History of the Chopin Foundation
The Chopin Foundation was founded in 1999 under the impetus of Chantal Lobert who was vice-president of a bilateral Chamber of Commerce with Poland and at the request of the Polish Ambassador, H.E. Jan Wojciech Piekarski, Chantal Lobert, Maître Jean-Claude Vanden Eynden, famous Belgian pianist, Prince Michel Sapieha, Micheline Briclet and Lawrence Sepulchre.
Joe Sepulchre, lawyer at Liedekerke’s office, voluntarily provided legal support for the creation of the Chopin Foundation.
As Poland was preparing to join the European Union, it seemed the perfect time to create a foundation that would consolidate its business and cultural links with Belgium.
The co-founders understood the importance of supporting young Polish and Belgian musical talents. These young musicians have successfully combined their scholarly and musical studies through hard work and an exemplary life discipline. They leave the music academy ready to embrace a successful, independent professional and financial life. These courageous young talents have the full support of our foundation through the granting and funding of musical internships that offer them the opportunity to play in public and increase their exposure.
From the outset, important personalities from the economic and musical worlds such as Josée Deriu, Philippe Delaunois, Pascal Lizin, Bernard Joskin, Maciej Kaliski, Governor Dalem, Princess Czwetvertynska, Véronique Bogaert, Prince Michel Czwetvertynski and Laurent De Meyer, have devoted themselves to the realisation of concerts organised during the last 23 years. They have joined our Board of Directors in supporting the goals of the Chopin Foundation.
The Chopin Foundation was a partner of Europalia Polska 2001. In 2013, it received the “Decoration of Honour of the merit of Polish culture” (Odznake Honorowa “Zasluzony dia kultury Polskiej”) from the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Poland.
1999-2024
In 2019, the twentieth year of its existence, the foundation, a non profit organization becomes a National Private Foundation : “Fondation Stichting Stiftung Chopin” and welcomes to its Board of Directors, Countess Komorowska and Catherine Sabbe and ,in 2020, the President of Bepolux, Jean-Charles Wibo.
The foundation also welcomes as advisors: Eliane Reyes, Christine Swenden, Chantal Ansiau, Nada Zdero and Agnès Theunissen.
The members of the Board of Directors as well as the advisors volunteer their services in order to support the young musicians in their development and their future success.
The Board of Directors sincerely thanks its honorary president, Maître Jean-Claude Vanden Eynden, Véronique Bogaert, Eliane Reyes, for their unwavering musical support.
The Chopin Foundation has been honoured at all of its events by the presence and participation of the Polish Ambassadors in place at the time: H.E. Mr. Piekarski, H.E. Mr. Byczewski, H.E. Mr. Czarlewski, H.E. Mr. Harazim, H.E. Mr. Orzechowski and now H.E. Mr Siemianowski. The Board of Directors thanks the Ambassadors for their trust and patronage for the last 22 years.
The Board of Directors and advisors will be very honoured to welcome you to the events scheduled in 2022.
We thank you for supporting our foundation and its young talents by becoming a member. Your financial and moral support will help them develop their virtuosity.