Powązki Cemetery, also known as Stare Powązki, is a historic necropolis located in Wola district, in the western part of Warsaw, Poland. It is the most famous cemetery in the city and one of the oldest, having been established in 1790. It is the burial place of many illustrious individuals from Polish history. Some are interred along the "Avenue of the Distinguished" – Aleja Zasłużonych, created in 1925. It is estimated that over one million people are buried at Powązki.
The International Chopin Piano Competition, often referred to as the Chopin Competition, is a piano competition held in Warsaw, Poland. It was initiated in 1927 and has been held 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. The competition is currently organized by the Fryderyk Chopin Institute.
Sonorism is an approach to musical composition associated with a number of notable Polish composers. The scholar Józef Michał Chomiński coined the term "sonoristics" to describe the urge to explore purely sonic phenomena in composition, and from this term derived "sonorism" to describe an avant-garde style in Polish music of the 1960s that focused on timbre. As a movement, sonorism was initiated in the 1950s in the avant-garde of Polish music. Music that emphasises sonorism as a compositional approach tends to focus on specific characteristics and qualities of timbre, texture, articulation, dynamics, and motion in an attempt to create freer form. The style is primarily associated with an experimental musical movement which arose in Poland in the mid-1950s and flourished through the 1960s.
The Krzysztof PendereckiAcademy of Music in Kraków is a conservatory located in central Kraków, Poland. It is the alma mater of the renowned Polish contemporary composer Krzysztof Penderecki, who was also its rector for 15 years. The academy is the only one in Poland to have two winners of the International Chopin Competition in Warsaw as well as a few further prize-winners among its alumni.
Regina Smendzianka was a Polish pianist.
Szymon Krzeszowiec is a Polish violinist, chamber musician and pedagogue. Musician of the Silesian String Quartet and member of the Trio Aristos.
The Ignacy Jan Paderewski Pomeranian Philharmonic has been at its present site in Bydgoszcz, Poland, since 16 November 1953. It bears the name of Polish pianist and composer Ignacy Jan Paderewski. The Pomeranian Philharmonic is the musical center of Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship and also features an outdoor art gallery. It is registered on the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship Heritage List.
The XV International Chopin Piano Competition was held from 2 to 24 October 2005 in Warsaw, organized by the Fryderyk Chopin Society. The competition was won by Rafał Blechacz of Poland, who prevailed against 80 competitors from 18 countries.
The XIV International Chopin Piano Competition was held from 4 to 22 October 2000 in Warsaw. Li Yundi of China won the First Prize, becoming the first Chinese pianist and youngest first-prize winner. He was the first competitor to be awarded the First Prize in 15 years since Stanislav Bunin won it in 1985.
The X International Chopin Piano Competition was held from 1 to 20 October 1980 in Warsaw. Đặng Thái Sơn, who in the final played with an orchestra for the first time in his life, won first prize, becoming the first pianist from Asia to do so. The elimination of Ivo Pogorelić after the third stage was a great source of controversy.
The IX International Chopin Piano Competition was held from 6 to 29 October 1975 in Warsaw. The competition was won by Krystian Zimerman of Poland, the youngest winner to that date at the age of 18.
The VIII International Chopin Piano Competition was held from 6 to 25 October 1970 in Warsaw. The competition was won by Garrick Ohlsson of the United States, becoming the first and so far only American winner.
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 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.
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 1949.
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 toss against Imre Ungár, who was awarded second place.
The I International Chopin Piano Competition was the inaugural edition of the International Chopin Piano Competition, held from 23 to 30 March 1927 in Warsaw. Soviet pianist Lev Oborin was awarded the first prize.
