This week’s activity takes a look at Frédéric Chopin and his First Piano Concerto. Born in Poland in March of 1810, Chopin grew up in an artistic family. Frédéric composed his first piece at the age of seven, and had his first public performance at 8 years old! Piano Concerto No. 1 was written in 1830 and performed at 20-year-old Chopin’s farewell performance in Warsaw. Despite what the title implies, Piano Concerto No. 1 was actually written after Piano Concerto No. 2. Since the two concertos were written within a year of each other, his second concerto was published first, and therefore known officially as Piano Concerto No. 1!
As You Listen...
- What instruments do you hear? Can you guess what instrument Chopin played?
- What scene do you picture when you listen to the piece?
Did you know? Chopin was very shy, and would perform in the dark by extinguishing all the candles in the room. He only gave 30 public performances in his lifetime, which was fairly short considering he only lived to the age of 39. Regardless, he created many Romantic, sensitive pieces, mostly for piano, that clearly displayed his love for his instrument and music.
If you enjoy our weekly activities, please consider a donation to the BSO. The BSO does over 90 in-school performances each year, reaching thousands of students throughout Whatcom County.
DonateThe BSO is a proud participant and a founding member of the new Whatcom Arts Project, a group of over 30 community arts nonprofits. The goal of the Whatcom Arts Project is to reach our community during this time of need to provide hope, entertainment, learning opportunities, and a sense of togetherness. Each week during the pandemic, the BSO posted learning activities and videos on our website and to social media as part of the Whatcom Arts Project.
To learn more about the Whatcom Arts Project and home friendly activities in our area, please visit: www.facebook.com/WhatcomArtsProject/ or https://www.bellingham.org/whatcom-arts-project/.
