35 world pianists will compete in Poland at the 2nd Chopin piano competition on period instruments

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Thirty-five participants from around the world will compete in Poland's 2nd Frederic Chopin piano competition on period instruments in October, the organizers said Thursday.

The competition, launched in 2018, is intended to promote historically informed performance of the 19th century Polish composer’s works and to get as close as possible to the original sound of his music.

Like the century-old renowned International Chopin Piano Competition, this one also meant to promote music talents and help launch international careers.

The participants this year come from 14 countries, including 10 pianists from Japan, six from Poland and four from Italy. China, South Korea, the United States and Russia will be represented by two participants each. There will also be one participant from each of the following countries: Australia, Austria, France, Spain, Canada, Germany and Hungary.

The contestants in the three-stage event will perform on historic Erard, Pleyel or Broadwood instruments or on copies of period instruments. They are expected to play works by Johan Sebastian Bach, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Chopin. The six finalists will be expected to perform a Chopin work with orchestra.

The 2nd edition of the Chopin Competition on Period Instruments will be held Oct. 5-15 at the National Philharmonic in Warsaw. Poland’s Tomasz Ritter was the winner of the first competition in 2018.

Poland’s best known and beloved classical music composer and pianist, Chopin was born in 1810 in Zelazowa Wola near Warsaw to a Polish mother and a French father.

At the age of 19 he traveled to Vienna and then to Paris to broaden his musical education. He settled in Paris, composing, giving concerts and teaching the piano.

He died there on Oct. 17, 1849 and is buried at the Pere Lachaise cemetery. His heart is at the Holy Cross Church in Warsaw, while the National Frederic Chopin Institute guards his legacy and organizes the competitions.