·Derek·
FredericFrancoisChopin，Polish-borncomposerandrenownedpianist，wasthecreatorof55mazurkas，13polonaises，24preludes，27etudes，19nocturnes，4ballads，and4scherzos.
FredericChopinwasborninZelazowaWola，Poland，onFebruary22，1810，toaFrenchfatherandPolishmother.Hisfather，NicholasChopin，wasaFrenchtutortomanyaristocraticPolishfamilies，lateracceptingapositionasaFrenchteacherattheWarsawLyceum.
AlthoughChopinlaterattendedtheLyceumwherehisfathertaught，hisearlytrainingbeganathome.Thisincludedreceivingpianolessonsfromhismother.Bytheageofsix，Chopinwascreatingoriginalpieces，showinginnateprodigiousmusicalability.HisparentsarrangedfortheyoungChopintotakepianoinstructionfromWojciechZywny.
WhenChopinwassixteen，heattendedtheWarsawConservatoryofMusic，directedbycomposerJosephElsner.Elsner，likeZywny，insistedonthetraditionaltrainingassociatedwithClassicalmusicbutallowedhisstudentstoinvestigatethemoreoriginalimaginationsoftheRomanticstyleaswell.
AsoftenhappenedwiththeyoungmusiciansofboththeClassicalandRomanticPeriods，ChopinwassenttoVienna，theunquestionedcenterofmusicforthatday.HegavepianoconcertsandthenarrangedtohavehispiecespublishedbyaViennesepublishinghousethere.WhileChopinwasinAustria，PolandandRussiafacedoffintheapparentbeginningsofwar.HereturnedtoWarsawtogethisthingsinpreparationofamorepermanentmove.Whilethere，hisfriendsgavehimasilvergobletfilledwithPolishsoil.Hekeptitalways，ashewasneverabletoreturntohisbelovedPoland.
Frenchbyheritage，anddesirousoffindingmusicalacceptancefromalesstraditionalaudiencethanthatofVienna，ChopinventuredtoParis.Interestingly，otheryoungmusicianshadassembledinthecityoffashionwiththeverysamehope.ChopinjoinedFranzLiszt，HectorBerlioz，FelixMendelssohn，VincenzoBellini，andAugusteFranchomme，allproponentsofthe“new”Romanticstyle.