About
Currently based in Southwest Austin, Ms. Froncek enjoys a multi-faceted career as a performing artist, chamber musician, and teacher. She currently maintains a full studio in Austin, TX, is a founding member of the Three Corners Trio, is the pianist faculty in residence at the Mt. Blanca Summer Music Conservatory in Alameda, Colorado, and is the founder and Artistic Director of the Dripping Springs Concert Series. Last seasons performances included trio recitals at San Jacinto College, Temple Center for Performing Arts, solo recitals in San Antonio and Austin, and performances in Colorado at Colorado College and Adams State University. A contemporary music specialist, Ms. Froncek prefers more obscure repertoire, or the Baroque period and post-1850. Specialities include Dutilleux, Rautavaara, Rachmaninoff, Brahms, and Liszt.
Ms. Froncek has spent the past two years researching and studying in Belgium. She received a fellowship from the Belgian American Educational Foundation and was also a finalist for the Fulbright study/research grant. Her research included the study of solo piano music of Flemish Romantic and Contemporary composers from Peter Benoit to Wim Hendrickx, as well as the standard repertory, as well as a survey of teaching methods and institutions for pre-college students in Belgium. Ms. Froncek’s recital appearances in Belgium included Project Sarmila’s Benefit Recital in Hasselt, an Aperitiefconcert with cellist Margot Joubard in Leuven, at a Thanksgiving Day Recital, (featuring pumpkin pie, because it’s not common in Europe) at the Muziekacademie in Mortsel, and in Antwerp at the Blauwe Zaal in Desingel. Her favorite was the benefit recital for the Nepalese earthquake relief effort for Project Sarmila. Her time in Belgium also included solo and chamber performances throughout Europe.
Ms. Froncek holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Baylor University in piano performance, and as part of her research, a post-graduate diploma from the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp. Her teachers include James Williams, Jane Abbott-Kirk, and Levente Kende. She has played in masterclasses with Richard Goode, Steven Osborne, Till Fellner, Pavlina Dokovska, Dang Thai Son, Craig Nies, and Norman Krieger. In 2010, she was elected to Pi Kappa Lambda, the national music honor society. She also attended Brevard Music Festival in 2009 and 2012, and PianoSummer in New Paltz, NY in 2010 and was coached by Vladimir Feltsman, Alexander Korsantia, Philip Kawin, Susan Starr, and Robert Hamilton.
This summer, she will be returning to Europe, and she will be stopping in Belgium to restock her chocolate supply.