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International Chopin Piano Competition
The International Chopin Piano Competition (), often called the Chopin Competition, is a piano competition in Warsaw, Poland, held first in 1927 and every five years since 1955. The competition is one of the founding members of the World Federation of International Music Competitions. It is also one of the few competitions devoted entirely to the works of a single composer, in this case, Frédéric Chopin. It is organized by the Fryderyk Chopin Institute. The Chopin Competition is one of the most prestigious competitions in classical music, often launching the careers of its winners overnight through major concert dates and lucrative recording contracts. Past winners have included Maurizio Pollini ( 1960), Martha Argerich (1965), Krystian Zimerman (1975), Yundi Li ( 2000), Rafał Blechacz (2005), and Seong-Jin Cho ( 2015). The most recent winner is Bruce Liu of Canada in 2021. Yundi Li is the youngest winner and youngest juror in the competition's history. History ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
XV International Chopin Piano Competition
The XV International Chopin Piano Competition () was held from 2 to 24 October 2005 in Warsaw, organized by the . The competition was won by Rafał Blechacz of Poland, who prevailed against 80 competitors from 18 countries. This was the first competition that was completely broadcast on TV, radio and on the internet. Awards For the first time, the competition introduced a preliminary round, as selecting participants from submitted recordings only was deemed not wholly reliable. In the most decisive showing in the history of the competition, Rafał Blechacz took First Prize and the special prizes for the best performance of a polonaise, mazurka, and concerto. One of the judges, Piotr Paleczny, said that Blechacz "so outclassed the remaining finalists that no second prize could actually be awarded." Another judge, John O'Conor, called Blechacz "one of the greatest artists I have had a chance to hear in my entire life". Blechacz was the first Pole to win the prize since 197 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Seong-Jin Cho
Seong-Jin Cho (; born May 28, 1994) is a South Korean concert pianist. He was the winner of the 2015 International Chopin Piano Competition, the first from the country. Since then, he has regularly performed recital programs in major venues and with the world's foremost orchestras as a soloist. Cho signed with Deutsche Grammophon in 2016, under which he has released seven studio albums and one live recording. He is the Artist in Residence of the Berlin Philharmonic for the 2024–25 season. Early life and education Cho was born in Seoul, South Korea, the only child of non-musical parents; his father was an engineer. At six years old, he began studying both the piano and the violin. Though he appeared to have more natural facility on the latter, he developed a stronger liking for the piano, and gave his first public piano recital at age eleven. After being identified through a musical prodigy development program at the Seoul Arts Center, he began studying under Sook-Ryeon Park ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the world's countries participated, with many nations mobilising all resources in pursuit of total war. Tanks in World War II, Tanks and Air warfare of World War II, aircraft played major roles, enabling the strategic bombing of cities and delivery of the Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, first and only nuclear weapons ever used in war. World War II is the List of wars by death toll, deadliest conflict in history, causing World War II casualties, the death of 70 to 85 million people, more than half of whom were civilians. Millions died in genocides, including the Holocaust, and by massacres, starvation, and disease. After the Allied victory, Allied-occupied Germany, Germany, Allied-occupied Austria, Austria, Occupation of Japan, Japan, a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
V International Chopin Piano Competition
The V International Chopin Piano Competition () was held from 21 February to 20 March 1955 in Warsaw. The competition was won by Adam Harasiewicz of Poland. The competition was held in the rebuilt National Philharmonic, the date having been moved from October 1954 to February 1955, temporarily increasing the gap between two competitions to six years. Competitors were accommodated in the Hotel Polonia, where 70 practice pianos were installed. Awards The competition consisted of three elimination stages, with 74, 41 and 21 pianists respectively. Vladimir Ashkenazy was considered the favorite up until the final stage, where he performed less strongly, ultimately coming in second after Adam Harasiewicz. The following prizes were awarded: One special prize was awarded: Jury The jury consisted of: * Guido Agosti * Stefan Askenase * Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli * * Harold Craxton (vice-chairman) * Zbigniew Drzewiecki (chairman) * Jacques Février * Flora Gue ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
IV International Chopin Piano Competition
The IV International Chopin Piano Competition () was held from 15 September to 15 October 1949 in Warsaw. The first competition after World War II, it was held in connection with the centenary of Chopin's death. Polish pianist Halina Czerny-Stefańska and Soviet pianist Bella Davidovich shared first place. Due to the wartime destruction of the National Philharmonic, the auditions were held at the Roma Theatre on Nowogrodzka Street. Awards The competition consisted of two elimination stages and a final with 18 pianists. For the first time, competitors performed a piano concerto in its entirety in the final, as opposed to just two movements. The following prizes were awarded: One special prize was awarded: Jury The jury consisted of: * Godfrid Boon * * Lucette Descaves (substitute) * Sem Dresden * Zbigniew Drzewiecki (chairman) * Jan Ekier * Blas Galindo Dimas * Lélia Gousseau (substitute) * Arthur Hedley (vice-chairman) * * Franz Josef Hirt * Jan H ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
III International Chopin Piano Competition
The III International Chopin Piano Competition () was held from 21 February to 13 March 1937 in Warsaw. It was the last competition before the outbreak of World War II, and the competition would not be held again until IV International Chopin Piano Competition, 1949. 80 pianists from 22 countries took part in the competition, including two participants from Empire of Japan, Japan. Contestants could choose between pianos manufactured by C. Bechstein, Bechstein, Bösendorfer, Pleyel et Cie, Pleyel and Steinway & Sons, Steinway. Soviet pianist Yakov Zak was awarded the first prize. Awards Out of 80 pianists in the elimination stage, 21 were admitted to the final, where they performed two consecutive movements of one of Chopin's two piano concertos with the Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra, Warsaw Philharmonic. The two female Japanese pianists and received great acclaim among critics and the public. When news broke that Hara, who reached the final, was not among the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
II International Chopin Piano Competition
The II International Chopin Piano Competition () was held from 6 to 23 March 1932 in Warsaw. Popular with the public, it attracted correspondents from all over the world, not least because of the high-profile composition of the competition jury. Soviet pianist Alexander Uninsky was awarded the first prize, after winning a Coin flipping, coin toss against Imre Ungár, who was awarded second place. Guest of honor was Maurice Ravel, who performed his Piano Concerto in G (Ravel), Piano Concerto in G major and ''La valse'' during a concert on 11 March. Awards Out of 67 pianists in the elimination stage, 14 were admitted to the final, where they performed two consecutive movements of one of Chopin's two piano concertos with the Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra, Warsaw Philharmonic. Alexander Uninsky was originally awarded joint first prize with blind pianist Imre Ungár, though lots were drawn after the latter refused to accept a joint prize. The following prizes were award ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Ignacy Mościcki
Ignacy Mościcki (; 1 December 1867 – 2 October 1946) was a Polish chemist and politician who was the country's president from 1926 to 1939. He was the longest serving president in Polish history. Mościcki was the President of Poland when Germany invaded the country on and started World War II. Early life and career Mościcki was born on 1 December 1867 in Mierzanowo, a small village near Ciechanów, Congress Poland. After completing school in Warsaw, he studied chemistry at the Riga Polytechnicum, where he joined the Polish underground leftist organization, ''Proletariat''. Upon graduating, he returned to Warsaw where he married Michalina Czyżewska but was soon threatened by the Tsarist secret police with life imprisonment in Siberia and was forced to emigrate with his family in 1892 to London. In 1896, he was offered an assistantship at the University of Fribourg in Switzerland. There, he patented a method for cheap industrial production of nitric acid. In 1912, M ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting took place mainly in European theatre of World War I, Europe and the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I, Middle East, as well as in parts of African theatre of World War I, Africa and the Asian and Pacific theatre of World War I, Asia-Pacific, and in Europe was characterised by trench warfare; the widespread use of Artillery of World War I, artillery, machine guns, and Chemical weapons in World War I, chemical weapons (gas); and the introductions of Tanks in World War I, tanks and Aviation in World War I, aircraft. World War I was one of the List of wars by death toll, deadliest conflicts in history, resulting in an estimated World War I casualties, 10 million military dead and more than 20 million wounded, plus some 10 million civilian de ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Aleksander Michałowski
Aleksander Michałowski (17 October 1938) was a Polish pianist, pedagogue, and composer. Early life and education Michałowski was born in 1851 in Kamianets-Podilskyi, Ukraine, which was a part of the Russian Empire. In 1867, at age 16, he studied at the Leipzig Conservatory as a pupil of Ignaz Moscheles, Carl Reinecke, and Theodor Coccius. In 1869, he traveled to Berlin, where he studied under Carl Tausig. His playing technique was altered when Tausig encouraged him to adopt a higher finger position. In 1870, he moved to Warsaw, where he permanently settled, and began his teaching career in 1874. Around this time, Michałowski befriended and studied with Karol Mikuli, who had received lessons from Frédéric Chopin between 1844 and 1848. Karol later went on to become head of the Lviv Conservatory. Mikuli shared many of Chopin's ideas and traditions with Michałowski. Michałowski also met Princess Marcelina Czartoryska, a fellow pupil of Chopin who played some mazurkas for h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Jerzy Żurawlew
Jerzy Żurawlew (December 25, 1886October 3, 1980) was a Polish pianist, conductor, teacher, and founder of the International Chopin Piano Competition. Life Żurawlew was born at Rostov-on-Don in Russia in 1886. He studied with Aleksander Michałowski at the Warsaw Conservatory until 1913, and taught there himself from 1923. In 1916 he founded a music school in Minsk (now Belarus), and in 1920 one in Białystok. He was the founder of the International Chopin Piano Competition, at Warsaw Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ... in 1927. His lifelong friend, Henryk Rewkiewicz - businessman, music lover and board member of The Warsaw Music Society - offered his personal financial guarantees to help get the Competition off the ground. Żurawlew died in Warsaw in 1980, aged 9 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
