Born near Warsaw, Poland, Chopin was the son of a French emigre and a Polish mother, He won early fame in the relatively limited circles of his native country before seeking his fortune abroad, in Paris. His departure from Warsaw coincided with the unsuccessful national rising against Russian domination and Chopin found himself in Paris in the company of a number of other Polish exiles. He was able to establish himself as a pianist and as a teacher of the piano, primarily in fashionable society.

For about ten years, Chopin enjoyed a liaison with the writer George Sand, but broke with her during the last years of his life, brought to a close by the tuberculosis from which he had long suffered. Except for some Polish songs and a few works for cello and piano trio, Chopin devoted his life to the creation of a richly melodic and harmonically original literature for the piano. His compositions made a remarkable use of the newly developed instrument, exploring its poetic possibilities while generally avoiding the more obvious ostentation of the Paris school of performers. In other words, Chopin let loose!

Chopin's music is still loved today and studied by both composition and keyboard students.