Justyna Szajna

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Pianist Justyna Szajna was born in Wroclaw, Poland, where her musical studies began with the acceptance into the Karol Szymanowski School for Gifted Children studying piano at age seven.  Although piano was always the primary instrument, she also studied the cello and voice.  In 1987, her family was able to immigrate to Germany, where Justyna was accepted into the studio of Dr. Vilija Jung while being enrolled at the Bergische Musikhochschule in Wuppertal.  She was soon participating in competitions throughout Germany, highlighted by a 1^st prize at the National Jugend Musiziert Competition.

             In 1990, Justyna arrived in Canada, settling in Kitchener-Waterloo where she had the opportunity to study piano with Garth Beckett.  After moving to Toronto, she obtained a Bachelor of Music Performance at the University of Toronto under the tutelage of Boris Lysenko in applied piano, and Marietta Orlov, William Aide and Lorand Fenyves in chamber music.    Her studies continued with an Artist Diploma in Chamber Music from Wilfrid Laurier University studying with Anya Alexeyev and the Penderecki String Quartet.  She then obtained a Masters degree in Collaborative Piano Performance from the University of Western Ontario, studying with John Hess.  Other teachers of influence include Leslie Kinton and Dr. Kenneth G. Mills.

            Centered in Ontario, Justyna has had great success as a collaborative artist performing in many different venues.  She is a frequent pianist for the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Orchestra performing at the Centre in the Square and a regular performer at the K-W Chamber Music Society and the Maureen Forrester Recital Hall.  Justyna has also been featured at the Von Kuster Recital Hall–London, River Run Centre-Guelph, Isabel Bader Theatre-Toronto, and has participated in the Festival of the Sound-Parry Sound and Huntsville Festival of the Arts.

            Justyna maintains a busy studio of piano students, many of whom excel in festivals and RCM examinations.  She also accompanies the Grand Philharmonic Children’s Choir and the Addison Women`s Choir in Cambridge, and is in demand as an accompanist for students performing in festivals, competitions, recitals and exams held in Guelph, K-W, London, Stratford, Brantford, Milton and Toronto.

            Aside from a busy life in music, Justyna finds time to enjoy taking care of her two dogs and cat, as well as gardening, yoga, golf and photography.