The 19th International Chopin Competition crowned its winner just last week on Oct. 20, 2025 as  Eric Lu, representing the United States. The Chopin Competition only happens once every five years. Pianists from all across the globe are selected to compete in Warsaw, Poland, but only one can win, making it the most prestigious piano competition in the world. But then, you may be asking yourself, “how come I’ve never heard of it?”

It’s not because it’s unimportant or not worth mentioning, it’s because the publicity doesn’t do the competition justice. North High students can benefit from the rich artistic nuance and profound creative abilities found in the Chopin Competition.

“I’d never even heard of the Chopin Competition until now,” junior Jay Wu said. “I love piano and find beauty in each artist’s different styles or interpretations so I will definitely be watching the competition when it comes around again in five years.”

The Chopin Competition has plenty to offer, and can provide an enchanting experience for those who are lucky enough to catch it live. Of course, students can still watch Eric Lu and all other competitors’s stunning abilities in full for free on a multitude of platforms, such as YouTube.

All students who have watched the competition can fully understand the intricacies of the performances. Pianists are limited to a pool of specific pieces leading to occasional overlaps and repetition in song choice, yet the difference in selected pianos and, mainly, the pianist’s interpretation, make them far from similar.

“I watched the recent Chopin Competition because I’m really interested in how different pianists can take the same piece and make it sound completely unique,” Marcus Yu said. “I especially like hearing different takes on the same pieces, like the Ballades or Etudes. I’ll definitely be watching again in five years.”

But at this point, for most readers, what the Chopin Competition is, means or how it works is still shrouded in mystery. The competition was first created and held on Jan. 23, 1927  by Jerzy Zurawlew, in honor of Frederic Chopin—arguably the world’s most famous and influential classical composer/pianist. The competition has been held every five years since its Fifth competition in 1955.

Before the competition even has its preliminary round, the most talented competitors from all across the world send video submissions to a qualifying committee where only around 160 pianists qualify for the preliminary round. There, participants perform a 30 minute recital of a curated repertoire of pieces by Chopin. A jury of renowned pianists and experts then evaluate each audition and select around 70 competitors to move on to the main stage.

The main event consists of four rounds, with 40 advancing to round two, 20 advancing to round three, and no more than 10 individuals moving on to the final round. The final round consists of three days of competition, where each competitor will play one of two offered concertos, accompanied by a symphony orchestra, and the same final solo piece, to truly assess how each pianist offers their own unique understanding and performance, enhancing the piece the most.

Still, this rare and fleeting experience is missed by so many—including those who have heard of it—even with it having so much to offer.

“I think the competition provides us with a lot to learn about the technical art of playing piano. I didn’t get to see this competition since I wasn’t aware it was occurring,” North High’s department chairperson of the Fine & Performing Arts Department Dr. Pamela Levy said. “I think the most important thing about watching is to keep an open mind and appreciate all participants for their unique contributions and styles, and how hard each individual worked to get there.”

The Chopin Competition only happens once in a blue moon—if a blue moon was more common. The Chopin Competition provides anyone who watches it with an engaging and enthralling experience but goes unnoticed by so many due to its poor coverage. So mark your calendars and set your reminders, and come five years you’ll be sure not to miss the 20th International Chopin Competition.