Director of the National Frederic Chopin Institute Prof. Ryszard Zimak talks to Jan Popis.

What aims are most important to you?
The fundamental aim of my actions is the unification of all efforts serving the legacy of Frederic Chopin. This task is nothing other than a continuation of the work of Minister of Culture Waldemar D±browski, who brought about the signing of an agreement to give the highest priority to Chopin’s virtues. The document is a declaration of goodwill on the part of the minister, the Frederic Chopin Society and the National Frederic Chopin Institute (NIFC). However a much more important achievement of the minister is the creation and acceptance by the government of the Frederic Chopin Legacy 2010 program. I must underline the pioneering work of the minister, since it is important to justly and properly grade this significant and needed initiative, not handled in our country on such a large scale ever before.
I take my role as an executor of important tasks for music circles - and all of Poland. The most important actions concentrate around the construction of the Chopin Center at 43 Tamka St., the completion (or rather building anew) of the masters education center in Brochów - the baptism place of Chopin, the restoration of Żelazowa Wola’s proper image (along with the building of a guest house, revitalization of the park, and the rebuilding of the summer concert stage). Finally, it is necessary to create a Frederic Chopin Museum that would stand up to our national expectations. There are many important tasks. Among these a proper place should be given to reinstating research into Chopin and the study of his music as well as the image of Poland - as Chopin’s country - in the world. I see enough work in the perspective of five years that separate us from the monumental year 2010 - the 200th anniversary of the birth of this great Pole.

Is the NIFC taking into consideration the fact that the number of people listing to classical music, including Chopin, is dramatically shrinking? Is it possible to expose the young to its beauty?
As I said, there are many tasks ahead of the NIFC. Among these an important, if not the most important, place belongs to education of the young generation and reinstating the proper role of music education in high schools. Much can be done for this without much financing. It is enough to reinstate the simplest and least expensive forms of music propagation such as school choirs and bands. We need the return of music graduates to teach at schools. When encountering music of artistic character a choice should be made as to which values are true: those promoted by some media or those which lie at the heart of true artistry and aesthetic values.

Accepting such an important position and the challenges that go along with it you have to be an optimist. What was the base of this optimism?
I always try to be optimistic, especially when I accept difficult challenges. I was an optimist as a long-time vice-rector and rector of the Frederic Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw. I believed in the success of my undertakings both as a conductor specializing in cantata-oratorio works and as a teacher. Accepting the present challenge I put my hopes in the cooperation of all those who hold dear Chopin’s legacy. I approach politicians, artists, pianists, educators and their students with trust. Time has come to end futile actions. The personality and music of Frederic Chopin should unite all efforts and create a common ground for effective action in perspective of the year 2010. I believe these actions will be optimistic.