The Chopin Foundation of the United States has had its headquarters in Miami since 1977. Founded by Blanka A. Rosenstiel as a non-profit organization with national and international reach, the Chopin Foundation’s mission is to help young, talented American pianists develop their careers as international concert artists, and to make classical music, and above all the music of Frederic Chopin, accessible to everyone. During the month of July, the Foundation is doing just that—and, with the unusual circumstances of the pandemic, the events are available to a more widespread audience than ever via online viewing.
Frost Virtual Chopin Academy and Festival
Presented in partnership with the Frost School of Music and artistic director, pianist and 2021 Paderewski Festival Gala Artist Kevin Kenner, the virtual Frost Chopin Academy & Festival takes place July 7 – 10, 2021. It will feature internationally acclaimed pianists, pedagogues and twenty-four young talented students—representing South Korea, China, Poland, Canada and the U.S.—many of whom are recipients in the Chopin Foundation’s annual Scholarship Program. Following two successful editions in 2018 and 2019, the event had to be postponed in 2020 due to the COVID crisis. With generous support from the Chopin Foundation, the Dr. M. Lee Pearce Foundation and the Miami Salon Group, the four-day festival will be presented this year in an all-virtual platform. Extensive offerings of webinars and livestream performances will be open to a worldwide audience, and all free of charge.
“This is an exceptional opportunity not only for those who love the music of Chopin, but those also interested in observing the process as these young musicians explore the mystery of a fine Chopin interpretation with expert advice from some of the world’s most respected Chopin specialists. This is an event that will be of interest to music teachers, students, professionals, amateurs and music enthusiasts alike.”
—Kevin Kenner, Frost Chopin Academy and Festival Artistic Director.
To learn more about the Festival and view a full schedule of events, please visit www.chopin.org.
July 7-10, 2021 I Various Times
Virtual Frost Chopin Academy and Festival
Admission is Free
All events available for online viewing
Info & Schedule: www.chopin.org
US Competitors in the Chopin Competition – Preliminary Round
Over 160 young pianists from all over the world will demonstrate their skills in the Warsaw Philharmonic Hall from July 12 to 23. Three of the top finalists from the US Chopin Competition will be among them:
- Chelsea Guo – July 14
- Talon Smith (also former Finalist in the Paderewski Competition in Paso Robles) – July 19
- Parker Van Ostrand – July 20
Follow the contestants live on the Chopin Institute’s YouTube and Facebook channels, and also via a dedicated Chopin Competition app available from www.chopin2020.pl.
July 12-23, 2021 I Various Times
XVIII International Chopin Piano Competition – Preliminary Round
Warsaw Philharmonic Hall
Full schedule here: chopin2020.pl
Chopin for All
The Chopin for All season finale features pianist Avery Gagliano and an exclusive presentation from the 2020 National Chopin Piano Competition. Avery Gagliano not only won the first prize (and a cash award of $100,000!) at the 2020 National Chopin Piano Competition, but she also took home the award for best performance of a Chopin Concerto.
For this special Chopin for All program audiences will have a chance to chat with Avery live, and to listen to her wonderful performance of Chopin’s Concerto in E minor, Op. 11. Avery is joined by the University of Miami’s Frost Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestra Marzena Diakun. The program was live streamed and recorded on Sunday, March 1, 2020.
July 17, 2021 I 3 PM
Chopin for All
FREE, Online only
Register to view the event HERE
Annual Young Local Pianists Concert
To pay tribute to the home-grown talent emerging in the Miami-area community and to support the work of local music teachers, the Chopin for All series presents an annual concert featuring young local piano students.
This year they have invited teachers to submit videos of their students performing Chopin’s music. These performances have been compiled into an hour-and-a-half long program for online viewing .
Watch the Performances here: Vimeo
[Sources: press release, Frost School of Music]