Bio

Throughout his career in Poland and in the United States Andrzej has explored eclecticism and versatility in his approach to education gaining a position of classically trained musician, jazz performer and manger. Born in Krasnystaw in 1981 Andrzej showed an early musical talent and was accepted at the W. Lutoslawski Elementary Music School in his hometown. After studying piano for one year he switched to percussion to the class of Andrzej Pietrzniak and continued his training from 1993 to 1997. Through the recommendation of his teacher Andrzej went to K. Szymanowski Music Highschool  in Zamosc-class of Jan Bednarz, where between 1997-2002 he received a solid music education that led the young student to enter Frederic Chopin University in Warsaw in 2002. Under the guidance of Prof. Stanislaw Skoczynski and Prof. Edward Iwicki Andrzej was able to benefit from the classical percussion training and in 2007 was awarded Master of Art Degree. Being very interested in different educational methods Andrzej completed his thesis about Moeller Drum Technique and attended different masterclasses of Cezary Konrad, Victor Mendoza, Bernard Maseli, Katarzyna Mycka, Markus Linke and Steve Fitsch as well as took individual lessons from Marcin Jahr, Christian Salfellner, Cezary Konrad and Hans-Jochen Urlich. Within his studies the young artist had a chance to participate in several International Music Festivals: Percussion Festival, Kalisz 2000, International Jazz Workshop, Pulawy 2000, National Jazz Workshop, Pultusk 2001, Fourth International Percussion Forum, Zagan 2002, Festival Junger Kunstler, Bayreuth 2003 and Deutsch-Skandinavische Jugend Philharmonie, Berlin 2004. As an orchestral instrumentalist Andrzej had chance to play in the  Polish Radio Orchestra, Frederic Chopin Academic Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonia Viva and K&K Philharmoniker. He played and recorded under the baton of the following conductors: Jerzy Maksymiuk, Wojciech Rajski, Krzesimir Debski, Tadeusz Wicherek, Tadeusz Wojciechowski, Pedro Halfter, Andreas Peer Kahler and Matthias Kendlinger. The artist performed in Poland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Monaco, Lithuania and the United States. During the 2002-2003 Andrzej attended Goethe Institut Inter Nationes in Warsaw and received the International Certificate.
In 2007 Andrzej applied to Berklee College of Music in Boston and got invitation to participate in the World Scholarship Tour in Dublin, Ireland. This trip led him to the succesfull admission at the famous school of jazz & contemporary music- Berklee College of Music Drums Department and was awarded partial scholarship. His teachers were Prof. Richard Considine, Neal Smith, Kim Plainfield, Jon Hazilla and others. Additionally Andrzej was very fortunate to meet such famous masters like Joe Morello, John Riley, Antonio Sanchez, Dave Weckl, Vinnie Colaiuta who influenced him and enriched his personality. Currently he  teaches privately, plays concerts&gigs and regularly consults different Music Schools in his field.