If your city had been home to someone The New York Times had deemed "one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century," wouldn't you also make an annual festival in his name? Polish-American classical pianist Arthur Rubinstein (1887–1982) was regarded as one of the greatest Chopin interpreters of his time. Born in Łódź to a Jewish family, he exhibited perfect pitch and prodigy-level musical tendencies from an extremely young age (maybe there was something in the water?). Back this year for its 8th edition, the festival promises pianists, symphony orchestras, multiple concerts and recitals, as well as documentary screenings, exhibits, and presentations—enough to get that high culture fix you've been longing for.



On this year are performers including Evgeny Kissin, Kevin Chen, Marek Drewnowski, Piotr Alexewicz, Kamil Pacholec, Tomasz Ritter, Marek Szlezer, Pedro Lopez Salas and three young pianists: Jan Widlarz, Yehuda Prokopowicz, Rio Ueyama, and more.