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Karen Szczech Master’s Violin Recital

Karen Szczech, violin
Changyue Liu, piano

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Program 

Violin Sonata No. 26 B-flat Major, K 378     Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Allegro moderato
Andantino sostenuto e cantabile
Rondeau. Allegro

Solo Violin Sonata No. 2        Grażyna Bacewicz (1909-1969)
Adagio
Allegro
Adagio

Rhapsody No. 1 for Violin and Piano      Béla Bartók (1881-1945)
Lassú. Moderato
Friss. Allegretto moderato

Sonata for Piano and Violin, A Major Op. 100      Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
Allegro amabile
Andante tranquillo
Allegretto grazioso

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Violinist Karen Szczech is a first generation Polish-American from Chicago, Illinois. In Spring of 2021, she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Music Violin Performance studying with Lenora Marya-Anop, and a Minor in Psychology while also completing her Suzuki training in Books 1 through 6 with Vera McCoy-Sulentic at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Violin Performance at the University of Wisconsin-Madison studying under Dr. Dawn Wohn. Prior to her university studies, Karen graduated from The Chicago Academy for the Arts in 2017 studying violin under Rachel Brown while studying composition and film-scoring with Jesse Langen.

As a violinist and composer, Karen has premiered and performed works in multiple festivals such as: Darmstadt New Music Festival in Darmstadt, Germany; Omaha Under the Radar in Omaha, Nebraska; Ear Taxi Festival and Chicago Trio Workshop in Chicago, Illinois; Eastern Music Festival in Greensboro, Nebraska; and Emerald Coast Chamber Music Festival in Florida.

Karen is the co-founder, violinist, and violin instructor at Magical Keys. Magical Keys is a duet, private teaching studio, and non-profit organization that is run with her older sister who is a pianist, harpist, vocalist, and composer, Kasia Szczech-Dlugosz. As a duet they play at special occasions within the Chicago area, such as weddings, cooperate events, and other large celebrations. As a private teaching studio, they teach children of all ages and provide them with music education not only on their instruments but in music theory and history. Lastly, as a non-profit organization, a large-scale production is put together by musicians within the Chicago area called, The Magical Keys Christmas Extravaganza. The Magical Keys Christmas Extravaganza is a Christmas show including musicians from all different backgrounds and experiences that come together to create a magical night to help those in need during the holidays. Every year Magical Keys sponsors the organization “Dom Samotnej Matki”, “House of the Lonely Mother”, and all ticket proceeds from The Magical Keys Christmas Extravaganza go to this home for single mothers in need.