This thesis focuses on the relationship between piano performance and Schenkerian analysis. Schenkerian analysis was designed initially as a practical guide for performers. In the different levels of a Schenkerian graph, we can see “musical forces” which lead the performer to deeply understand music itself. Using Schenkerian notation to highlight certain notes helps us to recognize lines behind the surface of the music that give certain passages coherence. This study concentrates on Chopin’s mastery of counterpoint and voice leading which leads me into the relationship of analysis and performance, typically by using the Schenkerian method. My examples will include a variety of pieces by both Chopin and Mozart, to show in what ways the Schenkerian analysis both highlights similarities and makes distinctions between composers and genres.