Polish pianist makes his Chamber Series debut

Publication Date

Pianist Rafal Blechacz makes his highly anticipated debut recital for the Union College Concert Series at Memorial Chapel on Wednesday, Oct. 10 at 8 p.m.

Rafal headshot

Blechacz will begin his recital with Bach’s Partita No. 3 in A Minor, BWV 827 followed by Beethoven’s early Sonata No. 7 in D Major, Op. 10, No. 3. He dedicates the second half of his program to the music of his homeland, performing Chopin’s Ballade No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 23 and Two Polonaises, Op. 26 and ending with Szymanowski’s keyboard masterwork – the Sonata No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 8.

In 2005, Rafal Blechacz was the uncontested winner of the 15th Frédéric Chopin International Piano Competition (there was no second place awarded). He has performed in London’s Wigmore Hall, Berlin’s Philharmonie, New York City’s Avery Fisher Hall and many other international venues. He has an exclusive recording contract with Deutsche Grammophon, becoming only the second Polish artist, after Krystian Zimerman, to be signed under the prestigious label. His recordings of Chopin Preludes; sonatas of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven; and his most recent release of works of Debussy and Szymanowski have won major awards including the German Echo Klassik, French Diapason D’or and a “Best of the Year” honor from Gramophone magazine. Born in 1985, he studied at the Artur Rubinstein State School of Music and the Feliks Nowowiejski Academy of Music.

Individual tickets are $25 or $10 for students. Subscription packages offer significant savings.