The music of Frédéric Chopin has always held a special place in Polish-Canadian pianist Jan Lisiecki’s repertoire. Thus, at the 2022 Ruhr Piano Festival, he not only performed all five Beethoven piano concertos in the course of two evenings with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe; Lisiecki also charmed our audience with “Poems of the Night”, a recital evening featuring Chopin études in a charming combination with a selection of nocturnes. Despite his youth, Lisiecki is already returning to the Festival for the 15th time: this season, he will be featuring a special gem in his programme. In collaboration with the Basel Chamber Orchestra, Lisiecki will be presenting Chopin’s wonderful 2nd Piano Concerto, which he recorded at the age of 15 in 2010, on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the composer’s birth. That release caused a stir among critics. In the Ruhr Piano Festival podcast “AnTasten”, Lisiecki has spoken about his particular penchant for Chopin’s music. Although he indeed speaks Polish and knows the country’s culture and history well, the greatest influence upon his artistry has come from his time in Canada. The fact of coming from a Polish family does not necessarily make him predestined to interpret Chopin’s music, he humbly remarks. Thus, Lisiecki has forged his own personal approach to Chopin: a fine and lightweight touch, with a brilliance that makes this music’s beauty shine all the more. nn