Chopin Festival

Inaugural festival celebrates the genius of Chopin

The first of the Ulster Orchestra’s new annual festivals celebrates the 200th anniversary of Chopin’s birth with a series of events, mostly in the Ulster Hall, running over two weekends including concerts, recitals, a masterclass and a movie.

The festival pays tribute to the great Polish composer who in his short life composed some of the most evocative and romantic piano music ever written.

“Chopin’s contribution to music is often undervalued,” said David Byers, the Orchestra’s Chief Executive. “He’s much more than the weak, undernourished chap we know from the movies. There’s a real strength of character in the music and it was a really important influence on some of the music across the rest of the 19th century. This festival gives us a chance to experience the breadth of his output. Even better when the pianist is none other than Nikolai Demidenko who has such a special affinity with Chopin’s music.” 

The festival begins on Friday 29 January at the Ulster Hall with a 7pm pre-concert talk by Professor Jan Smaczny about Chopin’s life and music. The concert that follows will include Nikolai Demidenko and the Ulster Orchestra playing a brilliantly virtuosic set of variations by Chopin on a theme of Mozart along with Chopin’s Grande Polonaise.

On Saturday 30 January Nikolai Demidenko will conduct a 3pm masterclass on Chopin’s music with four young pianists where he will spend two hours listening to the musicians, advising them on technique, interpretation and presentation. For the public this is a chance to watch a master at work and to see how the young, talented musicians are mentored by one of the world’s great pianists.

On Sunday afternoon, 31 January, the Ulster Hall will be the venue for a solo piano recital by Demidenko featuring some of Chopin’s most memorable Nocturnes and Sonatas.

The festival continues for its second weekend on Friday, 5 February under conductor Kenneth Montgomery, who has just been awarded an OBE. Again Demidenko will take to the stage at the Ulster Hall to play Chopin’s Piano Concerto No.1. This concert also includes music by Cherubini , a friend of Chopin’s and one of the most influential composers living in Paris during the early 19th century. A symphony by Beethoven rounds the evening off (Beethoven regarded Cherubini as one of the greatest composers of the period).  

The festival moves to the Queen’s Film Theatre on Saturday afternoon at 3pm for a special screening of Impromptu starring Hugh Grant as Chopin. This 1991 comedy focuses on Chopin’s tempestuous relationship with the French novelist George Sand, played by Judy Davis.

Demidenko closes the festival on Sunday 7 February, returning to the Ulster Hall for a splendid mix of solo piano works, including the 24 Preludes, Op.28.