Join us for an enchanting evening of St. John Paul II poetry and Polish classical music on March 21, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., in the University of St. Thomas-Houston Cullen Hall located at 4001 Mount Vernon Street, Houston, Texas. Immerse yourself in the sublime melodies performed by the dynamic Duo Dramatique, featuring the charismatic Dominika Dancewicz on violin and the talented composer and conductor Andrew Schneider on piano.

Duo Dramatique has been celebrated as a “force to be reckoned with,” offering concerts described as “passionate and transporting.” Soprano Kinga Skretkowicz-Ferguson will grace the stage as our guest singer, adding her remarkable voice to the evening’s repertoire.

Don’t miss the opportunity to experience the evocative poetry of St. John Paull II, beautifully read and reflected upon by UST English Professor Dr. Janet Lowery in English, and Małgorzata Bujak, MA in English Philology, will deliver the poetry in Polish.

More on the Performers

Dominika Dancewicz is a founder of the acclaimed violin and piano Duo Dramatique. Her performances have been described as “transporting and thought-provoking. She is an orchestra, ensemble, and chamber musician, who has performed on the word’s most prestigious concert stages. Currently a professor of violin at UST-Houston, Dancewicz is also a founding member of Axiom Quartet, a dynamic professional string quartet known for eclectic, ambitious chamber music programs.

Andrew Schneider is a “collaborative pianist, vocal coach, composer and conductor whose virtuosic technique and interpretative daring cemented his reputation as a fearless musician.” His collaborative body of work encompasses early music, standard operatic and art song repertoire, as well as contemporary music. He earned a B. Mus. in music composition from Rice University and performs as a church organist throughout the Houston area.

Kinga Skretkowicz-Ferguson, born in Poland and educated in France, serves as executive director of the Grammy-nominated Ars Lyrica Houston, an early music ensemble with an international reputation for its distinctive programming of music from the 17th and 18th centuries. Among her degrees, she holds an MBA from the University of Lyon and an MM and Performer’s Diploma in Voice from Indiana University.

Dr. Janet Lowery (reading in English) joined the faculty of UST-Houston in 1990. Her poetry has been published in several literary reviews and anthologies. She has published two chapbooks of poetry, “Thin Dimes,” and “The Pugilist’s Daughter” and one full collection of poetry based on women from Classical mythology called “Traffic in Women.” Her trilogy of plays, “TRAFFIC IN WOMEN I, II, II,” was produced 2006-2008 on the UST campus. Her play, “A Heroine-Free Summer,” was produced in Houston by Mildred’s Umbrella Theatre Company in 2017. She recently edited “By the Light of a Neon Moon,” a collection of poetry out of the country western dance tradition, and her fifth play called “Midwinter at the Dancehall,” is based on “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

Małgorzata Bujak, MA, is a graduate of English Philology at John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Poland, with a specialty in English-Polish contrastive linguistics. She teaches Basic and Intermediate Polish at UST’s SJPII Institute. Małgorzata is an experienced and creative classroom instructor, who has been teaching Polish as a foreign and second language for more than a decade.

With Gratitude to the Consulate General of Poland

We extend our sincere thanks to the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Houston for making this transformative event possible in part by a generous grant. The evening is free and open to the public, but for those who wish to contribute, a $20 suggested donation is welcome and will go towards cover remaining expenses for the event. Join us for an unforgettable celebration of culture, poetry and music. Please register for the event here. For questions, kindly contact emilia.piechota@stthom.edu