Page "Władysław Szpilman" Paragraph 1

Szpilman began his study of the piano at the Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw, Poland, where he studied piano with Alexander Michalowski and Josef Smidovicz, first-and second-generation pupils of Franz Liszt.

In 1931 he was invited to the prestigious Academy of Arts in Berlin, Germany, where he studied with Leonid Kreutzer.

After Adolf Hitler seized power in 1933, Szpilman returned to Warsaw, where he quickly became a celebrated pianist and composer of both classical and popular music.

Szpilman composed many pieces and soundtracks while touring Poland with his accompanying violinist, Bronislav Gimpel.