Stephen Hough premieres his concerto in Asia, advises Yunchan Lim not to fear failure
Creatrip Team
4 months ago
Renowned British pianist-composer Stephen Hough visited Seoul to give the Asian premiere of his piano concerto The World of Yesterday at Lotte Concert Hall. A prolific artist—Gramophone Award winner, composer of over 40 works, painter and writer—Hough said the concerto evokes pre–World War I Vienna’s culture and romantic longing, and he expects a powerful emotional exchange with the audience. He contrasted composing (which ends when the score is submitted) with performing (which requires constant practice). Hough also referenced his solo piece Fanfare Toccata, written for the 2022 Van Cliburn Competition and performed there by Korean pianist Yunchan Lim. Recalling his own post-competition burnout, he advised Lim and young musicians not to fear failure, saying mistakes build resilience. Predicting the future, Hough said Korea could become a global center for classical music, attracting students worldwide (he expects students to come to Korea to study classical music in 50 years).
