Urszula Rucka is an avid performer and educator in the DFW area. Coming to the U.S. from Poland in 2012, she made Texas her new home. She is a Doctoral Candidate in Music

Performance and a Teaching Fellow for the Division of Music History, Theory, and Ethnomusicology at the University of North Texas. Ms. Urszula holds a diploma from Frederic Chopin State Music School, where she studied with Prof. Joanna Maklakiewicz, Master of Music degree from UNT, and Bachelor of Music degree from Oklahoma City University. She has performed in the Witold Lutoslawski Concert Studio of Polish Radio, the Philharmonic Halls in and Bydgoszcz (Poland), and the Concert Studio of Czech Radio in Ostrava (Czech Republic). She enjoys working with contemporary composers and as a collaborative pianist in a chamber setting.

Ms. Urszula strives to equip her students with tools and skills to be a successful musician and performer by creating an exploration-based learning environment. She knows that pursuing the curiosity of the students is the best way to keep them engaged and focused. A well maintained balance between difficulty level and students’ abilities provides an exhilarating and fulfilling learning atmosphere. Her experience in music theory, which translates into a strong foundation of theoretical knowledge of her students, results in effective decision-making and informed performance. Urszula enjoys working with beginners, introducing them to inquisitive explorations of the musical world, as well as advanced students, traversing the interpretations and possibilities of the vast repertoire. In her pedagogical practice, Urszula expresses her passion, optimism, patience, and thoughtfulness. Through this approach, students build the confidence and creativity to maintain the motivation and engagement in learning.

In her spare time, Ms. Urszula likes to appreciate nature, spend time at a lake, and read a good book in a hammock.