{"id":139,"date":"2024-02-05T22:38:13","date_gmt":"2024-02-05T22:38:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iris.siue.edu\/honors200\/?page_id=139"},"modified":"2025-01-16T06:04:50","modified_gmt":"2025-01-16T06:04:50","slug":"ruth-slenczynska-2002-present-recent-years","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/iris.siue.edu\/honors200\/ruth-slenczynska-2002-present-recent-years\/","title":{"rendered":"Ruth Slenczynska: (2002 – Present) Recent Years"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Time in the Eastern Hemisphere <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

After the passing of her beloved husband, professor Kerr, one of Ruth\u2019s students in Soochow University in Taiwan was concerned for the grieving Mrs. Slenczynska. Thus, through the invitation of her student, Mrs. Slenczynska left for Taiwan in the fall of 2002. Once she arrived, she was well received with kindness and respect. Three months after her arrival in Taiwan she began performing again, despite a 3-year break from playing the piano. In January of 2003, Bunsho Mifune organized a home concert in Taipei where Mrs. Slenczynska took part and performed Chopin\u2019s Etude. After the success of this home concert, Slenczysnka practiced and prepared 30 piano pieces by J. Brahms in only a year and a half. Later, in 2009, Slenczynska had successful recordings from her time at Liu Mifune Art Ensemble, Okayama. Her familiarity with worldwide composers was one of the many reasons that led to her success.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Four years later, Bunsho Mifune announced his daughter\u2019s wedding to Slenczynska to which she very excitedly replied that she would be visiting Tokyo to perform at his daughter’s wedding. Slenczynska had treated Masae as her own granddaughter, as she was always around while Slenczynska visited Tokyo throughout those 14 consecutive years. Masae\u2019s wedding was extraordinarily special for her since she had two music masters performing with historical instruments. Her performances in Japan later let to the recording of 6 CD\u2019s called \u201cThe Art of Ruth Slenczynska\u201d produced by the Lui MAER label.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

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Mrs. Slenczynska and Masae on her wedding day <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Later in 2011, after the earthquakes occurred in Japan, Slenczynska helped Mrs. Kubo organize and perform at a charity concert at Kyudo Kaikan Hall in Tokyo. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While in Tokyo, Her Imperial Majesty Michiko, showed interest in Slenczynska\u2019s performance in Tokyo.  When Slenczynska had her last Chopin recital in Okayama (2005) celebrating her 80th birthday, Mrs. Shuku Iwasaki introduced Mrs. Slenczynska to Empress Michiko. The day of the performance, the concert capacity was only 120 people, but due to her popularity, Mrs. Slenczynska had to perform the same concert twice in a day. Despite her 8 previous Tokyo visits, December 6, 2013, was her first performance in Tokyo. Her immense success in Tokyo made it impossible for the Empress to see Slenczynska in concert, so she was invited to the Imperial Palace just 2 days after Masae\u2019s wedding. <\/p>\n\n\n

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Slenczynska performing in Taipei<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

A couple days later on December 12, 2013, she left Tokyo to visit Taipei and as soon as she arrived, she began practicing at the home of one of her students at SIUE. After a week of practicing, she performed a very rich program including all the pieces she performed at Masae\u2019s wedding. Her performance was deemed touching and artistically beautiful and sensitive, leading to a standing ovation with loud cheers showing excitement. After the performance, Slenczynska was asked for her autograph from over 400 participants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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