Pianist Kevin Kenner (centre) in Krakow

On the eve of Chopin’s birthday, a ceremonial Mass and recital are being held in Poland’s spiritual heart, the Wawel Cathedral.

Report by John Beauchamp

Małgorzata Błoch-Wiśniewska, the director of the Chopin 2010 celebrations, underlines the gravitas of the moment, saying “this is an historical moment.”

The Chopin Year is not just about music. It is a manifestation dedicated to a great Polish individual, and many events are billed in Poland’s southern city that seek to remind visitors of the composer.

The inauguration ceremony Mass at Wawel Cathedral will host a recital by Kevin Kenner, a former laureate of the Chopin Piano Competition. He is to play the composer’s Scherzo No. 4 on an originally-made Pleyel piano, the kind which Chopin himself used to use almost 200 years ago.

More information on Chopin Year 2010 can be found at chopin2010.pl.