Fifty nine music lovers from Poland and abroad will take part in a Competition on the Life and Work of Chopin, which is to be held in Katowice at the end of next week (16-17 October).

The competition will consist of three rounds. The first two will be in the form of a written test. They will be followed by an oral quiz after which the top ten entrants will compete in the finals, broadcast live by Polish public television TVP.

The subject matter covers Chopin’s biography and compositional legacy, Chopin festivals and competitions, works of literature and films inspired by Chopin and his music, as well as the historical and cultural context of Chopin’s oeuvre. In addition to cash awards, the winners of the top three prizes will be invited to Warsaw to attend the finals of the International Chopin Piano Competition.

The competition is an initiative of the Katowice-based National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra. It is organized by the city’s Cultural Centre, the National Fryderyk Chopin Institute in Warsaw and the Committee of the Chopin Year 2010, the 200th anniversary of the composer’s birth. (mk)