ABOUT
Praised by the Los Angeles Opus for his “liquid sensitivity” and “formidable power” as a soloist, and for his “discreet exactitude” as a collaborative pianist, the inspiration for Łukasz’s pianism can perhaps best be traced to his experiences of the thunderous power of a twelve foot wave, or the sensuous delicacy of a desert sunset.
Grand Prize Winner of the Landsum International Music Festival, Lukasz is a top prizewinner of the Beverly Hills National Auditions, Claudette Sorel International Piano Competition in Fredonia, New York, Classics Alive National Auditions, The Kosciusko Foundations National Chopin Competition in Washington D.C, The International Chopin Competition in Hartford, Connecticut, Glendale Piano Competition, MTAC, MTNA, CAPMT State Finals, and the statewide Kathryn Gawartin Chopin Competition.
Lukasz has toured extensively on both coasts of the United States, Europe and Puerto Rico, in venues that include Zipper Hall of the Colburn School of Music, the Polish Embassy in Washington DC, the Kosciuszko Foundation’s headquarters in NYC, the Steinway Society of Puerto Rico, the Dzialynski Palace and White Hall of Poznan, Poland, as well as Zelazowa Wola, Chopin's birthplace.
2022-2023 highlights include performances in the “Music at a Mansion” Concert Series at the Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills, top prizes in the Antelope Valley and UCLA All Stars Concerto competition, and most recently a mini tour of the west with UCLA Professor and internationally renowned actor Marek Probosz, with whom he performed the Los Angeles and Seattle premieres of the award-winning show “Norvid’s Return” at the Odyssey Theatre here in LA and Polish Cultural center in Seattle, with summer highlights including further performances in Zielona Gora as well as Zamosc, Poland, where he performed a solo concert as part of the Rzeka En Foundation.
Earlier in 2020-21 Lukasz embarked on a whirlwind tour of Southern California, performing on the Noontime Concert Series at Los Angeles City College, the Modrzejewska Club Evening Concerts, The Music by the Sea Concert Series in Encinitas, and the Interludes Concert Series in Torrance, Stan Harris Music Parlor, as well as the Classical Encounters Concert Series in Orange County.
He has recorded for Polish Radio and Television, and been featured in the Polish and American Press.
In addition to piano, Lukasz is a fashion model, currently represented in Southern California by Otto Modeling Agency. Recent work includes cover features and publications for Volant Magazine, as well as numerous shoots ranging from high end jewelry brands to Disney. His portfolio can be found on his website.
In between of his musical and modeling endeavors, Lukasz surfs as much as possible. He’s surfed twelve foot Manhattan beach, cracked three surfboards, stepped on five stingrays, seen ten turtles, and around five hundred dolphins. He’s hiked the Sierra Nevadas, off-roaded in Death Valley, rockclimbed Joshua Tree, got assaulted by monkeys in the Burmese jungle, and surfed everywhere from Mainland Mexico to Italy.
Lukasz is currently studying at the UCLA Herp Alpert School of Music on a full scholarship, under the tutelage Professor Inna Faliks, Chair of the Piano Department. He continues to be mentored by his mother, Roza Kostrzewska Yoder, as well as American Pianist Garrick Ohlsson.
Lukasz had a unique upbringing. He grew up homeschooled, and his mother taught him piano until college and teaches his two younger brothers. He documents his pianistic and modeling career, as well as random adventures on his Instagram, where he can be found as @lukasz_yoder
