Children of Willesden Lane]</ref> |
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==Awards== |
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* 1972: Winner, [[Young Concert Artists|Young Concert Artists International Auditions]] |
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==References== |
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{{reflist|2}} |
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==External links== |
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* [http://holdontoyourmusic.org/aboutMona.html Hold On To Your Music Foundation] |
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* [http://www.romantichours.com/ Romantic Hours Radio] |
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{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. --> |
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| NAME = Golabek, Mona |
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| DATE OF BIRTH = |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Golabek, Mona}} |
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[[Category:American classical musicians]] |
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[[Category:American classical pianists]] |
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[[Category:Living people]] |
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[[Category:1950 births]] |
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[[Category:People from Los Angeles, California]] |
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