Chopin is synonymous with piano music and Janina Fialkowska is one of the leading Chopin interpreters of our time.

Her 2012 recording Chopin Recital 2, received five stars from BBC Music Magazine and rave reviews from critics in North America and Europe. And in 2010, for Chopin’s 200th anniversary, she built her entire concert schedule around his music. She even performed on an 1848 Pleyel piano, similar to the one Chopin himself used in his last recitals.

Born in Montreal, Fialkowska received two advanced music degrees from the University of Montreal by the age of 17. She continued her studies in Paris and New York and at age 23, Fialkowska met pianist, Arthur Rubinstein who became her mentor and helped launch her career. While Fialkowska specializes in Chopin’s music, she plays a wide range: from Mozart to Beethoven to brand new works written expressly for her. Fialkowska has also made it her goal to take the music outside of the big urban centres and into smaller communities across Canada with her Piano Six project.

In 2002, Fialkowska’s career came to a halt when she discovered a tumour in her left arm. After surgery to remove it, and more surgery to replace the muscle, she resumed her two-handed concert career with an emotional and successful recital in 2004. In 2012, Fialkowska received the Governor General’s performing Arts Award for Lifetime Achievement. She is also an Officer of the Order of Canada.

Fialkowska now makes her home in Germany but she returns often to perform and record in Canada.

On this edition of This Is My Music, Failkowska shares stories along with the music she loves.

This Is My Music is heard Saturdays on Radio 2 at 10:00 am.