2nd Chopin Competitions Conference

In November 2016, Ben James returned to Warsaw to attend the second International Chopin Competitions Conference to present and promote the upcoming 3rd edition of the Australian International Chopin Piano Competition.

While in Warsaw, Ben also took the opportunity to meet with representatives from the Ludwig van Beethoven Association to discuss the Friends of Chopin Australia and the Composition Competition.

Ben’s trip to Poland also coincided with the 150th anniversary of the Moscow State Conservatory. 2nd prize winner of the 2nd Australian International Chopin Piano Competition 2014, Daria Kameneva, was performing in a special concert in the Rachmaninov Hall to mark the occasion, and Ben was able to make a small diversion to attend and catch up with Daria, now a busy teacher at the Conservatory, and also at a specialised musical high school to prepare students for entry into the Conservatory (named after Chopin).