At Cristofori, we often tell our students that music is a journey, and recently, we had the pleasure of witnessing a truly unique musical travelogue. On 8 March 2026, the historic Victoria Concert Hall welcomed Korean pianist Hans Suh for his Singapore debut, as part of the European Sound Piano Concerts.
For the families and teachers in the audience, this concert was a masterclass in how a piano can tell a story: the composer’s, the performer’s, or often, for both at once.
A Musical Travelogue: From Broadway to Seoul
The highlight for many in the audience was the Singapore Premiere of Hans Suh’s own work, Der fliegende Koreaner (The Flying Korean). Composed between 2022 and 2023, this suite takes listeners through the cities that shaped his life.
It was a wonderful example for our young learners of how music can describe a place. We heard the busy, rhythmic energy of New York’s Broadway, the peaceful stillness of Helsinki, the rich history of Bonn, Germany, and even the dramatic, cinematic tension of Seoul, inspired by the “Squid Game” phenomenon. Seeing a world-class pianist perform his own compositions is always a powerful reminder to our students that they, too, can be creators.
Lessons in Tone and Texture
The program also featured classics that many of our students are currently studying. Opening with Brahms’s Three Intermezzi, Op. 117, Suh showed us the beauty of restraint. He brought out the “inner voices” of the music with such warmth and transparency that even the quietest moments felt deeply emotional.
In Beethoven’s “Moonlight” Sonata, a favorite among many of our intermediate students, Suh favored clarity and structural control. Instead of rushing through the famous Presto agitato finale, he maintained a clear architectural line, proving that speed is nothing without precision and articulation.
Grandeur and the C. Bechstein D282
The evening concluded with the monumental Pictures at an Exhibition by Mussorgsky. This was a moment of true grandeur. One of the most striking aspects of Suh’s playing was an honest clarity that, when paired with the crystalline tone of the C. Bechstein D282 concert grand piano, brought out the full character of both the instrument and the works he performed.
From the humor of “Gnomus” to the majestic, ringing chords of “The Great Gate of Kyiv,” the piano filled the hall with a spectrum of colors—a great reminder of why our piano teachers emphasize “touch” and “tone” so much!
An Energetic Finale
After a warm reception, Suh treated the audience to two encores: a luminous, calm Debussy’s Clair de Lune and the high-energy finale of Beethoven’s Appassionata Sonata. It was the perfect end to an evening that was solid, engaging, and deeply enjoyable for musicians of all ages.
Presented by True Music Singapore in collaboration with Bechstein Music World, this recital was another beautiful chapter in the European Sound series. We hope many of our students feel inspired to take what they heard at Victoria Concert Hall back to their own piano classes!
