Student Spotlight on Julianna Wira

This week's blog spotlight is turning from our fabulous faculty to LMC student pianist, Julianna Wira. Julianna is one of our many international campers that come to LMC and is from Wrocław, Poland.

Read what this fourteen-year-old has to say about her experience at Luzerne Music Center and her thoughts on music and piano!

Tell us a little about yourself: where are you from and what instrument do you play?

I'm from Wrocław, Poland. It is a capital of Lower Sielesia Voivodeship. I play the piano in professor Paweł Zawdzki’s class and am attending music junior high school named Karol Szymanowski in Wrocław.

How many summers have you come to LMC?

I've come to LMC for 2 times but I hope that I'll come there every summer.

Do you have a favorite classical composer? What about a favorite non-classical group/song/genre?

I don't really have a favorite composer because all of them are my favorite (actually Mendelssohn, Chopin, Mozart and Bach are my favorites). Besides classical music I don't really have time for listening to non-classical music but sometimes (rarely) when I'm preparing for test or doing homework, I listen some different playlists on Spotify.

You have attended both the Junior and Senior Session at LMC before, what are things you've enjoyed about each?

Both of them are fantastic!!! I could meet wonderful friends younger and older than me. In Senior Session we had a lot to do including special project for a concert in the last week, but it was really fun, and I could practice my sight reading.

What did you think of living in the Adirondack Mountains?

I think it is the best place to live. If I'll be a popular pianist, I'll move there and live close to my "second family and home"—Luzerne Music Center. The Adirondack Mountains are really beautiful place to live where everybody can have a good time working and meeting with friends and family.

How was it to perform at our Gala this summer? When I found out that I'd be playing in the Gala I probably started jumping and screaming because it was such a nice experience in my life. I was playing "The Sparks" by Moritz Moszkowski there. It is really demanding and fast piece to play and I was really excited to perform it in front of donators, teachers, alumni and especially in front of my idol—Elizabeth Pitcairn.

How did you feel coming to America for the summer? Was it different from being in Poland?

It was and it is still different from being in Poland. Every summer I was spending time at my parents’ house practicing new pieces for Polish piano masterclasses and sometimes I had little trips with family. I remember my first reaction for going to US for 2 months. I was so shocked and excited because it displayed to me how much I made in my life and that I can still make more. It was really big distinction for me. Coming to America is really exciting because I can meet with my friends, meet new friends and especially learn a lot of new pieces and skills.

What was your favorite part about LMC?

My favorite part about LMC is that I can practice a lot of piano skills and my English talking with wonderful people and friends. Another fantastic thing is that I have better relations with American society.