The Classical Piano Salon - Inaugural Concert

The Kosciuszko Foundation is pleased to host the Classical Piano Salon Inaugural Concert, a new artistic initiative created and led by Polish pianists Elżbieta Bilicka and Mateusz Mikołajczak.

Inspired by the 19th-century salon tradition, the Classical Piano Salon offers intimate concerts that bring audiences closer to classical music in a welcoming atmosphere. The series connects rising young artists with established performers while supporting talented students—particularly those with disabilities and those facing financial barriers to artistic education. Performances are complemented by masterclasses and opportunities for artistic exchange.

Program Highlights

The April 8 program will open with a performance by Elsie Lu, an undergraduate student at The Juilliard School. Her recital will begin with Frédéric Chopin’s Ballade in F major and conclude with two Moments musicaux by Sergei Rachmaninoff.

Following her performance, audiences will be invited behind the scenes of the pianist’s craft during a short demonstration masterclass led by the evening’s featured guest artist, Nicolas Namoradze—winner of the Honens International Piano Competition and faculty member at Juilliard and CUNY. Namoradze will work with thirteen-year-old Haowen Deng, a student of the Filomen M. D’Agostino Greenberg Music School for individuals with visual impairments.

The evening will conclude with a solo recital by Nicolas Namoradze featuring Ludwig van Beethoven’s Sonata in F major, Op. 54 and the Grosse Fuge, Op. 133, presented in the artist’s own virtuosic arrangement.

The project is organized by internationally active pianists and educators Elżbieta Bilicka and Mateusz Mikołajczak, prizewinners of numerous piano competitions. Bilicka is a graduate of music universities in Bydgoszcz, the Haute École de Musique in Geneva, and the Manhattan School of Music, and is currently completing doctoral studies at CUNY. Mikołajczak is a graduate of the Academy of Music in Wroclaw, the Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía in Madrid, and the Juilliard School, where he is finalizing his Artist Diploma. Both artists are deeply committed to mentoring the next generation of musicians.

The Kosciuszko Foundation is pleased to provide a welcoming space for this inspiring initiative and to support the vibrant exchange between artists and audiences that the Polish Classical Salon seeks to cultivate.

ABOUT THE PERFORMERS:

Passionate about connecting audiences to both timeless and new music, Elsie Lu has performed with orchestras including the Bellevue Symphony, Bruensis Virtuosi, Orchestra of MusicFest Perugia, and Philharmonia Northwest, appearing in venues from Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie to Van Cliburn Concert Hall, Queen Elizabeth Playhouse, Seattle Town Hall, and Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center. She has received top prizes in competitions such as the Canimex Canadian Music Competition, the Canada West Performing Arts Festival, the Steinway Canada Young Artist Competition, the 6th NW International Piano Ensemble Competition, the Arthur Fraser International Piano Competition, the Chicago International Music Competition, and the 50th SYAMFA concerto competition.

As an advocate for new music, Elsie is committed to performing works by both underrepresented composers and prominent contemporary figures. In 2025, she had the opportunity to work closely with acclaimed composer Meredith Monk to prepare her piano four-hands repertoire and a vocal chant, culminating in a performance at Zankel Hall. Elsie is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Music at the Juilliard School under the tutelage of Soyeon Kate Lee, having previously studied with Sasha Starcevich and Rada Bukhman.

Haowen Deng, age 13, is a pianist from New York City. He has studied classical piano since 2018 and currently studies with Jennifer Apsel at the Filomen M. D'Agostino Greenberg Music School, which is dedicated to students who are blind or visually impaired. Haowen has performed at many venues, including Symphony Space, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and The Explorers Club, and has won awards in the Bella Music Foundation Competition and the International Piano Star Competition. Haowen creates his own podcast, called Blind Kid’s Life, and is also an active composer, specializing in avant-garde and experimental music.

NICOLAS NAMRORADZE is a visionary pianist and composer known for his innovative artistry. He came to international attention in 2018 upon winning the triennial Honens International Piano Competition in Calgary, Canada, and has since garnered international acclaim for his performances and recordings. A Musical America New Artist, BBC Music Magazine Rising Star, and Gramophone One to Watch, he was bestowed the Pianist of the Year Award by the UK Critics’ Circle in 2022.

His often sold-out recitals around the globe have been met with critical praise, and recent album releases have received extraordinary accolades, including the Choc de Classica, Record of the Month in Limelight, Instrumental Disc of the Month in BBC Music Magazine, Editor’s Choice in Gramophone, Editor’s Choice in Presto Classical and Critics’ Choice in International Piano, as well as a first-place debut in the UK charts for classical instrumental albums. Now an exclusive Ondine recording artist, his first album with the label will be released in 2026. MORE

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher The Kosciuszko Foundation