|
Born in Krakow, Poland, I began my study of the piano with Janina Garscia-Gressel. I graduated from the Chopin Conservatoire under the excellent supervision of Maria Szmyd-Dormus. Turbulent events of the Polish Solidarity upheaval in 1981 influenced my decision to remain permanently in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Some
advice from Andras Schiff, Murray Perahia and above all, the unforgettable
inspiration of Maestro Horszowski were the guideposts along the path of
my growth as a musician. Chopin has been the most important element of
my life, from my early studies at the esteemed Chopin Lyceum in Krakow,
to the formation of the Chopin
Society in the Twin Cities.
Chopin has been an essential companion in
all my artistic endeavors.
A residency in 1987 at the Banff Center gave me an opportunity to develop my chamber music repertoire. I worked closely with Richard Goode, whose friendship has been a great source of encouragement to me. In the following years, I found myself performing mostly solo and chamber music repertoire before audiences in the United States, Canada and Europe.
I have been particularly attracted to combining works of a composer with the readings from his personal correspondence. This idea inspired the creation of two of my favorite programs, "Images of Chopin" and "Images of Schubert". These performances evoke an atmosphere of storytelling, seance and theatre.
Despite awards at the 1977 annual Chopin Society competition in Warsaw and the 1984 First New York Chopin Competition, it was not until 1997 that I had my New York debut. This was a result of having won the McKnight Career Grant.
Twenty
years of teaching has provided me with balance and forced me to be articulate
in clarifying ideas about interpretation. Recording of varied repertoire
has given me a chance to listen critically to my own playing. But above
all, making music in front of a live audience has given me a glimpse of
those
"moments of magic...moments when music becomes a communion between
the hearts of composer, musician and listener."