Chopin 2025: Piotr Alexewicz - a keen flyer who dreamt of conducting orchestras
Piotr Alexewicz, who once dreamed of becoming an orchestra conductor and used to sing in a choir, is one of the three Poles to reach the third stage of the 19th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition.
The 25-year-old pianist is participating in the competition for the second time. In 2021, he reached the third round and received the Zbigniew Drzewiecki award. According to a music expert, Alexewicz distinguished himself with his excellent preparation, musical sensitivity and narrative expressiveness combined with solid technical mastery.
Becoming an orchestra conductor was a childhood dream of Alexewicz, who sang in a boys' choir for six years at the National Forum of Music in Wroclaw. His fascination with the piano began after he first heard Sergei Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor.
In 2021, the Polityka weekly nominated Alexewicz for its annual cultural awards, praising his "modern, thoughtful, and individualised interpretations of Chopin's music" following his performance at the International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition that year.
Alexewicz has won numerous prizes at national and international piano competitions, reaching the final of the Aarhus International Piano Competition. In 2024, he won the concerto competition at the PianoTexas International Academy and Festival and the Schenk Competition in Switzerland, where he received all special awards.
He has performed at prestigious venues including the Berliner Philharmonie, Salle Cortot in Paris, Sala Sao Paulo, the National Forum of Music in Wroclaw, the Warsaw Philharmonic, and Symphony Hall in Osaka.
Alexewicz made his recording debut in 2019 with an album featuring works by Fryderyk Chopin, Franz Liszt, Maurice Ravel, and Ludwig van Beethoven, released by the Fryderyk Chopin Institute. Two years later, he recorded "Fryderyk Chopin: Works for Piano and Orchestra" with Sinfonia Varsovia, conducted by Howard Shelley.
Beyond music, the pianist has a lifelong passion for flying, which he describes as "a way to escape nerves and stress."
Reflecting on his artistic development since his last appearance in the competition, he told PAP: "Almost everything has changed. As a person grows up, their outlook on life evolves — and so does their perspective on music."
The 19th edition of the International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition, which runs from October 2 to October 23, is organised by Poland's Fryderyk Chopin Institute.
The third stage auditions will conclude on Thursday, with names of the ten finalists to be announced on Thursday evening.
The Polish Press Agency is a media partner of the competition. (PAP)
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