Kudos
From the Emirates News, July 27, 1997
“The versatility and value of the piano both as a
cultural symbol and a source of entertainment has been well
established. It’s undoubtedly a pleasant diversion
and without pretensions to high artistic value, though with
overt claims to cultivated gentility. It’s quite a
contrast to the delirious experience of discotheques and
rock concerts which combine ear-splitting conscious-numbing
amplification and psychedelic light shows.
If you have ever visited Al Ain’s Hilton Palm Court
Café you can’t have missed the figure of five
feet plus Aldona Sankowska leaning over the piano with an
almost romantic fondness for the instrument.
Aldona is a Polish national who has been in the UAE for a
few years. Before she came to the Al Ain Hilton, she was
the resident pianist at the Hyatt Regency in Dubai. She received
formal training in western classical music and has been playing
for the last 25 years or so. Before Aldona came to the UAE
she played the organ in a church in her home town in Poland – located
near the Polish border with Germany – and she had
traveled over Europe with a choir.
Stemming from her virtuoso command of the piano, she shows
an intimate understanding of the possibilities of the instrument.
The crowd at Al Ain is not a particularly sophisticate one
to enjoy the nuances of movements in a Chopin or Tchaikovsky
composition. In this context does the act of playing become
esoteric at times I asked her.
‘Not really, people seem to really enjoy my music and some people even
come up to me and say nice things about it and request their favourite pieces.
Audiences enjoy listening to partly emotional pieces which have real musical
content and feeling’.
Though Aldona is fond of Romantic music, she plays a lot
of jazz and blues, too. “I like playing Eric Clapton”.
You can’t do much better than spend a quiet evening
with Aldona Sankowska at the Palm Court Café.”
Original document
in Adobe Acrobat (PDF)* format.
From the Gulf News, August 7, 1997
“Cool Music to Help You Unwind
As the temperatures soars those stalwarts who are still in
Al Ain are seeking out the coolest places to go. One of
the most elegant and relaxing of these is the beautiful
cool green atrium of the Al Ain Hilton Hotel. If you visit
the Palm Court Café situated in the atrium, between
6 PM and 9:30 PM any time until September 15 you can listen
to the music of Aldona Sankowska who is the Hilton’s
current resident pianist. Born in Poland, Aldona had a
musical upbringing and trained as a classical pianist.
Belying her very youthful looks she has been playing the
piano for more than 25 years, and with a wide classical and
modern repertoire, she can adapt her music to suit any atmosphere
and mood. She previously played at the Hyatt Regency in Dubai
but the superb acoustics of the Hilton atrium make it a particularly
suitable place for her to play, and for her listeners to
appreciate the music.
If you are tired after a hot and stressful day, the atmosphere
Aldona creates with her music is the perfect formula to help
you unwind.”
Original document
in Adobe Acrobat (PDF)* format.
From “Who’s Who in Abu Dhabi”, October
9, 1997
“Polish maestro Aldona Sankowska has taken over the
baby grand in the Crowne Club Piano Lounge (Crowne Plaza,
Abu Dhabi) where non-jeans wearing sophisticates can enjoy
a relaxed and exclusive evening until midnight, Saturday
through Tuesday.”
From the Khaleej Times, February 13, 1998
“Polish pianist Aldona Sankowska has joined the hotel
as an in-house artist. She has over the years acquired a
variety of degrees in piano and organ play. After being a
teacher and accompanist with the College of Music in Poznan,
Aldona started to travel to the Middle East, performing in
many top hotels in the region, first as a member of a trio,
and, since 1996, as a soloist. She will be performing daily
(except Fridays) in the Abu Dhabi Crowne Plaza’s Crowne
Club Piano Lounge on the 9th floor between 8 PM and midnight.”
Original document
in Adobe Acrobat (PDF)* format.
Letters of Recommendation:
The Regent Singapore,
A Four Seasons Hotel - (PDF)* format
Al Ain, Hilton - (PDF)* format
Sheraton Sapporo
Hotel - (PDF)* format
The Diplomat,
Bahrain - (PDF)* format
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