Nina Drath was born in Katowice, Poland and began her piano studes at age three. She gave her first recital at age nine. She received her Master's degree in piano performance from the Academy of Music in Warsaw. She has concertized extensively throughout Europe and the United States. She is president of the Fryderyk Chopin Society of Texas. Dr. Drath was a prize winner in both the Paloma O'Shea International Piano Competition in Spain in 1976, and the International Piano Competition in Sengallia, Italy in 1979, and won a Polish piano competition in Slupsk in 1979. During 1994-2000, she performed and gave Master Classes in Italy, Poland, Holland, Belgium, France, Mexico, Spain and the USA. She has given concerts in the United States, Mexico and Europe, including a performance with the Warsaw Radio Symphony, Krakow Symphony and Arthur Rubenstein Philharmonic Orchestra in Lodz, Poland. She has recorded digitally several compositions by Fryderyk Chopin, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Peter Petroff. The Petroff Piano Concerto is dedicated to her and she performed it in Krakow in 1992 and again in Waco, TX.
Wojciech Czepiel was born in 1959 in Nowy Targ, Poland. He began violin studies at the age of 5 with his father. His instructors have included Antoni Cofalik and Kaja Danczowaka. He studied conducting at the Academy of Music in Krakow with Professor Krzysztof Missona. He then became the assistant conductor and concertmaster of the Krakow Philharmonic. He next was appointed the artistic director of the Baltycka Philharmonic in Gdansk and the conductor of the Chamber Opera in Warsaw. In 1990 he became the second conductor of the Lodz Philharmonic and the next year the vice director of the Polish Radio Orchestra in Warsaw. He has concertized through Poland aw well as at the La Scala and in Cannes. He has recorded for Europa Music as well as the esteemed Polmusic. In addition to being an accomplished conductor he is a composer as well.
Dr. Petroff was born in Memphis, TN, and grew up in Chicago, receiving his early training in piano at the Sherwood Music School. He then completed college at De Paul University and Medicine at the University of Illinois. After several years establishing a busy medical practice in San Antonio and teaching at the Texas State University in San Marcos, he returned to music composition. His piano concerto received its debut in Krakow, Poland, in 1992 and was performed again in Waco, Texas. Nina Drath was the pianist with Wojcek Czepiel conducting at all the performances. Later that year, Musicopia of San Antonio performed his piano quintet. He has also given several charity concerts of his music in San Antonio as well. Several piano compositions have been published by Vivace Press and RBC Music. He still practices medicine, teaches, writes music and performs regularly.
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