Born in 1810 in Poland, in the Duchy of Warsaw, Frédéric Chopin began playing the piano at the age of five and composed his first works at fifteen. In Poland, he became familiar with both the classical and lyrical repertoire, as well as with folk music during his stays in the countryside. In 1831, he moved to Paris, where he first gained recognition as a performer, regularly playing in salons, before devoting himself to composition and teaching.From 1837 to 1847, he lived between Nohant and Paris with George Sand, with whom he had a romantic relationship; this was a happy and prolific period for him, despite his illness. After a few stays in England and Scotland, he returned to Paris in November 1848, and his health steadily deteriorated.He continued to compose and teach until his death in October 1849. Although none of his works were written specifically for dance, many choreographers have drawn on his music, including Isadora Duncan, Loïe Fuller, Bronislava Nijinska, Michel Fokine, Roland Petit, John Neumeier, Jerome Robbins, and Crystal Pite.

Frédéric ChopinComposer