Events accompanying the Chopin Competition

This year’s edition of the Chopin Competition is packed with exceptionally numerous accompanying events – its special status favours this state of affairs, since it marks the opening of celebration of Competition’s centenary, which falls in 2027 – we will be celebrating this anniversary through a series of events and projects over the next five years, culminating in the 20th edition in 2030.

The projects surrounding the Competition began several weeks ago – an unprecedented project was a multimedia laser show set to the sounds of Chopin’s originally arranged music at the Legia stadium before the Warsaw football club’s match against Jagiellonia Białystok. With a capacity of over 30,000, the stadium is arguably one of the largest spaces in which one could ever listen to Chopin! Already this summer, the park surrounding Chopin’s Birthplace in Żelazowa Wola hosted concerts as part of the ‘Chopin meets jazz’ series by outstanding jazzmen, including Leszek Możdżer, Adam Makowicz, Kuba Więcek, and Artur Dutkiewicz. Chopin’s folk inspirations were highlighted by regional culture festivals also held in Żelazowa Wola.

Furthermore, the 10th edition of the ‘Chopin był z UW!” [Chopin was from the University of Warsaw!] Piano Festival took place in the second half of September, and the movie ‘Chopin! Chopin!’, directed by Michał Kwieciński and starring Eryk Kulm, premiered at the 50th Gdynia Film Festival. It’s worth noting that Chopin’s works and improvisations on period pianos were performed for the movie by Tomasz Ritter, winner of the 1st Chopin Competition on Period Instruments, and Kamil Borkowski. The movie is being shown in cinemas across Poland. In late September, the Polish History Museum in Warsaw hosted the Piano Congress, an initiative of the Polish Piano Tuners Association. During the event, participants could see the largest exhibition of keyboard instruments in Poland and participate in over 40 lectures, seminars, concerts, and workshops.

Currently, all of Warsaw is captivated by Chopin’s music. The Competition’s partners are organizing so called ‘strefy melomana’ – music lover zones – places where you can watch live broadcasts of the auditions, listen to additional live concerts, and participate in workshops.

Recitals by Competition participants are being held at three Warsaw cultural centres – the Prom at Saska Kępa, the Ursynów Cultural Centre ‘Alternatywy,’ and the Kadr Cultural Centre.

Numerous exhibitions are also available for music lovers. The immersive exhibition ‘Romantic Chopin’ at Art Box Experience has been running since September 19th (scheduled to run until the end of January 2026). Its scenario is based on the composer’s letters and music, supported by modern technologies such as interactive musical sculpture and virtual reality. The Warsaw Philharmonic hosts an exhibition dedicated to Janusz Olejniczak, who passed away a year ago, featuring, among other things, the great pianist’s private photographs and documents. Two outdoor exhibitions highlight the nearly century-long history of the Competition: beautiful archival photographs from the collections of the Fryderyk Chopin Institute are on display near the Philharmonic and the Saxon Palace; posters from previous editions of the Competition are on display in front of the Academy of Fine Arts; and Wojciech Grzędziński’s competition photographs are on display at the Koszyki Hall. 

A real treat for Warsaw residents and visitors alike is the initiative of over 30 Warsaw cafés, restaurants, pastry shops, and stylish bars, which have actively participated in creating a Chopin-themed atmosphere by broadcasting auditions and creating original menus, desserts, and cocktails inspired by the composer’s life, work, and era. 

A full list of events accompanying the Competition can be found on the Chopincompetition.pl website.