Artistic Director, Founder
Polish-American pianist, Dr. Ivona Kaminska is among the most recognized artist-teachers of today. Having performed in the most prestigious concert halls in the USA and Europe, such as Salle Cortot, Paris and Carnegie Hall, NYC, Dr Kaminska enjoys her career as a teacher of gifted and ambitious students. Every years her pupils garner dozens of top prizes in local and international competitions and themselves regularly debut on the stage of Carnegie Hall, NYC and Benaroya Hall, Seattle, among many others. Dr Kaminska emphasizes healthy and correct technique from the earliest stages of training, combining this approach with a strong interest in music and fun group classes. She invites ambitious and hard-working students to her studio that aim to prepare for high-level concerts and competitions.
Combining the best of the Eastern European tradition of piano education with modern American pedagogy, Dr Kaminska focuses on strong technical training and developing deep understanding of historical styles. Dr Kaminska excels in preparing young pianists for success and recognition, and she specializes in ambitious students who exhibit a solid work ethic and deep passion for music. She is adored by pupils for her limitless devotion, support, passion, as well as straightforwardness and sense of humor. Passionate about piano teaching, she created Clara’s Piano Corner, a YouTube channel providing insightful performances, commentary, and top-view videos with scores.
Dr. Ivona Kaminska is a president of the Seattle International Piano Competition and Festival, and the artistic director and co-founder of the Chopin Academy of Music. During the spring of 2019, Dr. Kaminska was bestowed the prize for the most outstanding person of Polish origin in the area of culture on the West Coast by the committee “Teraz Polska” at the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Los Angeles, California.
Internationally educated, Dr Kaminska holds the highest possible level of pianistic education with four graduate-level degrees from three countries: Poland, Canada and USA: a Masters of Arts Degree from the prestigious Chopin University in Warsaw, Poland as well as the Post-Graduate Artist Performance Diploma from the same institution, Masters of Music Degree from the University of Nebraska, and Doctorate in Piano Performance from the University of British Columbia, Canada. She has also studied at the Mozarteum Festival in Salzburg as well as Schleswig-Holstein Festival in Lübeck, Germany. Her most influential teachers were Tatiana Shebanova, Boris Bloch, Andrzej Stefanski, Henri Paul Sicsic, James Cook and Marek Jablonsky.
Aside from teaching at the Chopin Academy of Music, Dr. Kaminska worked as an instructor in the University of British Columbia, Shoreline College in Seattle and Cornish College of the Arts. She has been also invited to teach in the Tsar’s Village Festival in St Petersburg (2013), University of Southern Oregon, Cornish College Piano Institute, and Barcelona Piano Academy in Spain, and Amici International Music Festival in Malibu, California. She enjoys a vibrant performing career as a duo pianist with her husband, Dr. Christopher Bowlby. The duo performed in several countries, including Italy, France, Spain and Poland, aside from regular concerts in the USA.
Current openings: none.
Do you wish to contact this instructor directly? ivona@chopinacademy.com
Additional Languages Spoken: Polish, German, Russian
