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Krystian Zimerman – winner First place IX Fryderyk Chopin International Piano Competition in Warszawa (1975). Krystian Zimerman began learning piano at age five under his father’s tutelage. When he was seven years of age, Prof. Andrzej Jasiński took over his education while he attended the State Music School in Zabrz, the State Music Lycee in Katowice and the State Music Academy in Katowice. He completed his formal studies in 1976, obtaining his diploma with distinction.

Zimerman won first place in the following competitions: Voivod-wide Prokofiev Competition in Katowice (1974), II Poland-wide Review of Pianists in Warszawa (1974), IX Chopin Competition in Warszawa, where he also won the Polish Radio award for best performance of a mazurka and the Fredyryk Chopin Society award for best performance of a polonaise.

Shortly after his success in the Chopin Competition, the pianist began to develop his international concert career. In 1977, he debuted at the Salzburg Festival and in London. On 19 August 1988, in Salzburg, he gave the world premier of Witold Lutosławski's Piano Concerto, which was dedicated to him. He has gone on several tours of Europe, Japan and the USA. He has worked with such conductors as: Witold Rowicki, Stanisław Skrowaczewski, Andrzej Markowski, Herbert von Karajan, Bernard Haitink, Leonard Bernstein, Claudio Abbado, Kiryl Kondraszyn and others. He has also played chamber concerts with Kaja Danczowska, Gidon Kremer, Heinz Holliger and others.

In 1999, in order to mark the 150th anniversary of Chopin’s death, Zimerman created the Polish Festival Orchestra. Acting as both conductor and pianist for both Chopin’s piano concertos, between 15 August and 25 November, the Orchestra gave 41 concerts all over Europe and the USA (in Gdańsk, Warszawa, London, Paris, Hamburg, Brussels, Amsterdam, Basil, Washington and New York among others).

Krystian Zimerman has made recordings for the labels Polskie Nagrania 'Muza', Wifon and Deutsche Grammophon, of works by Grażyna Bacewicz (II Sonata), Beethoven (all piano concertos among others), Chopin (both piano concertos among others), Mozart, Schubert, Brahms (three sonatas and both piano concertos among others), Schumann, Liszt (among others both piano concertos, Totentanz, Sonata h-moll), Grieg, R. Strauss, Respighi, Szymanowski, Ravel (both piano concertos), Debussy (24 Prelude) and Witold Lutosławski (Piano Concerto – first recording in the world). Some of his recordings have won international recording awards – among others his performances of Chopin, Liszt and Debussy.

Periodically the pianist also engages in pedagogical work, holding piano classes at the Music Conservatory in Basil.