PKN ORLEN Sponsors A Piano For Rafal Blechacz

The concert, to be held at the Warsaw Philharmonic, marks the 196th anniversary of the Frederic Chopin's birth. It will also be an excellent occasion to listen to the music of Chopin, Haydn and Beethoven performed by Rafal Blechacz. The concert promises to be an exceptional event for both the audience and Poland's most recognized pianist. After the recital PKN ORLEN will hand over to the winner of the last Frederic Chopin Piano Competition a cheque for the world's finest piano, the Steinway, of which Rafal Blechacz always dreamt.

An artist of Blechacz's class deserves an instrument which will allow maximum use of his master skills and further his artistic development. As one of Poland's leading companies we are happy to support Poland's most outstanding young artist. - said Igor Chalupec, President & CEO of PKN ORLEN.

PKN ORLEN's wide-ranging engagement in both the concert and the piano foundation for Rafal Blechacz is designed to conserve Chopin's music as apart of Poland's national heritage.

In December 2004 PKN ORLEN bought at a Sotheby's auction in London the 173-year old manuscript of the cis-moll (C minor) op. 10 nr 4 etude by Frederic Chopin. The working manuscript contains three heavily annotated pages, on the third page the composer noted down the day of the etude's creation: "Paris, 6th Aug., 1832". The notes also contain corrections made by the composer's hand. After arriving in Poland the manuscript has been ceremonially transferred by its benefactors to the Frederik Chopin Museum in the Ostrogskis Palace in Warsaw.

The International Frederic Chopin Piano Competition was initiated in 1927 and is one of the oldest music competitions if this kind in the world. It is commonly recognized as one of the world's most prominent cultural events and it enjoys widespread honor and recognition. It provides an excellent occasion for critics, musicologists, the media and music lovers to share their opinions on musical culture.