Frédéric Chopin is one of the most beloved classical composers today. But how well do YOU know the music of Chopin?

“Contrary to popular myth,” Dr. Eugenia Cheng explains, “math is not just about numbers, but about patterns, structures, and logic, and patterns and structures also pervade classical music.”

On a foggy mid-March day, pianist Evan Wong took the Preston Bradley Hall stage at the Chicago Cultural Center to share a program of Chopin favorites.

Explore Chopin’s études – some of the most beloved works in the piano repertoire – by listening to some of our favorites and learning more about them.

From beneath the glistening Tiffany Dome of the Chicago Cultural Center, pianist Christopher Goodpasture shared works of Beethoven, Liszt, and Debussy to a full audience.

The 2010s were a tumultuous decade, replete with astounding artistic highlights, superlative new voices, and watershed moments of reckoning. WFMT hosts and staff reflect on what the past decade brought for classical music, and what the new decade may have in store.

On November 13, 2019, Polish pianist Dr. Kamil Tokarski took the Preston Bradley Hall stage to perform a program of works by Scarlatti, Chopin, and Albéniz.

The New York Times describes him as having “made a career of playing the seemingly unplayable.” The New Yorker is more emphatic, saying he’s “among the wonders of the musical world.” But Kerry Frumkin’s colleague, producer Louise Frank has a more grounded account of Marc-André Hamelin, describing him as a “most approachable genius.”

Frédéric Chopin is one of the most beloved composers of all time. Here are 10 jazz versions of Chopin that will have you listening to old favorites with new ears.

Award-winning pianist Lucas Krupinski is no stranger to the music of Chopin. So it was no surprise when the young Polish pianist gave a sensitive, dynamic performance of a sensitive, dynamic performance of the esteemed Romantic composer’s Ballade No. 4.

On an overcast, early fall day, pianist Hélène Tysman shared a sensitive, illuminating performance of piano works by Bach, Debussy, Chopin, and Ravel for this Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert broadcast. Watch the full program here!

Since there is a type of musical composition named for studying — études, for you non French-speakers — we have the perfect musical accompaniment while you hit the books.

Beneath the Tiffany Dome of the Chicago Cultural Center, 18-year-old pianist Kimberly Han performed works by Bach, Haydn, and Chopin.

Frédéric Chopin’s collection of 21 nocturnes might be the best-known example of the musical form, but did you know the inventor of the nocturne was an Irish composer named John Field?

WFMT listeners love to explore classical music destinations around the world. From September 22 to October 3, we enjoyed an Earthbound Expeditions trip filled with great concerts, great food, and great companionship throughout Poland and the Czech Republic.

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — The winner of the world’s 1st Chopin competition on historic pianos says the search for the original sound restores the appeal of classical music and helps artists understand the composer’s intentions. Tomasz Ritter of Poland was named the best of 30 young pianists at the 1st International Chopin Competition on Period Instruments this month. The 23-year-old …

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Tomasz Ritter of Poland was announced the winner Thursday of the world’s first Frederic Chopin piano competition performed on instruments from the composer’s era. Japan’s Naruhiko Kawaguci and Poland’s Aleksandar Swigut both won second place. Third place went to Krzysztof Ksiazek of Poland. Dmitry Ablogin of Russia and France’s Antoine de Grolee won honorable mentions. The …

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — The world’s first Frederic Chopin piano competition performed on instruments from the composer’s era has opened in Warsaw, aiming to revive the sound and technique of the music as it was written in the 19th century. Thirty pianists from the U.S., Japan, China, Russia and across Europe will perform works by Chopin and other Polish composers …

The summer festival’s 2018 season of concerts runs for 10 weeks from June 13 to August 18.

Whether you’re looking for spooky music as you wait for trick-or-treaters, or you need some music to accompany your own “danse macabre,” we have your perfect Halloween soundtrack.

Chopin wrote his Nocturne Op. 9, No. 2 in E-flat major between 1830 and 1832 and the piece was first published in 1833. The Nocturne Op. 9, No. 2 is one of the most popular of Chopin’s 21 nocturnes as evidenced by the number of arrangements made for other instruments. Karol Lipiński made the first arrangement during Chopin’s lifetime for …

Frédéric Chopin’s Étude Op. 10, No. 4 and Prelude Op. 28, No. 16 are notorious for being among the composer’s most challenging works to play. And when pianist Aldric Gozon learned these two pieces, he didn’t stop at getting the notes right – he played both blindfolded. Chopin wrote Étude Op. 10, No. 4 in 1830 as part of his …

Learn about some of Chopin’s signature compositions: his most important nocturnes.

Though Chopin did not compose many works for piano and orchestra — just six! — he kept them in his concert repertoire throughout his career.

When Frédéric Chopin composed his Fantaisie-Impromptu, he probably didn’t expect for the work to serve as the music for a breakdance duet. But at Arabesque 2014, an international ballet competition hosted by the Perm Ballet Opera Theatre, one entry in the “modern choreography” category used Fantaisie-Impromptu for just that purpose. Fantaisie-Impromptu was written in 1834, but it wasn’t published until …