ONE TIME ONLY - This event will not be archived! Join our Artistic Director, Daniel Vnukowski, on Wednesday, June 23 at 7pm EDT (EASTERN) for a special, virtual presentation featuring the eminently distinguished musicologist Dr. Alan Walker, in which we dispel many of the myths surrounding the tortured genius. "In this particular discussion, I’ll be playing the role of a snarky 19th-century German music critic who despises Chopin’s works,” says Mr. Vnukowski. “All in good humour, tongue-in-cheek, but a subtle way to get closer to the depths of Chopin’s musical genius." We’ll be following the footsteps of Frederic Chopin and covering important topics such as musical aesthetics, Polish vernacular and interpretation as the tail-end of the composing process, with plenty of music excerpts by renowned Chopin interpreters. The event will last approximately 50 minutes and will be followed by a Q&A. Dr. Walker’s recent landmark book Fryderyk Chopin: A Life and Times has established him as a leading authority on Chopin and his time, earning praise in such publications as: New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice The Sunday Times (U.K.) Classical Music Book of 2018 The Economist’s Best Books of 2018. We’ll also discuss the unique journey that led Dr. Walker to a treasure trove of documents buried deep within the archives in Warsaw, his personal relationship with the music of Chopin, and a few side notes from some of the obnoxious, 19th century music critics who despised Chopin’s music! Followed by a solo piano recital on June 26 with the music of Frederic Chopin. Visit http://collingwoodfestival.com/summer-solstice for the entire series.