Warsaw. Chopin competition. Who will represent Poland?

A record number of over 640 entries received the elimination in the 19th Chopin Competition. Finally 85 pianists from 20 countries will take part in it. 13 people will represent Poland.

During the press conference, which took place on Tuesday at the Fryderyk Chopin Museum in Warsaw, the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, Hanna Wróblewska said that “the eliminations were followed by thousands of people, and the competition itself will follow the competition thanks to the internet and public media.”

Competition valid for the image of Poland

– But it is known that the Chopin Competition is not only a matter of numbers, statistics and not only an image issue. We know that the competition is important for the image of Poland as a country of culture. What is most important is the involvement of young artists, hundreds of the most talented artists who gather around this competition – she emphasized.

Wróblewska also noted that “we often say that culture gives us tools to communicate at both local and universal levels.” – I am sure that Chopin's music is just such a universal language and speaks strongly to us all, not only in Poland – she emphasized.

In turn, the director of the competition and the head of the National Institute of Fryderyk Chopin (NIFC) Dr. Artur Szklener said: – I feel that the eliminations of this year's competition resembled the first stages of other editions of the Chopin Competition. This is primarily evidenced by the artistic level.

85 pianists. Who will present Poland?

NIFC spokesman Dr. Aleksander Laskowski emphasized that a record number of applications came to the qualifying rounds for this year's competition – there were over 640. The jury, chaired by prof. Piotr Paleczny, in the qualifying rounds selected 66 pianists and pianists who went to the first stage of the competition. Bypassing the elimination to the first stage, there were also 19 performers – winners of selected piano competitions, including in Leeds, Tel Aviv, Miami, Bolzano, Hamamatsu, in Bydgoszcz, as well as the National Piano Competition F. Chopin in Warsaw.

China will be the most represented in the competition – 29 pianists, Poland and Japan have 13 representatives.

Poland will be represented by: Piotr Alexewicz, Michał Basista, Mateusz Dubiel, Adam Kałduński, Antoni Kłeczek (also USA), Mateusz Krzyżowski, Viet Trung Nguyen (also Vietnam), Piotr Pawlak, Yehuda Prokopowicz, Zuzanna Sejbuk, Jan Widlarz, Andrzej Wierciński and Krzysztof Wierciński.

The full list of names of people qualified for the 19th Chopin Competition was published on the official website of the event: Chopincolution.pl.

By announcing a list of participants, Artur Szklener also referred to the words of the chairman of the jury of the elimination prof. Piotr Paleczny, who could not be present at the conference. – We are looking not just a pianist, but a real artist who feels Chopin, loves Chopin. And besides, he still has a creative artistic personality – noted prof. Paleczny.

The head of NIFC pointed out that the jury in his opinion went beyond the assessment of the piano itself, emphasizing that all participants of the elimination are already excellent pianists. “The jury had an extraordinary privilege, which is at the same time a great responsibility,” he added.

He explained that the common question that the jury posed is whether a given participant would like to listen to in the next stage. “The jury and listeners believed that every elimination participant wants to listen to in the next stage,” he said.

The director of the competition also pointed out that the high piano level of the elimination participants is also demonstrated by the choice of the most commonly performed song, which was Scherzo E-Dur Op. 54. As he emphasized, this is the most difficult of the Chopin Scherz.

He also revealed that the jury as many as 24 out of 162 eliminations rated above 20 points. – Such an assessment for the jury is a psychological border, in fact indicating a certainty. Above 20 points we are talking about the championship -he explained. He noted that in connection with the high level that someone had qualified, only hundreds of parts of the point often decided.

Szklener pointed out that the most qualified pianists come from China – he pointed out that this is due to the one hand from a large number of applications from this country, but also indicates a high level of Chinese pianists. Japanese and Poles came second.

Concert tours

The winner and winners, but also outstanding participants of the competition after the event will take part in concert tours.

The eliminations took place at the National Philharmonic on April 23 – May 4. Participants were assessed by the jury of the elimination composed of: Ludmil Angelov, Nikolai Demidenko, Krzysztof Jabłoński, Kevin Kenner, Marc Laforet, Alberto Nose, Piotr Paleczny (chairman), Ewa Pobłocka, Katarzyna Popowa-Rydroń and Wojciech Świtała. They heard a total of over 81 hours of performances and 810 different interpretations of songs.

The most frequently chosen songs were: Scherzo E-Dur Op. 54 (51 contractors), etude as-Dur op. 10 No. 10 (40 Contractors), C minor nocturne op. 48 No. 1 (33 contractors). Mazurek B minor Op enjoyed the most popular among mazurkas. 33 No. 4 – it was made by 32 pianists.

The nearest, nineteenth edition of the International Piano Competition Fryderyk Chopin will take place on October 2-23, 2025 at the National Philharmonic in Warsaw. The competition is organized by the Fryderyk Chopin National Institute.

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