Country of origin: Poland
Age group: 23-25
Reason for going abroad: Study Piano Performance
Travel destination: Vancouver, Canada
Grant: Spring 2017
I’m Lukas, a pianist from Poland, studying piano performance in Vancouver, Canada.
Why Vancouver? First and foremost, Vancouver is home to one of the greatest musicians in the world - professor Lee Kum Sing. He accepted me as one of his students at the Vancouver Academy of Music.
An opportunity to work with Lee Kum Sing is something remarkable in my life as a pianist. And secondly, because Vancouver is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. It is a place where the ocean meets mountains. As an artist, I perceive this landscape as incredibly inspiring.
My original polish name is Łukasz Mikołajczyk. I grew up in Katowice, Poland, where I also studied my entire Bachelor and Master’s Degrees. However, after my graduation in 2017, I didn’t feel complete yet and decided to continue my education. In Vancouver, Canada.
It has always been my goal as a musician, to interpret every music piece in the closest way to the original composer's idea. During my performances, I want to share the feelings and emotions of music with my audience. Though, I believe that talent is only a tiny part of the huge work that a musician needs to invest to become a professional concert pianist. I consequently practice 3-4 hours per day to keep my repertoire in the best condition.
A month after my arrival in Vancouver, I won the International Music Competition, the first large-scale international music competition in Vancouver and the province of British Columbia. Organized to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of Canada, the competition accepted 300 competitors from all over the world. Winning the price was an incredible door opener for me and I got many opportunities to perform. Probably the most exciting one, was my tour in China. I visited and performed in four cities: Shanghai, Shenzhen, Wuhan and Yichang. It was my first time in China and I met a ton of inspiring and interesting new people. I experienced the Chinese culture with its tall skyscrapers, crowded streets and fast trains as fascinating, fast moving, modern and ancient historic at the same time.
A couple of days ago, I finally got back to Vancouver, but won’t stay here for long. My next stop is Chicago, Illinois to play concert at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Which country will be next? I don’t know yet, but I am more than excited to find out.
Lukas
