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A Night of Chopin—A recital featuring vocal and piano works by Chopin

Lillian Feng, piano and Nichole Waligóra, soprano

Asbury First United Methodist Church, 1050 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14607

Nichole Waligóra is pursuing a dual degree in Vocal performance at Eastman and Linguistics at the University of Rochester. Lillian Feng is a first-year undergraduate pursuing dual degrees in piano performance at the Eastman School of Music with Professor Marina Lomazov, and economics at the University of Rochester.

Free and open to the public.

Nichole Waligóra

Born and raised in New York City, Nichole Waligóra started her classical singing career just four years ago when she entered Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music and Art & Performing Arts. There, she instantly fell in love with classical voice and began to immerse herself in the community, as well as getting involved in competitions and summer programs including those held at Juilliard, Washington National Opera, New York University, Schmidt Vocal Arts, Classical Singer, and more. At LaGuardia, Nichole has been a part of numerous ensembles, a frequent choir and major-work soloist, and most recently cast as Edith in the school’s production of Pirates of Penzance.

An undergraduate at the Eastman School of Music, Nichole is a featured soloist in the Eastman Chorale and the Bach Cantata Series, and Catholic Church. Recent roles include Cupid in Collegium Musicum's performance of Purcell's KingArthur. Interested in community and service, she is a founding member of the Polish Students' Association and the Eastman Latino & Hispanic Students’ Association, Vice President of Eastman's ACDA chapter, Secretary of the Students’ Association, and serves as a Student Alumni Ambassador, in addition to several on-campus jobs.

An avid language learner, she is pursuing a dual degree in Vocal performance at Eastman and Linguistics at the University of Rochester. Nichole’s initial interaction with language began with her immigrant parents who taught her Polish and Spanish. She continues to indulge in her mixed background, honoring traditional customs, visiting her family in Poland and Peru, and incorporating her heritage in her work through exploring the music of the cultures she is fortunate to be a part of.

Lillian Feng

Lillian Feng, is a first-year undergraduate pursuing dual degrees in piano performance at the Eastman School of Music with Professor Marina Lomazov, and economics at the University of Rochester.

Raised in Los Angeles by hardworking Chinese immigrants, Lillian began piano studies at age four, previously studying with Vanessa Fadial and graduating from the Colburn Music Academy in May 2024. She made her concerto debut in Russia at age thirteen, performing W. A. Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major with the Kostroma Symphony Orchestra. With an affinity for the music of Fryderyk Chopin, Lillian is distinguished nationally as a scholarship recipient of the Chopin Foundation of the United States and during the summers, regularly attends the annual Frost Chopin Academy in Miami. Most recently, she has been recognized as a National YoungArts Winner, and has spent her other summers at the Aspen Music Festival and the Brevard Music Center. She has performed multiple times in distinguished venues including Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, the Colburn School’s Zipper Hall, and the Skirball Cultural Center. She has been mentored by numerous celebrated artists such as Anton Nel, Charlotte Hu, Dang Thai Son, Dina Joffe, Dmitry Ablogin, Edward Auer, Fabio Bidini, HaeSun Paik, Kevin Kenner, Ksenia Nosikova and Norman Krieger.

Lillian advocates for new works and music by underrepresented composers. She has premiered multiple compositions, both solo and ensemble, and is an active member of the Eastman School of Music’s EmpowHer Organization. Lillian, an avid language-learner with a keen interest in Polish culture, currently studies Polish with Professor Małgorzata Wojciechowska. She also plays the violin, sings in choir, and enjoys stargazing, running, cooking and writing. Lillian has a YouTube channel under her name, and hopes to share her music with all.