If you ask me who I am, I’ll answer: born and living in Greenpoint, I feel American. But when I go with my mother to visit Poland, I feel Polish. To clarify: I do not need to define myself too strictly.
I was raised by my mother, who is a piano player and also a teacher, so I started playing the piano when I was three years old. I had no choice. I also took karate classes and danced in the “Krakowianki i Górale” group at Driggs, but the piano became increasingly important. Sometimes I wanted to practice, sometimes not, like everyone else. I never thought I was outstanding or better than others. And I still don’t think so.
My mother sent me to a Saturday school for musically gifted children: Manners Preparatory. But I still had no idea what I would do in the future – after all, I was a kid, right? When I was 16 or 17, I sent my recordings to the “Piano Accolades” music competition. You had to send in your recording anonymously, and professional pianist-teachers judged them. I won this competition in the category of the oldest children. That’s when I thought about trying to go to the Music Academy. I had a year to prepare for the auditions. I practiced like crazy, motivated by my mother, of course. I had great teachers and professors in my life, but my mother will always remain number one. It worked out.
In my first year at the Academy, I practiced six hours a day to stay in shape. I had very ambitious classmates and a very international company. Maybe 30 percent are American, and the rest are from the Far East. If you ask me who I am, I’ll answer: born and living in Greenpoint, I feel American. But when I go with my mother to visit Poland, I feel Polish. To clarify: I do not need to define myself too strictly.
When I was younger, I liked to play pieces composed 150 years ago. Then more and more contemporary music, the kind from 100, 50, and 40 years ago. Recently, I played Henryk Mikołaj Górecki’s sonatina for violin and piano. It was at St. Stanislaus Kostka Church at a concert dedicated to Pope John Paul II. Such music motivates me to practice. Now, I practice three hours a day, so as not to get out of shape. When I get ready for a concert, I don’t sleep because I play. I start my day with Johann Sebastian Bach. When I play the electronic piano, I like to change keys. A famous pianist said, “Bach clears my head in the morning” – and he was right.
Will I also be a pianist in the future? I don’t know yet. I also have other activities. Like my mother, I am a teacher: I lead the Greenpoint Children’s Choir, as well as the Female Dawn Choir. I am a mentor for young artists, and I get great satisfaction when my students perform on stage. I can’t say what my plans are. In my profession, this is a bad omen. If you voice your wish, it will never come true.
