Daniel Szefer

Age: 21

Hometown: Winnetka, IL

School/Teacher: University of Calgary (Canada)/Krzysztof Jablonski

Daniel Szefer had his first piano lesson at the age of seven and was introduced to the public in Miami, Florida by the Chopin Foundation of the United States when he was ten. Szefer was one of eight international students invited to study at the Sergei Babayan Academy at the Cleveland Institute of Music in 2012. The same year, he gave a solo concert at the Chicago Symphony Center. He had his orchestral debut with the Oistrach Symphony Orchestra conducted by Mina Zikri at the age of 13 and concertized with the orchestra for the next three years. He would have his Chicago Symphony Center orchestral debut in November 2015. In June 2016, he was a top prize winner at the Arthur Fraser International Piano Competition. Soon after, he moved to Calgary to pursue studies with Krzystof Jablonski at the University of Calgary. While in Calgary, he was a finalist and prize-winner at the Prix Orford Musique and the winner of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra Concerto Competition. An active chamber musician, he is a member of the Walden Trio, a piano trio formed in Calgary, Alberta. They have performed throughout Canada, the United States, Mexico, and Norway.

Repertoire

Round 1

Etude in C Major, Op. 10, No. 1 (Paderewski)

Etude in A minor, Op. 10, No. 2 (Paderewski)

Nocturne in C minor, Op. 48, No. 1 (Ekier)

Ballade No. 4 in F minor, Op. 52 (Ekier)

Round 2

Polonaise-Fantasy in A-flat Major, Op. 61 (Paderewski)

Waltz in A-flat Major, Op.64, No. 3 (Paderewski)

Andante spianato et Grande Polonaise brillante, Op. 22 (Paderewski)

Berceuse in D-flat Major, Op. 57 (Paderewski)

Round 3

Sonata in B minor, Op. 58 (Paderewski)

Mazurkas, Op.59 (Paderewski)

Nocturne in F-sharp minor, O.48, No.2 (Paderewski)

Round 4

Piano Concerto in F minor, Op. 21 (Paderewski)