The International Chopin Competition is underway right now in Warsaw, Poland.
It's a major event in the music world, not unlike the Olympic Games for athletes. When the competition began on October 3rd, there were 78 contestants from all over the world. Over a period of about three weeks, that field gets reduced to 40, then 20, then 10... until finally the top players are awarded medals.
This week, we're looking back at past winners who are still going strong. That includes Maurizio Pollini, Martha Argerich, Garrick Ohlsson, Yundi Li (whose Chopin Preludes is featured in this week's New Classical Tracks) and Rafal Blechacz. We'll also discuss some of the elements that go into playing Chopin's music effectively and what it's like to prepare for a major competition.
Join me and my co-host Alexander Braginsky, Professor of Music at the University of Minnesota and the Founder and Artistic Director of the International e-Piano Competition as we listen to some of the greatest pianists playing the remarkable work of Frederic Chopin.
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