Biography

            I was born in 1979 in Bydgoszcz, Poland. Since both my parents are musicians
I was being educated in music from the age of six. At the age of seven I entered the Primary Music School in Bydgoszcz with piano as my main instrument. After four years I changed my main instrument to percussion. I continued to play percussion in Music High School in Bydgoszcz. At the same time I was a part of percussion ensemble “Stick Band” with which I gave over fifty concerts all over Poland and won the 3rd prize in National Competition for Percussion Ensembles. We also recorded two TV shows for Channel 2 of Polish Television. Ever since my high school years I cooperated with Pomeranian Symphony Orchestra in Bydgoszcz, playing percussion as a freelance substitute musician.

            After graduation I entered Frederic Chopin Music Conservatory in Warsaw, and studied with prof. Stanislaw Skoczynski. Throughout my study I entered many national and international competitions, winning 2nd prize on 1st National Marimba Competition in year 2000. I was also a finalist of the 7th National Competition for Contemporary Music Performance in 2001. In the same year I was a semi-finalist of 1st International Timpani Competition in Paris, France. I also took active part in many international percussion festivals and workshops, including masterclasses and workshops with famous timpanists like John Beck, Cloyd Duff, Frederic Macarez as well as percussionists like Christopher Lamb, Klaus Tresselt, Katarzyna Mycka, Momoko Kamiya. I received my Masters Degree from Warsaw Music Conservatory in June 2002. During four years of my study I was able to gain a lot of orchestral experience by playing with the best Polish symphony orchestras. I cooperated with National Philharmonic, National Opera, Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra and Sinfonia Varsovia Orchestra playing concerts in Poland and abroad. In September 2001, I won the auditions for section percussion in National Philharmonic in Warsaw, but due to the institution's financial problems I was not hired. For two years I was also a timpanist for Polish Youth Orchestra - Jeuness Musicales.

            After receiving my Masters Degree in Percussion Performance I was accepted for Graduate Study in Music Performance Percussion at the University of Akron, OH with Dr Larry Snider and was given a Graduate Assistantship. I play timpani for UA Symphony Orchestra and also play as a freelance percussionist with Akron Symphony Orchestra and Wooster Symphony Orchestra. I also made my way to the substitute list of Canton Symphony Orchestra. After my first year in Akron I became a member of Phi Kappa Lambda, an honorary fraternity that stresses an excellence in musical performance as well as academics. In 2004 I received an Outstanding Graduate Student award and was inducted into the National Deans List.

After graduation from Akron I was accepted into the DMA (Doctor of Musical Arts) program at the USC Thornton School of Music and received the Graduate Teaching Assistantship position. I am currently in my fourth semester at the USC. I have performed with the Debut Symphony Orchestra and American Youth Symphony.