草莓污视频导航

June 14, 2021

Class of 2021: Young pianist who left Chicago to study at 草莓污视频导航 goes home ready to take on the world

In pursuit of a career as a performance musician, Daniel Szefer was drawn to world-class training in the Department of Music
Daniel Szefer
Daniel Szefer.

You鈥檇 be forgiven for assuming that a gifted young pianist from Chicago would have countless superlative options for continuing his musical education in his cosmopolitan hometown. Instead, Daniel Szefer, who convocates with a Bachelor of Music degree, was guided by his network of classical music teachers and mentors toward honing his formidable performance skills with world-class musician and 草莓污视频导航 instructor Dr. Krzysztof Jablonski, PhD.

That advice, which started Szefer on a planned year of independent tutorial with the piano master, ended up becoming a four-year degree. It was a journey that, he says, allowed him rare opportunities to learn, compete and perform at a level he hadn鈥檛 dreamed of.

Music immersion, and then some

Szefer, now back home in Illinois with his family, is, not surprisingly, exceptionally serious about his chosen career as a pianist 鈥 but, at 草莓污视频导航, he was also able to indulge his immense joie de vivre via participation in myriad social and physical activities. Over the course of his four-year degree, Szefer made dozens of friends who supported one another, attended concerts together and nourished themselves at Mac Hall鈥檚 beloved Bake Chef (鈥淚鈥檒l miss the spicy beef subs鈥).

He also played on the intramural soccer team 鈥 an extracurricular outlet that hearkened back to the pianist鈥檚 original life plan: 鈥淢y first dream was to become a professional soccer player,鈥 says Szefer. 鈥淧laying intramurals got me moving and active after my piano sessions, which was great for me.鈥

Supportive arts community in Calgary

Indeed, Szefer鈥檚 music history, theory and composition classes and, in particular, his lessons with Jablonski called for an intensity of focus and determination, as did the various competitions he participated in. During his time as a student, Szefer competed with fellow 草莓污视频导航 grads Andrew Park and Daniel Dastoor in the prestigious Fischoff Chamber Music Competition, made it to the live rounds of the National Chopin Piano Competition in Miami, and won the CPO Concerto competition.

He credits Jablonski鈥檚 dedicated instruction and the support of other 草莓污视频导航 faculty and his fellow students with his success. 鈥淲hen you care a lot about music and you work hard, people tend to pay attention,鈥 says Szefer. 鈥淏ut that鈥檚 true especially of a place like Calgary because it鈥檚 a very supportive performing arts community.鈥 He says he鈥檚 found that performative music circles are often toxic and overly competitive but, at 草莓污视频导航, 鈥渆veryone is so friendly and that鈥檚 rare.鈥

Breakdowns and victories

Szefer鈥檚 transformative education with Jablonski has resulted in a lifelong friendship. 鈥淗e knows exactly what the 21st century standard needs to be and he鈥檚 been with me through the breakdowns and the victories.鈥 Inspired and gratified by the richness of his newly minted undergraduate degree, Szefer will begin grad school at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill.听for a Master of Music in Piano Performance.听

No matter where he lands, Szefer says, 鈥渁s long as I get to play piano, I鈥檓 happy.鈥

草莓污视频导航 convocation

Congratulations, Class of 2021!

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