Western New York - News Releases

News Release, February 12, 2010

The Western New York Chapter of the Kosciuszko Foundation is pleased to announce, in cooperation with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, a concert featuring pianist Berenika Zakrzewski.  The concert will be the signature event for Western New York's celebration of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Frederick Chopin.  Berenika will perform Chopin's Piano Concert #2, and additional pieces by Szymanowski, Karlowicz and Lutoslawski will be performed by the BPO under the baton of Maestro JoAnn Falletta.  The concert is scheduled for October 23 & 24, 2010 at the historic and world renowned Kleinhans Music Hall.  A private reception with Maestro Falletta, Berenika and the BPO will be hosted by the WNY Chapter of the Kosciuszko Foundation.  Tickets will be available through the WNY Chapter of the Kosciuszko Foundation and at the Kleinhans Box Office. 

Berenika's performances have taken her all over the world.  She has appeared with the Pittsburgh Symphony and Asheville Symphony under Daniel Meyer, with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra under Jukka Pekka Saraste, the National Arts Centre Orchestra of Canada under Erich Kunzel, the Penderecki Festival Orchestra under Heinrich Schiff, the Boston Civic Symphony under Max Hobart in Jordan Hall, the Oxford Philomusica, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, the RIC Symphony Orchestra, the Bialystock Philharmonic, Sinfonia Varsovia, Camerata New York, the Poznan Philharmonic, the Canadian Chamber Orchestra, the Christ Church Orchestra, the Beethoven Academy Orchestra and the Aspen Sinfonia among others. She has given a tour of South America as a soloist with the Youth Orchestra of the Americas performing in the major concert halls of Brazil, Panama, Peru, Uruguay, Costa Rica, and Argentina, including the Teatro Colon, Buenos Aires for enthusiastic audiences. She also performed at Rock hotel Piano fest in New York and in the Allen Room, Jazz at Lincoln Center and at the Wigmore Hall, London.

Berenika attended Professional Children's School in New York as well as the Juilliard School of Music. Upon finishing high school she went to Harvard University where she was the recipient of the Leonard Bernstein Scholarship. She graduated magna cum laude in both Music and Government. She then pursued her Masters degree at Christ Church, Oxford University and then her post-graduate diploma at the Royal Academy of Music, London.

Berenkia's website is located at http://www.berenikaonline.com/