“A Bit About Me”
Ever since I was a little girl about the age of 9, I dreamt of being a pop star. I remember vividly laying on the floor in front of my parents’ fake fireplace, a piece of furniture that housed a radio , LP roundtable and cassette player on the inside right, a mini bar on the left and flames right in front. It was on that multi-colored living room carpet that I escaped into a fantasy land of my own dreams, singing along with Jim Croce, James Taylor, Barbra Streisand, Paul Anka, and I even sounded a darn good double of Cher and Karen Carpenter. At some point in my early teens, I decided it might be smart to find my own voice than keep copying others. “YES!” that’s it…find “MY” own voice
The summer after 5th grade I took guitar lessons from a nun, Sister F. who was visiting our church for a couple months. I never became an accomplished guitarist but what I did learn that summer I would carry with me the rest of my life. This friendly woman of faith and gentle demeanor, always wearing a smile, did way much more than teach me a few major and minor guitar chords. She stirred up my love for music in the direction of composing. She inspired me with the songs she wrote and encouraged me to find the words and notes within my heart and soul to write my own.
I had my very first piano lesson at age 6 from a gentleman who came to our home every week. I loved to play that Knabe, learning how to make the notes on the page turn into sounds. But oh how I hated being restricted to the pages of my music book. I could hear it all in my head; it was so easy…melodies, harmonies, solo lines and arrangements. Pretty crazy! The rebel musician within me became stronger as my piano skills matured.
While studying at The Peabody Institute of Music in Baltimore, MD, it killed me to practice! Don’t take me wrong, I loved the classical pieces especially when I was able to master them and play them by heart. But what I really loved doing more was “just improvise”. I was like a bird taking flight and feeling free. And when I truly accomplished the notes on the staved pages of those Classical Greats, I didn’t have to memorize any music – I just played it as if someone wrote the notes within me and they just poured out from my fingers. Inevitably, I began to compose more and more; songs that were pop, ethnic, folk, religious, soft rock, slightly country and even instrumental.
This musical journey brings me to where I am today with the release of my very first album, “Krysia”. I am grateful beyond words for all the sacrifices my parents made for me – for the music lessons at home, piano and voice lessons at Peabody, encouraging my studies in music, dad driving me (when I was still not of age) to concerts, mom baking her mouth-watering desserts to serve at the receptions post-concerts, for dancing with me in our living room every Sunday to the Polish Program tunes, for raising me in a home of love filled with music!
I AM FOREVER GRATEFUL to God for the wonderful, special, healing and exciting gift of music. Every note I sing and play is for His Glory! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to my dear family, friends and all who hold a special place in my life, you who have been constant and encouraged me and believed in me the entire journey – I LOVE YOU GUYS!
~ Krysia