Grzegorz Niemczuk
Biography
Hailed by influential Japanese critics as the “modern incarnation of Chopin,” Greg Niemczuk has built an international name for himself as an outstanding expert and interpreter of the music of Frédéric Chopin, to the study of which he has devoted many years of his artistic life. In January 2017, National Polish Radio put Greg Niemczuk’s Chopin interpretations in line with such distinguished artists as Martha Argerich, Maurizio Pollini, and Adam Harasiewicz.
His prolific international solo career, now in its 17th year, has taken him to many prestigious concert halls around the world, including Carnegie Hall, Steinway Hall in New York, Kioi Hall, Tokyo Bunka Kaikan in Tokyo, Beijing Concert Hall in Beijing, Quintai Concert Hall in Wuhan, Guotai Arts Center in Chongqing, Busan Cultural Center in Busan, Teatro Puccini in Milan, Teatro Sergio Cardoso in Sao Paulo, Centro Cultural de Sao Paulo, Capela Santa Maria in Curitiba, Teatro Civico in Vercelli, Palau de la Musica Catalana in Barcelona, Victoria Concert Hall in Singapore, Collonge-Bellerive in Geneva, Museum F. Liszt in Weimar, the Conservatory of Music in Shanghai, Tsarskoye Selo in St. Petersburg, the National Philharmonic in Warsaw, the Grand Theater of the National Opera, and the Royal Castle in Warsaw.
To date, the pianist has given nearly 500 recitals and concerts, visiting 36 countries on 6 continents (Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Lithuania, Russia, Romania, Austria, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, France, Spain, United Kingdom, Finland, Norway, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Japan, China, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Peru, Brazil, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Colombia, United States, Jamaica, and Curacao). He often conducts his own concerts, introducing listeners to the secrets of the music being performed and providing interesting facts about the composers' biographies. Wherever he performs, he is warmly received by audiences and critics, resulting in further invitations for the future. He is especially appreciated in Asia: after his spectacular solo debut in Tokyo in July 2017, the prestigious magazine “Chopin” published an extremely enthusiastic review. This performance resulted in further invitations to recitals in Japan (Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, Asahikawa, Obihiro, Hakodate, Aomori), as well as a contract with “Chopin” magazine for monthly articles on the performance of F. Chopin's music. In December 2017, he made his debut in China, where he performed at the prestigious Beijing Concert Hall as part of the “Polish Circles of Art” Festival (the largest festival of Polish art in China). The concert received widespread coverage in all major Chinese media. He is also a favorite of Norwegian audiences - he has so far performed in more than 30 different cities in Norway, everywhere arousing great enthusiasm and receiving invitations for future performances.
Greg Niemczuk has a very extensive repertoire of more than 250 solo works and 28 concertos for piano with orchestra from the Baroque era to 20th and 21st century music. He is among a small group of pianists who have all the works of Frederic Chopin in their repertoire. During the years of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2022), Greg Niemczuk created an unprecedented and unique in the world project of recording film-lectures about all the works of Fryderyk Chopin, intended primarily for music lovers who want to gain a deeper understanding of the masterpieces of the most outstanding Polish composer. More than 330 episodes in two language versions (Polish and English) have been produced, published on YouTube, and on the artist's Facebook page.
Greg Niemczuk is a winner of many piano competitions. In 2013, he won—as the first Pole ever—the “International Carnegie Hall Concerto Debut Competition” in New York. This prestigious award opened the way for him to Carnegie Hall, where in February 2013, he had the opportunity to present Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21 by F. Chopin, receiving excellent reviews. In 2016, he was a finalist and winner of the Special Prize at the 2016 International Busan Maru Music Festival in South Korea. He is also the winner of the 40th F.Chopin National Piano Competition in Warsaw in 2010 and international competitions in Italy and Belgium.
His artistic plans for 2024-2025 include debuts in such prestigious concert halls as Vienna's Konzerthaus, Prague's “Rudolfinum” Concert Hall, and Zurich's Tonhalle. Concert tours are also planned in Poland, Norway, and Japan.
The pianist currently lives in Bielsko-Biała. Since October 2017, he has been a doctor of arts, working at the University of Silesia (Faculty of Arts) as an assistant professor. He has also been invited to give masterclasses at many music universities around the world, including the Nanyang Academy of Art in Singapore, Norges Musikkhøgskole in Oslo, University in Agder, Kristiansand, University of the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica, Santa Catarina State University in Florianopolis, State University of Porto Alegre, in Brazil, Conservatory of Music in Lima, Peru, Xiamen University and Changde University in China.
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Yes, there were a few, but surprisingly, they didn't come too early. I started playing the piano when I was seven, which is normal in my country. When you are seven, you normally start primary school. Some kids might start earlier, but my parents were not musicians, so they just decided to give me a normal education. As a result, I attended both a music school and a regular school for the first six years. At that time, I didn't think about the piano as a profession; I probably didn't even know it was possible because I had no musicians in my family.
But when I was 16 or 17 years old, I started to get more and more classical music recordings. This was back when we didn't have the internet yet, so it wasn't like it is now, where everything is immediately available to watch and listen to. I remember listening to a lot of composers and classical music, and that is when my passion truly started. By the time I was 16 or 17, I decided, "Okay, I can't live without music. This is what I'm going to do with my life, and I will dedicate my whole life to it."
That was the first thing. The second thing was attending live classical music concerts. My parents always took me to these performances, and when I watched the artists, I thought, "Oh, I want to be like them one day."
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Yes, there is. Of course, I love Chopin with all my heart, but that love actually didn't start immediately when I was young. It came later; it was not love at first sight, as we say.
I have another composer whom I passionately love, and this love actually started when I was perhaps seven or eight years old. As a teenager, it grew inside me. He will always be my number one, even though he didn't write a great deal of music for the piano, or at least, it is not considered his best work. Who am I talking about? Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. He is very famous for his ballet music, which everybody knows, but Tchaikovsky is my absolute number one love. I don't even know why his music resonates so deeply inside me. Whenever I hear it, I just have to stop and listen; I can't concentrate on anything else because I just vibrate with the music.
Of course, I am referring mostly to his symphonic music, his operas, songs, and chamber music. Regarding his piano works, I like his piano concertos very much, but his solo piano music is perhaps not quite as attractive, though I still love it dearly. So I would say that Tchaikovsky is absolutely my number one, though of course I love many others as well.
If we are talking about one particular piece of music that completely captivates me, it is Schubert's last Piano Sonata in B-flat major, D. 960. That is the piece I dream of playing. I still haven't had the courage to perform it yet, but that time will come.
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Oh, definitely, yes. The reason is that Chopin was a deeply patriotic person; he loved Poland and suffered because, at the time, Poland was not on the map of Europe. I was always interested in history and grew up in a patriotic family where I was taught a lot of patriotic songs. Having that background is very important to feeling the patriotism embedded in his music.
However, I don't think you have to be Polish to play Chopin well. That is absolutely not what I think. Rather, you have to awaken the same emotions within yourself that Chopin felt. For instance, if you are Korean, you love your country, and you have to empathetically imagine Chopin's perspective. You don't have to love Poland to play Chopin; you have to love your own country, because those represent the exact same emotions. Of course, it remains important to know Polish folk music and a bit of Polish history to deeply understand what he felt.
As for being called a modern incarnation of Chopin, that was actually written by a Japanese critic after my debut in Japan. It was very nice of him. Of course, I don't see myself that way, but it makes for good marketing! I am very grateful for it, but I often wonder what made him write that. I think it comes down to how I approach Chopin’s music.
Chopin's music is mostly about singing. He loved opera, and he wanted his piano music to sing. When I was a student, we had compulsory rehearsals with vocalists. I loved working with singers, and I remember often asking them to sing Chopin melodies with me just to see how they would interpret them. I was amazed by how free they were; they didn't sing exactly what was on the page. They would take time for phrasing or breathing.
I began to learn from that freedom. When I was a student, my professors never allowed me to use that kind of rubato. Teachers will be teachers, telling you what you can and cannot do. But once I graduated, I was finally free to play exactly how I wanted. It was right around that time that I performed in Japan, playing with complete freedom. Perhaps that was quite striking for the audience there, and that might be the real reason behind the critic's words.
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Oh, that's a beautiful question because it always brings back so many emotions. Whenever you think about a past moment that was special, you feel it all over again.
Definitely, the Carnegie Hall performance was very unexpected and deeply special for me. Playing Chopin’s piano concerto there was something I will never forget, and it was certainly one of the most important concerts of my career.
However, another performance, probably the most important one of my life, happened just last week. Last Sunday, I finally made my debut at the Warsaw Philharmonic in the big hall where the Chopin Competition takes place. I had never had the chance to play there before; it's surprising, but that is just the way it was. We had a sold-out concert for over a thousand people, and I was so touched by it. It is still incredibly fresh for me. So, that is probably the most significant concert I have ever had. Of course, I have had many others that I remember very fondly, including performances in Vienna and across Asia, but I would point to those two as the absolute top.
The acoustics in the Warsaw Philharmonic Hall are truly great, but especially when the audience fills the room. When I had my rehearsal in the empty hall, the sound wasn't quite as good, but once the people arrived, it became beautiful.
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I have quite a few that I listen to and am always learning from.
Definitely, I would point out Arthur Rubinstein; he is my number one. Then, Krystian Zimerman, whom I admire and know personally, I even had a lesson with him. Grigory Sokolov, the great Russian pianist, and the Canadian Marc-André Hamelin, whom I have also heard live a few times. There is also András Schiff, of course, especially for his interpretations of Bach, Mozart, the Classics, and Schubert.
There are many others, but those are the ones I would like to point out right now. I hope I didn't miss anyone crucial! It is actually much easier to say who I don't like, but maybe let's not talk about that.
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Well, that's an important question. Norway holds a very special place in my heart. Apparently, I have performed there even more times than in Poland. The reason for this is actually quite random. I met an incredible man who is now almost 80 years old. When we met about fifteen years ago, we became close friends, and after a few years, he decided to become my manager there. He is still my best friend and manager in Norway, so it is entirely because of him that I have had so many concerts there. He organizes all the trips and travel.
Norway is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. If I can suggest to anyone listening, if you go to Europe, visit Norway. Especially the eastern part is really very beautiful.
Every single trip is an inspiration because whenever you see something new, you become a slightly different person. When you change as a person, your music changes too. That is something you can't consciously control; it is just the way it works. The more beauty you see in the world, the more beautifully you play. You just have to remain open, and then, even subconsciously, you will play with greater sensitivity.
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Yes, I do. It is a great question, and while the answer can be deeply personal and take some time to explain, it comes down to my background.
When I was young, I wasn't fortunate enough to have a great teacher at the very beginning. As a result, I had to completely change my technique later on when I was 18 or 19. My playing used to be very stiff, and there were a lot of bad habits that no one had corrected. I had to fix them largely on my own, though with the help of others along the way.
But my main problem back then was actually memory. Nobody had ever taught me how to properly memorize a piece, so it took me a long time to figure it out. Of course, everyone is different, so what works for me might not work for everyone. But what completely changed things for me and what I do consistently now is memorizing each hand separately, very thoroughly.
It is true that I have the complete works of Chopin in my repertoire. Because of this practice method, if you asked me to play just the left-hand part of Chopin’s Sonata No. 3 from beginning to end, I could do it with no problem. If I can't do that, I don't feel like I truly know the piece.
My routine does evolve, however. I used to practice hands separately primarily to build technique, but I find I don't need to do that as much anymore. Instead, I use Chopin’s Études to warm up. I might play through them a few times, and immediately, my technique feels sharp. They are incredible for warming up if you know them well. But practicing hands separately for memory is something I still do and highly recommend.
When you are young, memorizing often comes naturally. But eventually, you have to ask yourself what is actually driving that memory. If it is only muscle memory, that can be very dangerous because muscle memory alone becomes less reliable as you get older. But for me, the older I get, the better my memory becomes, which is unusual, but it is likely because of this specific method. It is definitely something worth trying.
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Oh, definitely. The "Legendary Sonatas" is a great program, which I actually just performed a week ago in Warsaw and a few other places. Featuring two sonatas, one by Chopin and the other by Mozart or Beethoven, in a single concert is wonderful, and I am very excited about it. I am especially looking forward to performing this program in Vienna at the Konzerthaus and at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig later this year, as well as across the rest of Europe, where I will have some great concerts.
But if you ask me about the one upcoming performance that gives me goosebumps just thinking about it, it would be my debut in Paris. Believe it or not, I have never actually performed in Paris before because it is a very difficult market to get into. After all these years, it is finally happening next year, and it will be a Chopin birthday concert, so I will only be performing his works. It will take place at the Salle Gaveau, a truly beautiful hall in Paris. That is something that already makes me incredibly excited.
At the concert, I decided to play pieces that most people know and enjoy, like Ballade No.1 (one of my favorite pieces), Scherzo No.2, Nocturnes Op. 9, Mazurkas, Waltzes, and Etudes (only three from Op.10: No.1, No.3, and No.12, the revolutionary.)
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Oh, yes, definitely. The greatest challenge for me was probably in 2010 when, as you mentioned, I won the National Chopin Piano Competition in Poland. At that moment, that meant I was considered the best Chopin player in Poland for that year because all the Polish pianists played there before the 2010 Chopin Competition. Following that, I played in the preliminary round for the International Chopin Piano Competition, and I didn't get in. That was the biggest challenge of my life because I was deeply depressed. I felt terrible, and at first, I thought, "Okay, my career is over. What am I going to do?"
Now, sixteen years later, everything is fine, but that path was incredibly hard. Another challenge, then, was finding a way to build a career, and I tried many different paths to overcome it. Apparently, what really worked was the COVID-19 pandemic, which was when I started making YouTube videos. That became the biggest booster of my career and brought me recognition all over the world. I didn't even expect it, but that is exactly what happened.
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Engaging with audiences has become my mission. Nowadays, around the world, there are fewer and fewer people attending classical concerts. Many people, especially younger generations, feel that they don't understand classical music, feel like it's boring, or don't know what it is about, so they simply don't attend.
To help solve this issue, my YouTube channel is very important as a tool to explain the music to people, but I also carry this approach directly in concerts. At every single one of my concerts, I take a microphone and speak to the audience. I explain what I am going to perform, when it was written, or what it is about in simple words so that people can understand. I try to do this in multiple languages so that I can do this in many countries. This approach works incredibly well, and it is my personal contribution to making classical music great again.
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I always say the same thing. Of course, it is very important to practice your instrument, but you must also enrich your soul and your individual personality by reading books and studying philosophy, which is also absolutely important. It is like a gym for your brain and for your soul. Try to read poetry as well.
I emphasize this because, ultimately, you share your personality through your music. In the end, audiences are touched by your personalities, not just by your technical abilities. That is the core advice I would give.
It is not easy, but it opens your mind. When you begin to study philosophy, you will feel your inner insight expand. It is difficult to explain in words, but you have to try it for yourself, and then you will truly understand.
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Chopin’s music is special because it is fundamentally human. It speaks to emotions that we all feel, no matter where we are from. Whether you are Korean, Polish, or living in Africa or Australia, we all experience the same feelings. He possessed a unique capability for writing music that makes us feel deeply understood.
The key to playing his music well comes down to two things. First, you must play exactly what he wrote in the score and always respect what he wrote. Second, you must express the genuine emotions that you feel within that music. To put it simply, if the music is sad, express that sadness in your own authentic way.
