Brian Urbanczyk – Director

Polka music has always been a part of my life. As far back as I can
remember, polkas were always playing in our house or in the car, and we
frequently attended dances in the Buffalo area as a family. As a
teenager, our family began traveling out of town to festivals, where I
had the opportunity to meet many new people and see polka bands from
across the country. Around this time, I started playing bass guitar in a
polka band—first with the Concertina All-Stars, then PhoCus, and
finally The Knewz, with whom I played for over 15 years at hundreds of
events throughout the US and Canada. More recently, I have been playing
with a group from Buffalo named Seven. My wife, Kayla and I travel to
as many polka events throughout the country as we can.

I am excited to join the International Polka Association board and
contribute to its mission. As a polka lover, I have always enjoyed
attending events hosted by the International Polka Association at
various locations throughout the country. I hope to continue the great
work the organization has done in promoting polka music, with the goal
that polka music will be enjoyed for generations to come, while also
exploring opportunities to introduce the music to new listeners. I also
have a deep appreciation for the history and legacy of polka music and
all the people who have contributed to its growth and success over the
decades. I appreciate the work the International Polka Association has
done to commemorate these people in the IPA Hall of Fame, and I hope to
have the opportunity to share the history and stories of the past with
everyone who is interested. As a director, I also plan to bring some
new ideas and possibly new and innovative technology to the organization
for use with our website, events, and Hall of Fame, building on the work
from the past few years. I also plan to provide some insights to the
board and the International Polka Association based on the observations
and experiences that I’ve gathered at work, playing with bands, and in
my travels.

I look forward to giving back to the greater polka community and I will
use this opportunity to share my love of polka music with as many people
as possible.