What will we play this year? Educational programs as part of the Chopin Effect

“A Concert as Play” is the title of one of the events that will take place as part of the Chopin Effect program in 2026. Play, joy, and the pleasure derived from engaging with music will be the common thread running through all the planned events.

 

During concerts, performances, lectures, and workshops, participants will encounter a wide variety of music—originating from the human world, but also from plants and animals; from the distant past, but also created on the spot and improvised. Audiences will have the opportunity to develop their sensitivity to contrasts in music regarding timbre, rhythm, character, and texture. They will hear the similarities between Chopin’s music and the music of the Polish countryside, as well as jazz interpretations of themes drawn from the great composer’s works. They will be able to explore how music permeates other arts and cultural fields—and vice versa—how other forms of artistic expression can be woven into music. They will discover Polish national dances and feel the pulse of Chopin’s compositions.

 

The events will also provide an opportunity to practice attentive listening, as well as to identify and name emotions within themselves and in the sounds. Participants will discover firsthand that the challenges posed by conflicting musical tastes can be overcome and will experience the joy of making music together. Some will have the opportunity to try their hand at improvisation and play Fryderyk’s beloved instrument—the piano—themselves!