Poland prepares for Chopin's bicentennial

Plans are well under way for a year of celebrations to mark the upcoming bicentennial of on of Poland's favorite native sons - Frédéric, known here as Fryderyk, Chopin. The Polish Sejm, or Parliament, has declared 2010 the Year of Fryderyk Chopin, and special concerts, recitals, conferences and other events will honor the great Romantic composer, who was born near Warsaw in 1810. The prestigious International Chopin Competition for pianists will mark its 16th edition in October 2010. Held every five years, the competition draws scores of young musicians from all over the world. In addition, Warsaw's Chopin Museum, with the world's largest collection of Chopin documents and other artifacts, will undergo a total redesign, modernization and expansion. A lavishly illustrated new guidebook called "Chopin's Poland" was already... [read full story]