We are Classical

Since winning the coveted BBC Young Musician of the Year in 2002 at the age of 12, Jennifer Pike has been making music of virtuosity, curiosity and verve. Her recent release on Chandos 'The Polish Violin' sees her exploring her heritage, and that of the violin amongst Polish composers. We asked Jennifer about the experiences and discoveries which contributed to the album.

In 2010, the bicentenary of Chopin's birth, Warsaw spearheaded a year-long festival – not to propagate Chopin’s music but, according to culture minister Bogdan Zdrojewski, ‘to present an image of Poland today to the world, through the music of Chopin’. Poland was not only celebrating its most famous son: it was appropriating him as a symbol of national identity.