Cho Seong-jin: "Now I feel it's okay to play Chopin again"

Pianist Cho Seong-jin.

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghyun Choi] "After winning the Chopin Competition and recording Chopin in 2016, I deliberately recorded works by composers other than Chopin. I did not want to be labeled as a Chopin specialist. So I worked on pieces by Debussy, Mozart, Schubert, Liszt, and others. Now, I feel it is time to return to Chopin."

On the 3rd, at a press conference held at the Incheon Art Hall of the Seoul Arts Center in Seocho-gu, Seoul, Seongjin Cho shared his thoughts on releasing his recent Chopin album. To commemorate the release of his new album, "Chopin Piano Concerto No. 2 & Scherzo," Cho will also conduct a nationwide recital tour until the 18th.

Seongjin Cho was the first Korean to win the Chopin Competition in 2015. Afterward, he signed with the classical label Deutsche Grammophon and debuted in 2016 with an album featuring Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 1. Since then, Cho has broadened his musical horizons by exploring works from various composers.

Regarding the charm of Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 2, Cho said, "The second movement of the Concerto No. 2 is one of the most beautiful pieces Chopin ever wrote. While the first concerto is longer and preferred for its display of technique, the second concerto contains many delicate elements and has a freer structure."

Cho also shared a special connection with Chopin's Scherzo No. 2. He said, "In 2006, I performed Scherzo No. 2 in front of conductor Myung-whun Chung, and when I first met my mentor Professor Sujeong Shin, I also played this piece at Mozart Hall. I even performed it as the last piece in the semi-finals of the Chopin Competition." The current recital tour includes the complete Scherzos by Chopin in its program. The first half features works by Jan??ek and Ravel, and the second half features Chopin.

Cho also expressed how much he missed offline stages, which sharply decreased due to COVID-19. He said, "With concerts being canceled one after another, I realized the preciousness of music and the audience. Although I held online concerts, they could not replace offline performances."