Chopin concert at the park

Chopin is Poland and Poland is Chopin.

Fryderyk Chopin was born in 1810 in Zelazowa Wola, just under 50 miles outside of Warsaw. He moved to Paris in 1830. He is, to this day, a source of tremendous pride in his native Poland.

Chopin was a composer, teacher and a virtuoso pianist. He was called the "poet of the piano". His music has been a huge part of the Polish culture, it is played at important ceremonies, it is taught at schools, we grow up knowing it and appreciating it. It is part of our identity.

The Chopin Monument at the Lazienki Park is a place I visit every time I am in Warsaw. The large bronze statue was designed in 1907. It was the first monument to be destroyed by the germans who blew it up on May 31, 1940. the original mold of the statue survived and it was rebuilt in 1958.

This has been the site for concerts of Chopin's music since 1959. Each Sunday at noon and 4pm, one can find a comfortable spot on the grass or a bench and enjoy the beautiful music in a lovely park.

The pieces are performed by world-class pianists, professors and laureates of festivals and competitions.

This is a really lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon. The concerts take place from May 15 to September.

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