The finalists in the 16th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition have been named, and the final rounds unfold today, tomorrow and Wednesday at noon Eastern Daylight Time (6 p.m. Warsaw time). And if you'd like to learn more about the judges of this edition of the Chopin Competition and read what they have to say about all things Frederic Chopin, keep up with the competition's newspaper here. While winning the Chopin Competition is no guarantee of pianistic fame and fortune, it has luanched some world-class careers. You might recognize some of the names on the roster of past first-prize winners: Krystian Zimermann, Garrick Ohlsson, Martha Argerich, Maurizio Pollini and, more recently, Yundi Li and Rafal Blechacz. Silver medalists have included Mitsuko Uchida and Ingrid Fliter, and Gabriela Montero is a past third-prize winner. None of these folks is a stranger to WOSU's air, and when it comes to tickling the ivories, none of them is a slouch. So if you do catch the Chopin Competition finals, happy listening. You'll be hearing history in the making.
Jennifer Hambrick unites her extensive backgrounds in the arts and media and her deep roots in Columbus to bring inspiring music to central Ohio as Classical 101’s midday host. Jennifer performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago before earning a Ph.D. in musicology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.