Dr. Jerzy Stryjniak
Dr. Jerzy Stryjniak is a Polish-born concert pianist, the co-founder and President of the New York Conservatory of Music, and the founder of the Chopin Society of New York. He made his Carnegie Hall debut at Weill Recital Hall in 1990 as a winner of Artists International, and The New York Times called his playing “compelling,” “dazzling,” and “impressive.”
A participant in the 1985 International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw, he won first prizes at the Polish Piano Festival in Słupsk and the Frederic Chopin Scholarship Competition in Warsaw. He has performed in thirteen countries, at Zankel Hall, Alice Tully Hall, and Steinway Hall in New York, and at Chopin festivals in Poland, Belgium, and Italy. He has recorded Chopin and Liszt albums, and for Polish Radio, Radio Free Europe, and Voice of America.
He holds a Ph.D. and a habilitation from the Academy of Music in Poznań, where he has been a visiting professor, and he was a Fulbright Scholar. Poland has honored him with the Gloria Artis Medal and the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland. He gives master classes in Europe and across the United States, has judged New York piano competitions since 1994, and at the Conservatory teaches a select group of pianists.
Joanna Stryjniak
Joanna Stryjniak is a graduate of the prestigious Jagiellonian University in Cracow, Poland, a school with traditions dating back to the fourteenth century. She received a Master’s Degree in Piano and Musicology. Her specialty is nineteenth-century music. Mrs. Stryjniak began her distinguished teaching career as a music professor at her alma mater.
Her excellent professional qualifications as a teacher are reflected in glowing references from both children and adult students. Mrs. Stryjniak also supervises the other instructors at the New York Conservatory of Music.
Gabriel Stryjniak
Gabriel Stryjniak is the Associate Director of the New York Conservatory of Music and has been part of the school his entire life. The son of its founders, concert pianist Dr. Jerzy Stryjniak and musicologist Joanna Stryjniak, he began studying piano with his parents at the age of three and performed in his first NYCM recital at four.
He went on to study piano at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of the Arts and has since performed in hundreds of concerts, including performances at Carnegie Hall in 2013, 2016 and 2023. Devoted above all to the music of Chopin and Liszt, his repertoire also spans Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Moszkowski, Debussy and Rachmaninoff. Piano remains part of his every day, and he performs regularly in NYCM’s recitals and master classes.
Alongside music, Gabriel studied Biomedical Engineering and Applied Mathematics at Stony Brook University, with a minor in music, and earned a master’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Pennsylvania.
As Associate Director, he oversees the conservatory’s day-to-day operations and knows its many students and families personally. He credits the NYCM community with inspiring him to keep growing as a musician, and calls being part of it one of the greatest fulfillments of his life.
Gabriela Wisniowska
Gabriela , is a passionate music enthusiast and engaged parent. She is a dedicated individual with a profound love for music and the arts. With a rich background in music education and management, she spent a decade at the prestigious New York Conservatory of Music, where she served in various roles, starting as a coordinator and eventually moving up to a management position. Her experience at the Conservatory not only honed her professional skills but also deepened her passion for music.
After ten years of enriching experiences at the New York Conservatory of Music, Gabriela made the heartfelt decision to take a break from her career to start a family. This new chapter in her life brought immeasurable joy as they became a parent to three wonderful children, who, much like Gabriela, harbor a deep appreciation for the arts!
”My household resonates with creativity and passion as we are ardent music and dance enthusiasts”. All three of her children are actively involved in art, dance, theater and several musical programs fostering a well-rounded and holistic approach to their development. As a devoted and engaged parent, Gabriela is deeply involved in her children's school life and extracurricular activities. The melodies of music and the rhythms of dance all fill the air at her home.
With a belief in the transformative power of music in child development, Gabriela is on a mission to spread the love of music to young minds everywhere. She firmly believes that music is not only a form of entertainment but a fundamental aspect of cognitive and emotional growth. By nurturing a musical environment and actively engaging in a child's musical pursuits, she will truly aim to make your little ones musical experience a delightful and enriching journey for them and the entire family!
As she embarks on a new chapter as the Administrative Director of the Pre-K Division at the New York Conservatory of Music, Gabriela's fundamental goal is to create an inspiring environment where young children can explore their musical talents, develop a love for music, allow their musical creativity to flourish, and lay a strong foundation for their future musical education.
Andrew McGowan
Andrew McGowan is a pianist from New Orleans, LA now living in Queens, NYC. Andrew graduated from the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts Jazz Program and received his Bachelor’s of the Arts in Music from Stony Brook University. He has studied with great musicians such as Alvin Batiste, Michael Pellera, and Ray Anderson.
Since Andrew started his professional career as a musician, he has performed around the world at venues such as The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, Edinburgh Jazz Festival, MusicFest Aberystwyth, Pershore Jazz Festival, Breda Jazz Festival, and others. Andrew has performed at top NYC venues such as The Brooklyn Bowl, The Blue Note, The Fat Cat, Smalls, Drom, Nublu, and Lincoln Center.
Andrew has been teaching piano in New York City since 2016 and is equipped to teach beginners to advanced students with an approach that includes the “why” along with the “how”, including theory along with technique so students can develop their own musical understanding and philosophy along with their pianistic technique.
Jakub Polaczyk
Jakub Polaczyk is a Polish-American composer, pianist, music pedagogue and Radio broadcaster living in New York City. Jakub obtained his Artist Diploma in Composition at Carnegie Mellon University (2013) as a full scholarship recipient studying under Dr. Reza Vali. He obtained his Master in Music from the K. Penderecki Academy of Music in Cracow, Poland (2010), and In 2009 he graduated with M.A. and B.A in Musicology from the Jagiellonian University of Cracow. His teachers in Poland were: Irena Rolanowska (piano), Marcel Chyrzynski (composition), Krzysztof Penderecki (orchestration), Marek Chołoniewski (electronic music), Malgorzata Stankiewicz (musicology).
Since 2018 Jakub has been appointed a Director of the International Chopin and Friends Festival in NYC and has been directing the New Vision International Composition Competition. As a composer he got invited to participate in many International composition masterclasses in Europe and Americas. His compositions were performed and premiered all around the world including: Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Merkin Hall in NYC, Recital Hall in Sydney, he also participated at the numerous Music Conferences in the United States. His music was performed by the national Orchestras of: Vietnam, Bulgaria, Brazil, and additionally by: Janacek Symphony Orchestra in Ostava, Blue Waters Orchestra in Cleveland, JACK Quartet, Argus Quartet, Four Corners Ensemble, Moscow Soloists, Palisades Virtuosi, Mise-En and many others. As a pianist he collaborated with many leading NYC artists as: Christine Walevska, Kofi Hayford, Naya Rodriguez and played with: Carnegie Contemporary Ensemble, S.E.M., Mise-En, Centre Stage at Ballet Arts in Pelham, Martha Graham Dance Company and Cracow National Opera. He gave lectures and presentations at: Edvard Grieg House Museum (2023), Washington University in Seattle (2023), Wheaton College in Chicago (2020), Gonzaga University (2021), Iowa Community College in Des Moines (2020), Escola De Música de Brasília (2019), the Kosciuszko Foundation in NY (2018), Sichuan Conservatory of Music (2015), Penderecki Music Academy in Krakow (2014), Carnegie Mellon University (2018, 2013) and different music schools in Poland.
Jakub has won numerous awards in composition and songwriting. The most recent being top prizes for his music on the: Antonio Vivaldi International Competition (2024), Hector Berlioz International Competition (2023), Saint Säens International Competition (2023), Carl Reinecke International Competition (2023), Wolfgang Amadeus in Vienna (2023), the 3rd Place at the SongDoor Songwriting Competition in Nashville (2015) and also winning: American Prize in composition (2020), SIMM International Composition Competition for Harpsichord Solo in Milano (2019), , winning the 2013 Iron Composition Competition held at Cleveland, Ohio and also winning the Polish Composers Society Annual Baird Award in 2013. In 2019 Jakub was nominated for the Global-Local-Great Award in Poland. He also received a well known artistic scholarship from the Minister of Culture of Poland - "Young Poland” in 2013. In 2010 he received a music scholarship from the Major of the City of Krakow. He received the scholarships for artists from the Sapere Auso Foundation in Poland, ASCAP in the USA.
Jakub is a sursynehtetic artist inspired by different cultures and writes his daily imaginary diary that blends varieties of compositional techniques. His works are published by: Donemus(The Netherlands), PWM, Feniks, and Euterpe in Poland, and digitally by Babel Scores(Paris) and Arcomics(UK) and were released by: Albany, Ablaze, Naxos and DUX Records. Jakub is a Steinway & Sons Artist partner, and a member of ASCAP and the Polish Composers Union. He has his own program about classical music on Sundays at the Polish Radio WRKL: NYC/Chicago. Documentary Movie "Conversations with Jakub Polaczyk" directed by Dennis Woytek won bronze at the 44th Telly Awards in NYC (2023). In 2023 Awarded Silver Medal on the Global Music Awards and in 2024 Clouzine Magazine announced Album "Jakub Polaczyk: Union Square" as the best in instrumental music. Artist was also awarded for distinguished contributions the Bronze Medal "Gloria Artis" by the Minister of Culture of Poland.
Bogna Kicinska
Jazz vocalist, composer and educator, originally from Krasnystaw, Poland. Before coming to the US she was already recognized in Poland as one of the most prolific singers on the modern jazz scene. At that time she won many competitions: Old Jazz Meeting "Gold Washboard" in Ilawa, Poland, International Jazz Competition for Singing Musicians "Voicingers" in Zory, Poland, "Nadzieje Warszawy" in Warsaw. In 2010 she moved to New York to study jazz performance at the Aaron Copland School, CUNY. Living in NYC, Bogna stays very active on the music scene, performing with a variety of bands and projects. In 2012 she started her own quintet which features some of the finest musicians on the New York jazz scene. In 2014 she released her first album, The Maze , which has been nominated for the FRYDERYK 2015 award, the Polish equivalent of a Grammy.
Jacob Cichocki
Jacob Cichocki is a Polish jazz pianist, composer and educator based in New York City. Over the years he has performed in a variety of contexts in the U.S., Europe and Asia, including festivals such as International Solo Piano Festival (Prague, Czech Republic), The Mafrika Music Festival (NYC), The International Chopin & Friends Festival (NYC), Jarasum International Jazz Festival (Jarasum, South Korea), Nine Gates Jazz Festival (Beijing, China). He studied at the City College of New York and Frederic Chopin Music School in Warsaw (Poland).
Jacob is a rare pianist who has mastered a wide range of jazz piano styles, including ragtime (Scott Joplin), stride piano (James P. Johnson, Fats Waller, Art Tatum), blues and boogie-woogie (Dr. John), swing (Oscar Peterson, Erroll Garner, Teddy Wilson, Count Basie, Duke Ellington), bebop (Bud Powell, Phineas Newborn), modal and contemporary (McCoy Tyner, Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock), avant-garde (Cecil Taylor, Andrew Hill) funky, and Latin. He teaches the characteristics of each style as well as ways to freely improvise within the style. Besides the jazz subjects such as harmony, theory, improvisation, rhythm, and accompaniment, he covers classical composition (theory, harmony and counterpoint), song-writing, interpretation, and piano technique – thorough approach including Taubman Technique and Alexander Technique.
High level of expertise combined with a pedagogical flexibility allows him to easily communicate and work with students of different levels and ages. Jacob adjusts approach to personal needs of each student and always makes sure there is a balance between work and the fun-part of music-making.
Jacob has a vast experience as an educator: teaching classical music and jazz at East-West Music School (New York, 2014-2018), piano master classes at Chendgu Music Conservatory (Chendgu, China, October 2014), piano and jazz ensemble master classes at WAB Jazz Workshops (Beijing, China, October 2014), International Jazz Workshops in Chodziez (2008-2014) and Pulawy (2007, both Poland).
Pierre Ferreyra-Mansilla
Pierre was the grand prize winner of the 2011 Philadelphia Classical Guitar Society competition and the Peter Gross grant for performance. Highlights of his recent performances include performances with the New Amsterdam Singers and the Dessoff choirs, the Aspen Opera Company and Festival orchestras, as well as the Philadelphia, New England, Oneonta, and Wall classical guitar society festivals. He is also a frequent performer at the Queen Sofia Spanish Institute, the Americas Society, and the Morgan Library in New York City.
As a seasoned teacher, Pierre has had extensive experience working with students of diverse ages and backgrounds. He was a fellowship student at the Aspen Music festival with Sharon Isbin between 2010-2016, where he worked with both public school and private students.
Pierre began his musical studies at the age of nine with the Suzuki method. After years of private and independent study, he finished his Bachelor's degree at Mannes College of Music in 2002, and his Master's degree at the Juilliard school in 2014.
Anna Kolchina
Born in the Russian Republic of Bashkortostan and graduate of the St.Petersburg State University of Cultural Arts, Anna has since performed and recorded with world-class musicians from Russia, Europe, and the USA.
In 2015, Anna's debut album “Street of Dreams” was recorded with the world famous Italian jazz pianist Massimo Farao's trio in Turin, Italy and released by Japan based jazz label, Venus Records.
Venus Records is one of the largest and respected jazz label, which is adored by many audiophiles around the world. Later that year, she performed at Bobby Durham’s Jazz Festival in Isola del Cantone, Italy on stage with Kevin Mahogany, Steve Nelson, Sheila Jordan, Vincent Herring, Paul Bollenback, Mike Baker, Byron Landham, Aldo Zunino, Rodney Bradley, Massimo Farao’ and Pat Bianchi to name a few.
In 2016, Anna released her sophomore record with Venus Records, “Dark Eyes”. On this album, she chooses to be more hands-on and wrote the arrangements for 6 songs which was played by Massimo Farao’s trio featuring Claudio Chiara- alto sax and Fulvio Albano- bari sax. “Dark Eyes” was in the high rotation for weeks Virginia Muse radio in Amsterdam.
“Street Of Dreams” and “Dark Eyes” were released on Vinyl LP and Super Audio CD. In December 2017, Anna released her third album with Venus Records titled "Wild Is The Wind" that was recorded with New York All-Star band featuring John Di Martino on piano, Peter Washington on bass and Willie Jones III on drums.
The same month she appeared on the cover of the jazz magazine "Jazz Perspective".
Svetla Kalcheva
Svetla Kalcheva has performed as a soloist, chamber musician, and an orchestra violinist on stages across Europe, Asia, and the United States including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Bulgarian Concert Hall, Sofia, the Shanghai Grand Theater, the Beijing National Center for Performing Arts, the Shenzhen Concert Hall, and the Royal College of Music, London.
Svetla has won several national and international awards and competitions and has performed in master-classes with Devy Erlh, Mark Peskanov, Nadja-Solerno Sonnenberg, and Walter Verdehr. Former teachers include internationally acclaimed prof. Benny Kim and prof. Stoyka Milanova. Svetla earned her Doctorate in Musical Arts Degree in Violin Performance at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and her Bachelors and Masters Degrees at the Pancho Vladigerov National Conservatory of Music, Sofia, Bulgaria.
Svetla has teaching experience from pre-K students to college level students as well as adult beginner students. All levels and ages are welcome in her studio.
Sophie Avidane
Sophie Avidane, a native New Yorker, is a musical soul with a heart for young, developing minds. As a musician, singer, songwriter, and devoted educator, she embodies the essence of creativity and compassion in her work with children. She shares not just musical knowledge, but also the joy and wonder of music.
For over a decade, Sophie has been a cornerstone of music education for young children in NYC. From intimate one-on-one sessions to lively group settings, she creates environments that are not only safe and nurturing but also bursting with excitement and discovery. Holding a degree in psychology from Marymount Manhattan University, Sophie understands the profound impact that music can have on the emotional and cognitive development of young children.
With this knowledge, she infuses her teaching with warmth and empathy, using music as a powerful tool for healing and growth. Sophie's approach to teaching is as dynamic as the children she works with. Through playful exploration, art, movement, and expression, she creates immersive experiences that captivate young imaginations and foster a lifelong love for music.
Dzintra Erliha
Pianist Dzintra Erliha is an international competition laureate who began playing at the age of three, her perfect pitch revealed early by her parents, both professional musicians. She studied at the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music with Professor Arnis Zandmanis, graduating her Master's programme with distinction, and in 2013 earned a PhD in Art Science with a dissertation on the Latvian composer Lūcija Garūta.
She has won prizes at international competitions across Europe and North America, among them first prizes at the Roma competition in Italy and the Nikolai Rubinstein Competition in France. With support from the Marta Kundrāte-Tūtere Memorial Fund, she studied in Canada with the distinguished Latvian Canadian pianist Arturs Ozoliņš, and refined her artistry in master classes with Lazar Berman, Barry Douglas, Zhu Xiao-Mei, and others.
Dzintra has performed across the world, from Latvia to the United States, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Iceland, France, and beyond. In February 2023 she gave a solo recital at the celebrated Salle Cortot in Paris, and in February 2024 she made her Carnegie Hall debut in New York.
A prolific recording artist, she has released solo albums including SERENA (2022) and DREAMSCAPE (2024) on PRIMA CLASSIC, devoted to piano music by American and Latvian women composers and available on all major streaming platforms. She is also an active musicologist and a devoted teacher: over more than a decade at a Special Music High School in Riga and at the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music, her students have won first prizes in competitions in Latvia, France, and Italy.
Johan Hartman
Johan Hartman is a graduate of both New England Conservatory's undergraduate program and CCM's graduate program in classical voice. He has worked with a number of professional opera companies, most recently performing the role of Colline in Florida l'Opera and Zarzuela's production of La Bohème and the role of Uberto in Mostly Baroque's production of La Serva Padrona. He has also worked as a young artist at Sarasota Opera in Sarasota, Florida, under the tutelage of Maestro DeRenzi.
His list of operatic roles is extensive, including Mozart operas such as Leporello from Don Giovanni and Sarastro from The Magic Flute, to the operas of Richard Strauss (Truffaldin in Ariadne auf Naxos). He has performed some of the earliest operas ever written, such as Seneca from Monteverdi's L'incoronazione di Poppea, to premiering new operas, such as playing The Hunter in Timothy Ayres-Kerr's Game of Werewolf.
As a composer, he has written three song cycles, Blood and the Moon, Soliloquy of the Spanish Cloister, and Love and Death, settings of poetry by W.B. Yeats, Robert Browning, and Lord Byron respectively. He also set Part One of Yeats' epic poem, The Wanderings of Oisin. Most recently he has written a one-act chamber opera entitled The Signal Man, with a libretto based on Charles Dickens' short story of the same name. Several of his compositions will be featured on an upcoming album to be released by Constitution Records later this year.
Johan teaches piano, voice, and theory/composition. He has taught students of all levels and abilities, from young beginners just starting their musical journey through high school students preparing for their college auditions up to university students studying at New England Conservatory of Music. His students have also gone on to study at leading music schools, such as Boston Conservatory of Music, New England Conservatory, Frost School of Music, and Stetson. He is very excited to be joining such an illustrious and accomplished group of musicians at the New York Conservatory of Music.
Kathryn Giordano
Kathryn Giordano is a dedicated musician and educator committed to cultivating a lifelong love of music through an accessible, creative, and holistic approach to music education. Hailing from Albany, NY, Kathryn’s passion for music was nurtured from an early age by her family, including her parents and siblings, who are all professional musicians and educators.
Kathryn holds a Master’s degree in Euphonium Performance from Carnegie Mellon University and currently performs with the Brooklyn Wind Symphony. She previously earned a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Montclair State University, where she developed a strong foundation in music pedagogy and participated in two international performance tours as a trombone and euphonium player.
As an educator, Kathryn has experience teaching young musicians across a range of disciplines, including piano, guitar, brass, and voice. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes the development of well-rounded, confident musicians through a balance of foundational skills and creative exploration. In addition to learning Western musical notation and technique, her students are encouraged to compose, songwrite, improvise, and engage with music in ways that foster curiosity, self-expression, and a deeper personal connection to their craft.
Louis Stringer
Louis Stringer is an internationally touring musician, composer and educator. Based in the United States, his sound can be found on dozens of albums across the full spectrum of genres. Louis has crafted an internationally diverse portfolio with artists from Africa, the USA, Europe, South America and Japan. Performance highlights include: Suceava Jazz Festival, Panama Jazz Festival, the EFG London Jazz Festival, A Love Supreme Festival and The Berklee Global Jazz Summit. Louis has had the opportunity to perform and record with artists such as Kenny Werner (author of the acclaimed "Effortless Mastery") Román Díaz, Tony Malaby (USA), Soweto Kinch and David Gilmore among many others.
Louis has spent almost 10 years teaching classes for piano, composition, music theory, harmony, and stringed instruments. He has served as an Ensemble Director for Boston Music Project and sectional leader for Tufts Youth Philharmonic as well as providing music lessons within public school districts. As an educator, he has spent his career teaching privately in the U.S. and abroad including masterclasses at both Oxford University (UK) and the Fundación Danilo Pérez. As a teacher, Louis believes in utilising students' own musical tastes to establish a strong foundation in technique and theory all while fostering a supportive environment where students can grow their own musical voice.
