Zinorl Broñola

Broñola, a native of Manila, Philippines, won several awards and distinctions both nationally and internationally as a solo pianist. His achievements as a pianist included winning first prize in piano category A at the 1981 National Music Competitions for Young Artists held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines in Manila and first prize at the 1990 International Piano Competition for Young Pianists "Citta di Marsala" held in Marsala, Sicily, Italy. He placed third at the University of the Philippines' Liszt Piano Competition in 1986. Broñola also is the recipient of the 1990 Young Achievers' Award in Music, which was awarded to him by the National Commission on Culture and the Arts in Manila.

Upon winning his first piano competition, Broñola began performing numerous concerts in the Philippines. He was featured as guest artist on Philippine radio and television on a number of occasions. He was discovered by then-First Lady of the Philippines Imelda Marcos and was invited frequently to perform at the presidential palace for the president's guests and foreign dignitaries. In 1982, Broñola was a part of the First Lady's delegation to Russia, Morocco, and the United States, where he also performed. He later became a scholar at the Philippine High School for the Arts and was given a scholarship by the Lyudmila Zhivkova International Foundation to study in Bulgaria, where he completed his undergraduate studies in music. His other performances abroad include concerts in Bulgaria, Poland, and Italy, where he was featured both by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Philippine Embassy in Rome.

Broñola also excelled in visual arts, and among his awards was the silver medal from the 1979 Kanagawa Biennial International Painting Competition in Japan. Some of his works are on exhibit at the Cultural Center of the Philippines in Manila.

After completing his master's degree in 2005 at Winthrop, Broñola played an active part in the life of the university and the surrounding communities playing solo and collaborative music. He has been the accompanist of the Winthrop University Chorale in several concerts and was part of Winthrop's productions of Kiss Me Kate (2005) and Oklahoma! (2007). He served as the accompanist for the 2006 South Carolina Dance Festival held at the university. Broñola also served as dance accompanist at Winthrop's Department of Theatre and Dance and staff accompanist at the Department of Music. He was the music director for the Rock Hill Community Theatre's 2006 production of The Fantasticks. Broñola also accompanied the Rock Hill Ecumenical Gospel Choir in their 2006 and 2007 concerts. In 2006 and 2007, he also served as dance accompanist for the North Carolina Dance Theatre for their Summer Intensive classes in Charlotte, N.C.

In addition to his work in Winthrop's Department of Theatre and Dance, Broñola continues as the accompanist of the Winthrop University Chorale. He also is the music director at Epworth United Methodist Church in Rock Hill.