22 October 2005

Polski Koncern Naftowy Orlen S.A. (PKN Orlen) was one of the sponsors of the 15th Frederic Chopin International Piano Competition.
This year’s contest was in many ways an exceptional event. A record number of 323 contestants registered for the preliminary round, while the audience had the opportunity to hear the young pianists at this first stage of the competition for the very fist time. Exceptional was also the scholarship funded by PKN Orlen for the best Polish contestant - 25,000 euros.
PKN Orlen, the biggest Polish company, supports culture and arts and is involved in events bringing Polish culture to a wider international audience. This year PKN Orlen had the honor of sponsoring the Chopin Competition - a world-renowned, grand music event strongly associated with Polish culture. PKN Orlen provides assistance to organizers of cultural events as well as directly to young Polish artists. Thanks to financial aid they will be able to expand their talents and perfect skills under the guidance of the best masters - all to reach new successes. PKN Orlen funded a special 25,000-euro scholarship that will provide education in the most prestigious music schools for a Polish pianist ranked highest by the competition jury. It is our homage to mastery, professionalism and hard work - values that we remain faithful to.
Support of the 15th Frederic Chopin International Piano Competition is not the first meeting of PKN Orlen with the works of this great Polish composer. Earlier the company co-financed the purchase of a precious manuscript of Frederic Chopin’s Etude in C sharp minor op. 10 no. 4, which was auctioned by Sotheby’s Auction House in London. The manuscript of the etude, comprising three pages of the composition written by Chopin, contains a signature of the composer and a date of completion of the piece: “FChop Paryż Sierp. 6, 1832.” PKN Orlen handed the manuscript over to the Frederic Chopin Museum in Warsaw as a gift.
PKN Orlen hopes that its involvement in bringing Chopin’s music to an international audience and the support it provides to Polish talents will be of a long-term character, where they will help promote Polish culture around the world and create new, exceptional talents.

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