arts>World Financial Center Seeks Aspiring Pianists To Play Chopin

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Chopin 200, a weeklong celebration of Frederic Chopin's 200th birthday featuring 200 hours of the
composer's works performed by an eclectic mix of nearly 200 pianists, including NPR's "From the Top" host Christopher O'Riley; Jeffrey Swann; Vassily Primakov; Claire Huangci, winner of the Chopin Competition of Europe; Kimball Gallagher; and the winner of this month's Chopin Competition in Miami.

arts>World Financial Center joins the global celebration of Frederic Chopin's 200th birthday with one of the most ambitious tributes in the world: 200 hours of free piano performances by such renowned virtuosos as Christopher O'Riley, Jeffrey Swann, and Vassily Primakov, along with some of the world's top concert pianists, up-and-coming performers, and students in leading conservatories and training programs. The weeklong celebration includes more than 150 scheduled performers, and organizers are inviting the city's amateur pianists to help bring the total up to 200 by coming out for morning Aficionado Open Mic sessions, when anyone can show off their Chopin chops at one of the four grand pianos placed throughout the venue. No reservation necessary; first-come, first-served.

Now in its 22nd season, arts>World Financial Center is the East Coast's largest presenter of free, year-round performing and visual arts. Other season highlights include Sounds from the Black Box, featuring animations by South African artist William Kentridge paired with new scores by South African composer Philip Miller, and a three-week run of New York Classical Theatre's Hamlet, Prince of Denmark to be performed throughout nearly 3.5 acres of the sprawling World Financial Center.

When:
Monday, March 1 through Friday, March 5, 2010
Performance on main stage in Winter Garden, 7 pm daily:
Monday - Claire Huangci
Tuesday - Kimball Gallagher
Wednesday - Christopher O'Riley
Thursday - Vassily Primakov
Friday - Jeffrey Swann and winner of Chopin competition

Performances on three pianos throughout World Financial Center, 12 pm - 7 pm daily, and piano in the Winter Garden (palm trees), 12 pm - 6pm daily

Four pianos throughout World Financial Center open to amateur pianists, 9 am - 12 pm daily

Phone:
212.945.0505

Cost:
FREE - no tickets or reservations required

Where:
World Financial Center, 220 Vesey Street (directions)

Web:
www.artsworldfinancialcenter.com