To honor the contributions of Polish-Americans to the area and join them in celebrating the 200th anniversary of a Polish composer Fryderyk Chopin’s birth, Tinley Park dedicated a street which is south off 179th Street just east of La Grange Road. in his name. The ceremony started at 3 p.m. Sunday, December 19, 2010
A ribbon cutting ceremony. Pictured: Consul General of Poland Zygmunt Matynia and Mayor Edward Zabrocki.
The Polish consulate in Chicago has partnered with the Village to present a concert immediately following the dedication featuring noted pianist Michael Pecak.
Pianist Michael Pecak performed Chopin’s Waltz in E-flat Major, op. 18, Sunday afternoon at Victor J. Andrew High School as part of a short concert honoring the Polish composer’s 200th birthday.
Pecak, among other numerous professional accomplishments, has studied at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw, Poland, as a Fulbright Scholar. He is a 2010-2011 Artist in Residence at the Polish Studies Center at Indiana University.
Pianist Michael Pecak, Teresa B. Buckner,Mayor Edward Zabrocki, Camille Kopielski.
Fryderyk Chopin was born in 1810 and died in 1849. His 200th birthday was celebrated this year.
Although the street currently runs a few hundred feet alongside the Moraine Valley campus on 179th Street, it will someday stretch to 183rd Street, Zabrocki said. The naming was both to honor the composer and Tinley Park‘s historically large Polish-American community.
Chopin lived for many years in France as an expatriate unable to return to his homeland. Before his burial, his heart was removed and his sister smuggled it back into what is today Poland.
“His body may be buried in Paris, but his heart is physically buried in Warsaw,” Zabrocki said.
In addition, a resolution recognizing the unique contributions of Polish-Americans to the Chicago metropolitan area, including Tinley Park, will be presented at Tuesday’s Village Board meeting.
“Whereas, few nations have so benefitted from its strong Polish ancestry as the United States of America, and that benefit is more profoundly felt in the metropolitan area of Chicago and the Village of Tinley Park to include our partnership city of Nowy Sącz, Poland, the Village is honored to participate in the international year of recognition of Chopin and name Chopin Drive in our Village,” the resolution states.
Photo: Teresa B. Buckner
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