Frédéric Chopin

Polish Romantic Era Composer and Pianist

Frédéric Chopin was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist of the Romantic era who has had a lasting influence on the world of classical music. Born on March 1, 1810, in Żelazowa Wola, in what was then the Duchy of Warsaw, Chopin grew up in a middle-class family and showed prodigious musical talent from an early age. He completed his musical education in Warsaw before leaving Poland at the age of 20, shortly before the outbreak of the November 1830 Uprising. Settling in Paris, he became part of the city's vibrant artistic community and established himself as both a composer and a sought-after piano teacher.