Meet Adam Zukiewicz | Concert Pianist, Educator, Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Adam Zukiewicz and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Adam, how does your business help the community?
Through drawing on the inspirational values of the past we aim to inspire our local artists to fulfill their creative potentials and provide them with professional opportunities to present their talents and accomplishments in our communities. Through this we hope to inspire the next generations of musicians to fulfill their musical vocations and provide them with the necessary support to succeed in the fast-changing cultural and entertainment market.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am a classically trained concert pianist. I am also an Associate Professor of Piano at the University of Northern Colorado. I have been very fortunate to attend some of the most prestigious educational institutions and study with wonderful teachers, who shaped me as a musician. I think, growing up in Poland, I had always been drawn to music, especially classical music, which is an essential part of the culture. Since coming to take up a teaching position at the University of Northern Colorado in 2015 I became enchanted with the vibrant community of hard working and creative people settled in this region. Gradually, as I got to know the life of our community, I developed meaningful relationships with many members of the cultural community, who helped me understand the cultural life and traditions of Greeley and Northern Colorado areas.

This, in turn, has led to creation of the Beethoven in the Rockies: Concert Series. What was meant to be a one-time set of events celebrating 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birthday, received an unexpected amount of support and further interest in continuing this community-focused project. This fall we will have an honor of presenting the second season of this new project, which, essentially, is a platform for showcasing talents of the community to the community. We strive to provide excellent quality diverse performances at affordable costs to everyone.

We connect and collaborate with some of the most exciting orchestras and ensembles in our region, offering them an opportunity to perform at our Series, and exposing the audience in Greeley to these ensembles in a live-event setting.
This season we will have a tremendous pleasure to host the Colorado Piano Trio, Boulder Chamber Orchestra, Lakota Nation Traditional Music and Dance Ensemble, Greeley Chamber Orchestra, UNC Asian Mixed Ensemble, and Loveland Orchestra.

This is one of the projects that I have had a pleasure of organizing and participating in. I chose to discuss it because of its larger scope and complex nature. Working on this has been an incredible lesson in multitasking:

fundraising, organization, management, logistics, scheduling, etc. I would not have been able to overcome them without the support of family and trusted friends, whom I can rely on. I also remain incredibly grateful to many of my colleagues at UNC and our students, without whom this project would not happen. Eventually, I hope that this will not only provide them with professional performance opportunities, but develop their entrepreneurial skills and creativity.

I think that the goal of this project is to engage through art with as many communities as possible. I believe that fostering collaborations can help us develop healthy communities and interpersonal relationships.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I think this would depend on what my friends are into. One of them I know would visit with a plan to “conquer” all the 14k peaks in the mountains. I would join him for a few hikes for sure! For me, I love the mountains, and so spending a day of a weekend in the mountains is a must while hosting friends.

In addition to that, I think one of my favorite spots is Glenwood Springs, with the massive hot springs pool, which is just the best in the winter. It is definitely a place for me. If we were to go on on I-70 we would reach Grand Junction and the phenomenal parks of the area. It is a breathtaking scenery and monument of creation.

While in the mountains, you will find multiple charming small towns and villages, many of which are super famous for their skiing potential. Certainly something to visit and enjoy, either on the skis, or by foot (or snow boots).

Thinking of something closer to home, I do enjoy an excellent meal at Pellegrini’s Cucina Italiana in Greeley, and Bistro Nautile in Fort Collins. There are other wonderful places in both towns, and I would not hesitate to recommend most of them.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Members of the wonderful Northern Colorado communities, especially artist and entrepreneur Jim Klein, and Daniel Frantz, Founder and Music Director of the Greeley Chamber Orchestra.

Website: www.adamzukiewicz.com, www.beethovenintherockies.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=6844071

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/adamzki13/videos

Image Credits
Iris Zhang, Adamson Photography (headshot),