176 years ago, Fryderyk Chopin died in Paris. During this year’s edition of the Eufonie Festival, nine young pianists will perform pieces by Chopin at three evening recitals at the Royal Castle in Warsaw.

Fryderyk Chopin’s music continues to delight subsequent generations. The most remarkable testimony to the oeuvre of this composer is the International Chopin Piano Competition organised in Warsaw (the so-called Chopin Competition), attracting young virtuosos from all over the world. It is also during this year’s Eufonie Festival that Chopin’s compositions will be heard in refreshed and original interpretations. In Warsaw, at the Royal Castle, we will experience them performed by scholarship holders of the Young Poland programme. The three-day-long series of recitals will be an opportunity to listen to young talented pianists at the beginning of their artistic careers.

Free recitals at the Royal Castle

On 19–21 November, Warsaw’s Royal Castle will become the stage for a musical feast for enthusiasts of Fryderyk Chopin. A three-day recital marathon will be held as part of the Eufonie Festival, during which nine outstanding pianists – scholarship holders of the Young Poland programme – will showcase their talent. The listeners will be able to discover new stars of the Polish piano scene and experience the brilliant composer’s music in the historical interiors of one of the most beautiful buildings in the capital.

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Każdy z trzech wieczorów koncertowych zaprojektowano tak, by publiczność mogła zanurzyć się w różnorodnym repertuarze chopinowskim. Co godzinę, począwszy od 17:00, na scenie pojawi się kolejny pianista/pianistka, prezentując autorski program złożony z najbardziej porywających utworów polskiego geniusza.

19 November will be a day for fans of Chopin’s lyricism and virtuosity. Mateusz Dubiel, a two-time winner of the Polish National Fryderyk Chopin Competition, will perform the monumental Fantaisie in F minor and the heroic Polonaise in A-flat major. Marianna Sereda will present a selection of mazurkas and one of the ballades, while Julia Łozowska, an artist on a mission to change the perception of classical music, will take the audience on a journey from the dramatic Scherzo in C-sharp minor to the subtle Barcarolle.

20 November will pose a real challenge for piano virtuosos. Winner of the 2nd Beijing International Chopin Competition for Young Pianists, Adam Kałduński will perform the complete 24 Preludes, Op. 28 – one of the most important works in the entire history of piano music. Kamila Sacharzewska, winner of the Grand Prix in Corpus Christi, will present the Sonata in B-flat minor, featuring the legendary Funeral March, and Justyna Żołnacz will complete the evening with the first eighteen Preludes and the Ballade in A-flat major.

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On 21 November, the series of recitals will end on a high note. Michał Karol Szymanowski, Artistic Director of the International I. J. Paderewski Festival, will lead the listeners through poetic nocturnes and scherzos. Mateusz Tomica, winner of this year’s International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition in Mariánské Lázně, will perform the monumental Sonata in B-flat minor and the heroic Polonaise in A-flat major. The evening will be crowned by a performance by Marcin Wieczorek, whose programme will combine the youthful Scherzo in B minor with the majestic Andante spianato and the Grande Polonaise.

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Chopin is a composer who spent most of his adult life in France; however, he never forgot Poland – his works are permeated with the spirit of Polish culture, from folk rhythms of mazurkas and polonaises to nostalgic melodies reminiscent of his homeland.

Chopin’s music is unique due to its universal nature. Each polonaise, each ballade or nocturne tells its own story – full of passion, melancholy, triumph and longing. Chopin’s piano pieces revolutionised the approach to this instrument by setting new standards of piano technique and emotional expression.

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The Warsaw Royal Castle is distinguished by its highly exceptional atmosphere. Its walls saw the glory days of the Republic of Poland, while its concert hall has often been filled with the sounds of music by the greatest masters. Performing Chopin’s pieces in such an entourage is almost a spiritual experience – combining history, culture and art into one coherent message.

The scholarship holders of the Young Poland programme are artists who can already boast of impressive achievements. All of them are multiple prizewinners of international competitions; they have been gaining experience on stages in Paris, Berlin, Tokyo or New York. For the audience, it is an opportunity to witness the birth of new stars of Polish pianism, who, in a few years, may be performing in the world’s greatest concert venues.