Pianist Sangil Han Releases Third Album of Original Works as Homage to Chopin

Pianist Sangil Han is set to release his third self-composed album, "For All Who Love Music," as a digital single on May 13, 2026.

This third album is an homage to the music of "the poet of the piano," Frédéric Chopin, with Han reinterpreting Chopin’s legacy in his own contemporary musical language. Sangil Han especially composed this work inspired by Chopin’s Étude Op.25 No.1, known as the "Aeolian Harp." The flowing arpeggios, reminiscent of the wind, and the lyricism embedded within, are newly reborn in Han’s music.

Pianist Sangil Han

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The Étude Op.25 No.1 may appear gentle on the surface, but in reality, it is a highly challenging piece requiring a delicate balance and subtle touch at the fingertips. Within the continuously flowing right-hand arpeggios, the melody emerges, and the piece is often described as music that must be played not as "sound" but as "breath."

Sangil Han stated, "This release is a dedication to all who love music and embodies a contemporary sensibility built upon the heritage of classical music. I hope that, in the moments when this piece is played, it offers quiet comfort and warm encouragement to listeners, giving them the small strength needed to take another step forward in their own places."

The third album was recorded at Hermann Art Hall on March 17, 2026, and will be released under the Harmonia label. Beginning May 13, it will be available on major global and domestic platforms, including YouTube Music, Apple Music, Spotify, Melon, and Genie Music.

During his time at Korea National University of Arts, Han won first prize and the grand prize at the Dong-A Music Competition and the KBS Seoul New Music Competition. He expanded onto the international stage after winning the top prize at the 2005 Epinal International Piano Competition in France and placing third at the 2006 Missouri Southern International Piano Competition in the United States. In 2023, he released his first work, "Traveling," and within the same year released an album featuring Beethoven’s sonatas "Pathétique," "Moonlight," and "Appassionata" through Warner Classics. The following year, he unveiled his second original composition, "Meditation," also through Warner Classics, and in March of this year, released a digital album with Harmonia featuring a live performance from the 2006 Kumho Young Artist Series, which included Ravel’s "Gaspard de la nuit" and Liszt’s "Piano Sonata." Currently, he serves as the president of the Asia Pacific Pianist Association (PAPA).