Over the decades millions of people have been moved by Chopin’s genius, transported by his passion and won over by his inspired melodies. Not only did his music revolutionize art forms, develop the piano’s potential, and open the way to all modern music: it is also a timeless language of communication that speaks to the most diverse audiences in ways that are unfathomable.

It is an honor to bring you the celebration of Chopin’s 200th birthday, and we hope you will join The Chopin Symposium for this unique, once-in-a-lifetime commemoration. Our guests are extraordinary and the music sublime: recitals by pianists Max Levinson and Edward Cohen; lectures by Chopin scholar Jim Samson, pianists Bruce Brubaker, Roberto Poli and Angel Ramón Rivera, author and historian James H. Johnson, and historical-piano authority Edmund M. Frederick; master classes by pianists Ya-Fei Chuang and Sally Pinkas; roundtable discussions that will explore Chopin’s artistic, historical and social milieu, and offer opportunities for insightful exchanges with audience members; and performances by Rivers School Conservatory students.

We are privileged to host one of the marvelous instruments on display at The Frederick Collection – a piano built by Pleyel in 1845 and a nearly perfect match to the one acquired by Chopin in 1846. The presence of this distinguished guest is made all the more purposeful by the Rivera Recital Hall, whose size is that of an aristocratic salon – an ideal setting to evoke the sounds of Chopin’s piano.

The 1845 Pleyel will be heard in its full range at the closing act of the Symposium – a reconstruction of Chopin’s last concert in Paris, in 1848. Reenactments are often complicated affairs: we have availed ourselves of what is documented, and have relied on intuition and historical awareness for the rest. Meyerbeer’s Air nouveau de Robert Le Diable, a “new aria” that the composer wrote explicitly for the tenor Mario in 1838 and whose past is shrouded in mystery, will be sung by the promising young tenor Gregory Zavracky. Another rising star, Colleen Palmer, will present a selection of arias by Bellini and Mozart. Pianist Roberto Poli will present a selection of solo works, including the Barcarolle, op. 60 and the Berceuse, Op. 57. He will be joined by violinist Piotr Buczek and cellist Ronald Lowry in performances of Mozart’s Trio in E Major – a piece that Chopin venerated – and the composer’s own Cello Sonata.

Chopin’s harmonic and melodic invention inspired ensuing generations of composers, and has survived the test of time by capturing the imagination of performers and listeners alike. It is considered by many to epitomize the style of his era, but we believe it is not just Romantic music. Listen closely: in it you can hear the turning of the Universe!