Born in Cape Town, South Africa, of Czech and Polish descent and US nationality, he began his musical training in Brazil with his parents, Suzanne and Jacques von Frasunkiewicz, studying violin at six and piano at eight. His teachers include Ruth Slenczynska (pupil of Serguei Rachmaninoff, Josef Hofmann, Alfred Cortot, Arthur Schnabel, Egon Petri, and Nadia Boulanger) at Southern Illinois University, Valeri Grokhovski and Viatcheslav Gabrielov from the Gnesin Institute in Moscow, Ney Salgado at the University of Brasilia, Brazil, Boaz Sharon, professor at Boston University, and Nelson Delle Vigne, at the Ecole Normale de Musique, Paris.
He has been awarded numerous national and international top awards and prizes since 1987 (at the age of 13 at a National Piano Competition in São Paulo, Brazil). In 1992 he was the only pianist to win the Campos do Jordão Winter Music Festival Competition at Campos do Jordão, Sao Paulo, performing the Liszt’s 1st Concerto with the festival’s orchestra, under the baton of Julio Medaglia. In 1997, he was a top winner of the Guiomar Novaes International piano competition, also in São Paulo. In 1999 he was one of two top winners in Brazil’s Semi-International Chopin Competition, commemorating the composer’s 150th year since his death. The following year, after winning first prize at the Pianarte – Pro-Arte National Competition and the Nise Obino trophy in Brasilia, Brazil, he appeared upon Nelson Freire´s request, with the National Theatre Orchestra of Brasilia at the first concert of the National Theatre Series. The same year he was a top winner of the Bach National Competition in Niteroi – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Year after, year, victories followed.
He has received various scholarships, including from the National Society of Arts and Letters and the University of Florida, where he received his master’s in music (2003), to participate at International Masterclasses in Paris and Prague, and the prestigious Artists Certificate International Program held at the Ecole Normale de Musique, Paris and at the Fondation Bell Arte in Braine L´alleud, Belgium.
He has performed extensively to great public acclaim in Brazil. His performances have often effected profound impressions as well as even unusual and wildly enthusiastic reactions on the part of audiences. Besides appearing about a dozen times at Brasilia’s FM Radio, he has recorded for Brazil´s most prestigious classical station, Radio MEC, and televised recital/concerto performances on the National TVA and Supren channels. He also performed in various countries in Europe, Israel, and in the US – at Steinway Galleries and Festivals, Liszt Festivals, at various venues such as at the Kennedy Center (where he shared the stage with Ann Schein), and recitals such as at the Phillips Collection, in Washington-DC. More recent noteworthy engagements have occurred at the reception ceremony of the president of the European Union, the 50th anniversary of Brasília, Embassies, Palacio das Belas Artes in Belo Horizonte, and a full house standing ovation concerto performance with Brasília’s National Theater Symphony Orchestra.
He has been a piano professor at the University of Florida, University of Brasilia, and at his family’s International School, Affinity Arts, in Brasilia.
Some appreciations and reviews:
“Andre is endowed with a singular musical sensibility and power of communication, besides a solid pianistic foundation…In my opinion he possesses all the qualities necessary to become a great pianist.”- Nelson Freire, 1999
“…I have witnessed his great talent and extreme sensibility…his excellent technique and great interpretative capacity…” Prof. Andrzej Pikul, vice-dean of the Academy of Music of Cracow, Poland, 1999
“I was quite touched by his musical sensibility and personality…I wish him a great future in his career.” – Nelson Freire, 2000
“Executing with extreme ability technically complex pieces, the young pianist Andre Karel wins first in the First National Pianarte Competition and confirms supremacy…”. A member of the jury and International Competition winner, Alda Mattos, said, “he plays like a great pianist”. From the Correio Braziliense Newspaper – Article entitled “Talent rigorously tuned”, 2000
In October 2001, he has received the following review concerning one of his performances in the U.S.: Frasunkiewicz´s recent performance of Mussorgsky´s Pictures at an Exhibition at the University of Central Florida was greeted with tumultuous applause by an audience amazed at his authoritative musical insight, interpretive sensitivity, effortless technical expertise and fiery virtuosity. He performed on that occasion for no less a pianist than Julliard faculty member Gyorgy Sandor – former student and leading interpreter of Bartok and author of the book “On Piano Playing” – who cited Mr. Frasunkiewicz´s performance as “an outstanding and beautiful interpretation”.
“I want to thank you for your excellent performances of the Wagner/Liszt transcriptions and the Gondoliera and Canzona. It was very generous of you to prepare this difficult literature on short notice…” words from letter of Thomas Mastroianni (President of the American Liszt Society), June 2002
“First class…” Mark Carrington (Ex “Critic” of the Washington Post and Diretor of the Phillips Collection Recital Series), Washington DC, 2003
“…I know his playing to be of very high pianistic standards…” Nelson Delle-Vigne Fabri (Professor of Piano at the Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris – Alfred Cortot; Artistic Director, Paris International Piano Sessions)
“…arrancou aplausos animadíssimos da plateia…” ( “ripped extremely excited applause from the audience”) Mariana Fagundes (no seu artigo “Músicos no Palco Cássia Eller”, Brasília 21 de Abril 2010)
You can find Andre’s 2024 Romantic Music Competition piano performance here.