Who We Are

Mission Statement, Goal and Objective

The Northwest Council of the Chopin Foundation of the United States will continue the tradition of encouraging talented young American pianists to study and perform classical music, especially highlighting the music of Chopin. We will primarily focus on the Seattle competition and furthering young local talent.

A brief history of the Northwest Chapter of the Chopin Foundation and the Chopin Festival

The very first meeting of The Northwest Chapter of the Chopin Foundation was held September 20, 2001 at the Women's University Club in Seattle, Washington. President Steven Lagerberg opened a meeting with eight other Chopin enthusiasts in attendance.

Steven presented his vision for the Chopin Foundation which was, very simply, to showcase Chopin and his beautiful music. At the time, it was also hoped that we could further the education of young people by promoting Chopin's music and also by supporting fledgling pianists at the International Chopin Music Competitions held every five years in Warsaw, Poland.

The NW Chopin Foundation holds a yearly competition featuring the finest youth talent in Washington state. Each succeeding year, the Festival has grown, becoming one of Washington's larger piano competitions. We also encourage students to work toward participating in the International Chopin Music Competitions.

We also encourage support of the National Chopin Foundation. A subscription to Polonaise follows.