Daniel Wnukowski
Encyclopedia
Daniel Wnukowski is a Polish Canadian pianist
from Windsor, Ontario
, Canada
.
He studied piano at the Fryderyk Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw, Poland, with Piotr Paleczny, at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, Maryland with Leon Fleisher
and at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Ronan O'Hora and Graham Johnson. In 2006, he was awarded a scholarship to study at the International Piano Academy Lake Como
.
, Poland
, the Concertgebouw
Music Hall in Amsterdam
, Holland, the Salle Pleyel
in Paris
, France
, and the Stadt Casino in Basel
, Switzerland
, the Tokyo University of the Arts in Tokyo
, Japan
and the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome
, Italy
.
He has performed with the Polish Radio Orchestra, Sinfonia Varsovia, Windsor Symphony, Orchestra Filarmonica Marchigiana, Southfield Symphony, Celebrity Symphony Orchestra, Poznan Philharmonic, Tifereth Israel Orchestra, with conductors such as Jerzy Maksymiuk
, Alain Trudel
, David Amos, Tomasz Bugaj, Romolo Gessi and John Morris Russell. He is also very active as a chamber musician and vocal accompanist.
In May 2010, Daniel Wnukowski performed a special recital in Tokyo
, Japan
to commemorate the unveiling of a new Chopin monument in that city. This also led to a debut in Singapore
, where he accompanied an Erhu
, in the hall of the Singapore Chinese Orchestra
. He also performed an outdoor concert for a large crowd at the Singapore Botanic Gardens
in a concert program entitled "Chopin by the Lake."
In 2007, he performed Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2
and Mozart's Piano Concert No. 27
with the Polish Radio Orchestra under the direction of Tomasz Bugaj which was broadcast on Polish Radio stations.
At age 14, he performed at the Polish Embassy for government diplomats and officials in Ottawa
, Ontario
, becoming the youngest pianist to ever perform at the Embassy. In 1997, in remembrance of the outbreak of World War II
, he performed a recital at the National Theatre in Warsaw, Poland in front of an audience of over 2,000 people, which was broadcast all over European television.
Wnukowski has also performed in important piano festivals such as the Chopin and His Europe festival in Warsaw, Poland, the Spoleto Festival Dei Due Mondi in Spoleto
, Italy, the Duszniki Zdrój Chopin Festival in Duszniki Zdrój
, Poland
, the Euromusica Masterconcert Series and the Uto Ughi Festival in Rome, Italy, the Chopin in Autumn Colours International Festival in Antonin
, Poland, the Coppet Festival in Geneva, Switzerland, as well as those organized by the Chopin Society in Basel, Switzerland, the Chopin Society in Vienna, Austria and the Chopin Society in Rome, Italy.
His performances have been broadcast on radio and television stations throughout the world including CBC Radio
, Polish Radio 2, Dublin City FM
, Tuttoggi TV, Rai Uno
, Radiotelevisione svizzera di lingua italiana
and Last FM.
He recorded a CD entitled A Chopin Recital at the Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto
, Ontario
in 2001.
He is noted for his affinity for performing the works of Frédéric Chopin
. The San Diego Arts music critic wrote that "his dynamic range is phenomenal" and that he has an "ability to play things at supernatural velocity without making a single mistake."
Wnukowski is currently active in promoting various charitable organizations.
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
from Windsor, Ontario
Windsor, Ontario
Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Early years and training
At age 3 and a half, he showed strong fascination for a grand piano made completely out of glass in a music store and begged his parents to begin taking piano lessons.He studied piano at the Fryderyk Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw, Poland, with Piotr Paleczny, at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, Maryland with Leon Fleisher
Leon Fleisher
Leon Fleisher is an American pianist and conductor.-Early life and studies:Fleisher was born in San Francisco, where he started studying the piano at age four...
and at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Ronan O'Hora and Graham Johnson. In 2006, he was awarded a scholarship to study at the International Piano Academy Lake Como
International Piano Academy Lake Como
The International Piano Academy Lake Como is a music school. Seven pianists, chosen annually from a worldwide field of 400 applicants including many international prizewinners, have the opportunity of studying with a faculty whose core membership past and present includes such stellar artists as...
.
Performing and recording career
His winning numerous performance awards and prizes has enabled him to perform all over Europe, Asia, North America and South America in many prestigious concert halls including the National Philharmonic in WarsawWarsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, the Concertgebouw
Concertgebouw
The Concertgebouw is a concert hall in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The Dutch term "concertgebouw" literally translates into English as "concert building"...
Music Hall in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, Holland, the Salle Pleyel
Salle Pleyel
The Salle Pleyel is a concert hall in Paris, France. The resident ensembles are the Orchestre de Paris and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France.-History and Design:...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and the Stadt Casino in Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, the Tokyo University of the Arts in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
He has performed with the Polish Radio Orchestra, Sinfonia Varsovia, Windsor Symphony, Orchestra Filarmonica Marchigiana, Southfield Symphony, Celebrity Symphony Orchestra, Poznan Philharmonic, Tifereth Israel Orchestra, with conductors such as Jerzy Maksymiuk
Jerzy Maksymiuk
Jerzy Maksymiuk is a Polish orchestra conductor.Maksymiuk studied violin, piano, conducting and composition at the Warsaw Conservatory. In 1964 he won first prize in the Paderewski Piano Composition. Conducting soon became his principal career...
, Alain Trudel
Alain Trudel
Alain Trudel is a Canadian musician, composer and conductor. He began his career playing the trombone, but has more recently turned to conducting....
, David Amos, Tomasz Bugaj, Romolo Gessi and John Morris Russell. He is also very active as a chamber musician and vocal accompanist.
In May 2010, Daniel Wnukowski performed a special recital in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
to commemorate the unveiling of a new Chopin monument in that city. This also led to a debut in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, where he accompanied an Erhu
Erhu
The erhu is a two-stringed bowed musical instrument, more specifically a spike fiddle, which may also be called a "southern fiddle", and sometimes known in the Western world as the "Chinese violin" or a "Chinese two-stringed fiddle". It is used as a solo instrument as well as in small ensembles...
, in the hall of the Singapore Chinese Orchestra
Singapore Chinese Orchestra
The Singapore Chinese Orchestra is Singapore's only professional Chinese orchestra. It has been located at the Singapore Conference Hall since 2001 after the revamp of the building. Its music director Tsung Yeh, leads the 70 member orchestra. It runs several community outreach programmes as well...
. He also performed an outdoor concert for a large crowd at the Singapore Botanic Gardens
Singapore Botanic Gardens
The Singapore Botanic Gardens is a 74-hectare botanical garden in Singapore. It is half the size of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew or around one-fifth the size of Central Park in New York. It is the only botanic garden in the world that opens from 5 a.m...
in a concert program entitled "Chopin by the Lake."
In 2007, he performed Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2
Piano Concerto No. 2 (Brahms)
The Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, Op. 83 by Johannes Brahms is a composition for solo piano with orchestral accompaniment. It is separated by a gap of 22 years from the composer's first piano concerto. Brahms began work on the piece in 1878 and completed it in 1881 while in Pressbaum near...
and Mozart's Piano Concert No. 27
Piano Concerto No. 27 (Mozart)
The Piano Concerto No. 27 in B flat major, K. 595, is a concertante work by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, for piano or fortepiano and orchestra, the last piano concerto he wrote.-Time of composition:The manuscript is dated 5 January 1791...
with the Polish Radio Orchestra under the direction of Tomasz Bugaj which was broadcast on Polish Radio stations.
At age 14, he performed at the Polish Embassy for government diplomats and officials in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, becoming the youngest pianist to ever perform at the Embassy. In 1997, in remembrance of the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he performed a recital at the National Theatre in Warsaw, Poland in front of an audience of over 2,000 people, which was broadcast all over European television.
Wnukowski has also performed in important piano festivals such as the Chopin and His Europe festival in Warsaw, Poland, the Spoleto Festival Dei Due Mondi in Spoleto
Spoleto
Spoleto is an ancient city in the Italian province of Perugia in east central Umbria on a foothill of the Apennines. It is S. of Trevi, N. of Terni, SE of Perugia; SE of Florence; and N of Rome.-History:...
, Italy, the Duszniki Zdrój Chopin Festival in Duszniki Zdrój
Duszniki-Zdrój
Duszniki-Zdrój is a spa town in the Klodzko Valley on the Bystrzyca River in Kłodzko County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, Poland. It is a notable spa town and a major tourist attraction of the area.-Economy:...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, the Euromusica Masterconcert Series and the Uto Ughi Festival in Rome, Italy, the Chopin in Autumn Colours International Festival in Antonin
Antonin, Ostrów Wielkopolski County
Antonin is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Przygodzice, within Ostrów Wielkopolski County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, in west-central Poland. It lies approximately south-east of Ostrów Wielkopolski and south-east of the regional capital Poznań.The village has an approximate...
, Poland, the Coppet Festival in Geneva, Switzerland, as well as those organized by the Chopin Society in Basel, Switzerland, the Chopin Society in Vienna, Austria and the Chopin Society in Rome, Italy.
His performances have been broadcast on radio and television stations throughout the world including CBC Radio
CBC Radio
CBC Radio generally refers to the English-language radio operations of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The CBC operates a number of radio networks serving different audiences and programming niches, all of which are outlined below.-English:CBC Radio operates three English language...
, Polish Radio 2, Dublin City FM
Dublin City FM
103.2 Dublin City FM is an Independent Local Radio station in Dublin, Ireland, operated by Dublin Public Service Radio Association Ltd, under a sound broadcasting contract from the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland. The station broadcasts on the 103.2 MHz FM frequency...
, Tuttoggi TV, Rai Uno
Rai Uno
Rai 1 is the primary television station of RAI, the national public service broadcaster, and the most watched television channel in Italy. It was born as Rai Tv from 1954 to 1961, called Programma Nazionale from 1961 to 1979, after called Rete 1 from 1979 to 1982, then called Rai Uno from 1982 to...
, Radiotelevisione svizzera di lingua italiana
Radiotelevisione svizzera di lingua italiana
Radiotelevisione svizzera di lingua italiana is a Swiss public broadcasting organisation, part of SRG SSR. RSI handles production and broadcasting of radio and television programs in Italian for Switzerland...
and Last FM.
He recorded a CD entitled A Chopin Recital at the Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
in 2001.
He is noted for his affinity for performing the works of Frédéric Chopin
Frédéric Chopin
Frédéric François Chopin was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist. He is considered one of the great masters of Romantic music and has been called "the poet of the piano"....
. The San Diego Arts music critic wrote that "his dynamic range is phenomenal" and that he has an "ability to play things at supernatural velocity without making a single mistake."
Wnukowski is currently active in promoting various charitable organizations.