Teaching Languages : English, Polish, Russian, German
Teaching Dates : July 8 (arrival) - 14 (departure)
As a concert pianist, Konrad Skolarski is known for his extraordinary technique and recognizable own style of interpretations, as well as for interesting and sophisticated piano repertoire. Among the most recent highlights his rendition of Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No.2 under Mikhail Jurowski in Polish National Philharmonics, recitals at the 20th Beethoven Easter Festival, 30th Izmir International Festival, Beethoven Piano Concerto No.2 under Avner Biron (Camerata Jerusalem) are worth-mentioning. In November 2017 Konrad Skolarski gave a very successful tour in the US, performing recitals in New York and Buffalo, as well as 2ndChopin Piano Concerto with Buffalo Philharmonic under the baton of Maestra JoAnn Falletta. His performance of Chopin 2nd Concerto there was acclaimed as “revelation” and “a hit” and was included in the promotional CD of Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. In April 2017 the pianist performed the Polish premiere of Rodion Shchedrin 1st Piano Concerto with National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra in Katowice under the baton of Alexander Humala.
Skolarski started to learn to play the piano at the age of 4 under Professor Marek Mizera. At the age of 9, he performed Concerto in F Minor by J.S. Bach with the famous Concerto Avenna orchestra. At the age of 13, he became a laureate of the Professor Ludwik Stefański’s Competition for Young Pianists. Between 1995 and 1998, he studied under Janusz Olejniczak. He developed his skills during private and master classes with such famous musicians as: Alexander Jenner, Sergio Perticarolli, Hiroko Nakamura, Oxana Yablonskaya and Vladimir Krainev. Between 1998–2005, he studied under the Russian pianist Olga Rusina. In 2001 he won the 1st award at the 3rd International P. Tchaikovsky Competition in Spain (Huesca). In 2002 he recorded his debut album including pieces by Fryderyk Chopin, Franz Liszt, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and Sergei Prokofiev. The album was released by the Universal Company in 2005 and received very favourable reviews.
In 2007, Skolarski graduated from the Fryderyk Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw, class of Professor Alicja Paleta-Bugaj, and in the period of 2007–2010 he was a student at a master class of Pavel Gililov (postgraduate studies: “Konzertexamen”). While working under many Russian pianists and pedagogues, Skolarski had a chance to familiarize with the two centres of the famous Russian piano school – the “Leningrad” school and the “Moscow” one. Since 2010 Skolarski has been a student of legendary Prof. Peter Feuchtwanger, the mentor of many distinguished pianists, including Martha Argerich, Nelson Freire or Shura Cherkassky, to name just a few.
Skolarski signed a recording contract with DUX. In 2012, the company released two albums with pieces by Rachmaninoff, Scriabin, Prokofiev, and piano miniatures (Bach-Siloti, Brahms, Chopin, Grieg, Medtner, Tchaikovsky, Tchaikovsky-Pabst, Rachmaninoff, Scriabin, Saint-Saëns/Godowsky). In 2012 his solo CD with Rachmaninov, Scriabin and Prokofiev was awarded by the international music critics – Diapason “5” Award and nomination for Fryderyk Award. His renditions of Prokofiev’s and Rachmaninov’s Sonatas are compared by critics to the legendary recordings by Sviatoslav Richter or Emil Gilels.
Skolarski teaches piano at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw. His students are laureates or semi-finalists of international piano competitions, such as Busoni, Warsaw Chopin Competition, San Marino, Hannover Chopin Competition, or Yamaha Scholarship to name just a few. He teaches masterclasses all around the world. In addition, he has also served as a jury member of international piano competitions. His interests include painting, poetry, psychology and philosophy.
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