Rafał Blechacz (RA-faw BLEH-hatch) came on the scene with a splash by winning five prizes at the 15th International Chopin Competition in Warsaw in 2005. He often performs Chopin and other Romantic repertory.
Blechacz was born on June 30, 1985, in Nakło nad Notecią, Poland. He later spoke highly of the small-town environment, saying that it was conducive to strong concentration on the piano. His training was exclusively in Poland. After completing his secondary courses at the National Artur Rubinstein Music School in Bydgoszcz, he studied with Katarzyna Popowa-Zydon at the Fe...