 Frédéric Chopin was a composer and virtuoso pianist of the

Romantic movement.
 Born on March 1, 1810, in Zelazowa Wola, Poland.
 He invented the concept of instrumental ballade. His major
piano works also include mazurkas, waltzes, nocturnes,
polonaises, études, impromptus, scherzos, preludes and
sonatas, some published only after his death.
 Frédéric Chopin, grew up in a middle-class family.
 He published his first composition at age 7 and began
performing one year later. In 1832, he moved to Paris,
socialized with high society and was known as an excellent
piano teacher.
 His Father, Nicholas, was a French émigré who was working as
a bookkeeper when he met and married Justyna
Krzyzanowska.
 His father's employment exposed young Chopin to cultured
Warsaw society, and his mother introduced him to music at an
early age.
 By age 6, young Chopin was ably playing the piano and
composing tunes. Recognizing his talent, his family engaged
professional musician Wojciech Zywny for lessons, and soon
pupil surpassed teacher in both technique and imagination.
 By 1818, Chopin was performing in elegant salons and writing
his own compositions, including the Polonaise in G Minor.
 By 1826, he had composed several piano pieces in different
styles, and his parents enrolled him in the Warsaw
Conservatory of Music, where he studied for three years under
Polish composer Josef Elsner.
 He died on October 17, 1849 in Paris, France.