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The American lyric soprano, Valentina Kozlowski, attended the University of Buffalo and the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia. She received operatic and vocal training from Isabelle Yeager of Buffalo, Sidney Dietch and Vera MacIntyre of the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, Madame Landver and Arpad Sandor of New York City, Leonard Treash of the Eastman School of Music, and Roberta Schlosser of Binghamton University. In addition, she studied at the Oglebay Opera Workshop in Wheeling, West Virginia, under the direction of the renowned Boris Goldovsky. Her love of singing was nurtured as a young elementary student at the Our Lady of Czestochowa School in North Tonawanda, New York. There she sang in the church choir and began her early vocal studies with Coletta Plummer.
Valentina Kozlowski won the "Voices of Tomorrow" competition in Buffalo, where she was a member of the Buffalo Opera Workshop and the Kenmore Choral Society, appearing in The Telephone, The Medium, La Boheme, W.A. Mozart's Marriage of Figaro, Fledermus, Bartered Bride, Vagabond King, Brigadoon, Engelbert Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel, Old Maid and the Thief, Rigoletto, La Traviata, Charles Gounod's Faust, Georges Bizet's Carmen, and Gianni Schiacchi. She has made numerous appearances as a soloist with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as with the Buffalo Civic Orchestra, the Binghamton Symphony and Choral Society, Binghamton Chamber Opera Company, and many other operatic and orchestral ensembles in the Northeast. Her performances have been broadcast on radio and television, including an NBC program, The Passover, the CBS This Morning program, singing the theme song "Oh What a Beautiful Mornin'", and an NBC Philadelphia televised performance as Monica in Menotti's opera, The Medium.
Valentina Kozlowski studied Polish folk dancing in Opole, Poland, and in 1976 founded the Kopernik Polish Folk Dancers in Binghamton, serving as its choreographer and director. In 1979, she represented the USA in a "Festival of Songs" concert tour of seven cities in Poland, sponsored by Poland's Ministry of Culture. She was awarded the "Merit of Culture" medal at the Polish Consulate in New York City for the propagation of Polish songs, dances, and culture in American society.
Many residents of the Binghamton, New York area know Valentina Kozlowski for her musical performances at a multitude of concerts and recitals. She is also well known for her service as president of the Kopernik Society of Broome County, Inc., which operates the Kopernik Observatory and Science Center founded by her late husband, Dr. Edward Kozlowski.
Valentina Kozlowski has been soloist at the former St. Stanislaus Kostka Church, Lourdes dePaul Choir, and at Saints John and Andrew Church in Binghamton, Nnew York, with the Kopernik Polish Folk Dance Ensemble, and with the Lyric Performers of the Endicott Performing Arts Council. Over 40,000 people were in attendance for her rendition of the U.S. National Anthem at the 1984 rally for President Ronald Reagan at Ty Cobb Stadium in Endicott, New York. She continues to sing the National Anthem at the Broome County Ethnic Festival and at American Civic Association programs, and performs at many other local events.
Currently Valentina Kozlowski sings at the Church of the Holy Family, and with the Downtown Singers of Binghamton. She continues her vocal studies with Angus Godwin, retired Professor of Voice at the Ithaca College School of Music. |
