Janina Fialkowska has been named “Canada’s first lady of Chopin” by music critic Robert Cummings. He was reviewing her newest CD, Chopin Recital 2, which was released in August. The recording has received 5 stars from BBC Music Magazine, and raves from music critics in England and Germany. In 2010, during Frederic Chopin's bicentenary, Fialkowska built her entire schedule around his music, even going so far as to perform it on a restored 1848 Pleyel piano similar to the one Chopin would have used in his last concert.
For four decades Janina Fialkowska has delighted international audiences with her performances of classical and romantic works. She was born in Montreal, and by the age of 17 she'd received two advanced music degrees from the Université de Montréal. At 23, at a time when Fialkowska was planning to renounce music for law school, she met the legendary pianist Arthur Rubinstein. Rubinstein persuaded her to stay the course, and helped launch her career.
Janina Fialkowska also champions the music of Canadian composers, and she created the Piano Six music outreach program to take live music-making to remote Canadian communities. Since 2010, she has run an annual piano academy in Germany, and as host of This Is My Music this Saturday she reveals why she does it.
This is a new show, Janina Fialkowska's return visit as guest host of This is My Music. Tune in this Saturday, Dec. 1, on CBC Radio 2, 10:05 a.m. to noon in most of the country, 11:05 a.m. to 1 p.m. AT.
Related:
Disc of the week: Janina Fialkowska plays a Chopin recital
Janina Fialkowska launches album, receives Governor General’s Award