Born: March 1, 1810

Died: October 17, 1849

Nationality: Polish

Musical Period: Romantic

Frederic Chopin was born outside Warsaw, Poland in 1810. His mother introduced him to the piano at age 6, and he started composing at age 7. In fact, he gave his first concert at age 8! Frederic was indeed a child prodigy and because of his great potential, his parents enrolled him in the Warsaw Conservatory of Music. After seeing that Frederic needed even more, they sent him to Vienna to further his musical journey and so that he can have a broader musical experience.

In the early 1800s, musical audiences were accustomed to hearing the dynamic, boisterous music of Beethoven and Schubert. Chopin captured the hearts of his audiences not only with his piano technique and skill, but also with the poetic, expressive, and moving style of his writing and playing. He quickly gained a popularity across Europe performing in Poland, Austria, Germany, and France. Chopin settled in Paris and was influential among younger composers like Franz Liszt and Felix Mendelssohn.

Chopin did not live a long life and died at the young age of 39 from tuberculosis. He is considered as Poland’s greatest composer, and his poetic, expressive, and passionate music is still often a favorite among many. To listen to one of his most popular pieces, click here.