Chopin 2025: Playing Chopin's music is always a challenge, says Kevin Chen
Performing the works of Chopin has always been a challenge and a risk, said Canadian pianist Kevin Chen after his performance in the final round of the 19th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw.
"His music is widely known. Playing Chopin at a Chopin competition is always both a challenge and a risk. All the participants are performing only Chopin, which in itself is quite unique," Chen pointed out, mentioning the difficulty of standing out in a competition where every note is deeply familiar to both the audience and the jury.
Chen performed on Monday, the last day of the final auditions. The winners and prizewinners are set to be announced by the jury later in the evening.
"I am already happy, regardless of the outcome of the competition," Chen told reporters after his performance.
Chen said he prefers performing with an orchestra over solo recitals, as the latter makes him feel "lonely" on stage and adds to the usual pre-performance nerves.
The musician said he found the competition, which lasts for three weeks, to be exhausting both physically and mentally, adding that he did not expect to experience such fatigue during this journey.
Eleven pianists from seven countries have reached the final stage of the 19th edition of the prestigious competition, which began on Saturday and concludes on Monday evening. Alongside Chen, the lineup includes Poland's Piotr Alexewicz, David Khrikuli (Georgia), Shiori Kuwahara (Japan), Tianyou Li (China), Eric Lu (United States), Tianyao Lyu (China), Vincent Ong (Malaysia), Miyu Shindo (Japan), Zitong Wang (China) and William Yang (United States).
The 19th edition of the International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition, organised by Poland's Fryderyk Chopin Institute, runs from October 2 to October 23.
The Polish Press Agency is a media partner of the competition. (PAP)
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