Cho Seong-jin: 'I want to be part of the entire process of making music'

Pianist Cho Seong-jin, who has steadily expanded his musical horizons with each performance and recording, returns as the face of Lotte Concert Hall — the very stage where he gave his debut recital.

"It holds many good memories for me," he said. "I feel like I've grown alongside this space since 2017, so it's somewhere I feel at ease."

For Cho, Lotte Concert Hall means more than just a performance venue. After becoming the first Korean to win the Chopin Competition in 2015, he gave his first solo recital at the hall in January 2017, unveiling his musical world to audiences for the first time. Since then, he has built his artistic history there — from orchestral collaborations to solo recitals — making it his musical home in Korea.

Nearly a decade on, he returns as the hall's signature artist, bringing a program that traces the arc of his musical evolution and growth over those years.

In a written interview Tuesday, Cho said his role as in-house artist gave him the opportunity to share the music he had been thinking about over a longer stretch of time, rather than preparing for a single concert.

This season's program offers not only his recital but also a rare chance to hear him in chamber music. Having served as artist-in-residence with the Berlin Philharmonic and the London Symphony Orchestra, Cho has deepened his relationships with fellow musicians and gained greater agency in shaping his own programs.

"I think what matters more than the number of collaborations or performances is the process of conceiving a program together and building trust through repeated encounters with the musicians of an ensemble," he said, underscoring the value of process over output.

He went on to say that "listening to each other's ideas and finding a shared direction is what matters," adding that participating in the entire process of making music — not just the moment on stage — allowed him to communicate what he wanted to say more fully.

That philosophy of trust is reflected directly in the lineup and repertoire of his upcoming chamber concert. Cho personally invited musicians with whom he forged strong musical bonds during his Berlin Philharmonic residency — violinist Daishin Kashimoto, oboist Wenzel Fuchs and hornist Stefan Dohr — and built the entire program around Brahms chamber music.

Across the evening, he will vary the ensemble formations and perform works including the Horn Trio in E-flat major, the Clarinet Trio in A minor and the Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor.

"In chamber music, the rapport between players is everything," Cho said. "The musicians joining me this time are people I have collaborated with for a long time and with whom I share a close, comfortable relationship — both musically and personally."

He noted that he chose his collaborators not on technical level alone, but on their musical rapport and shared attitude toward music. "That kind of trust is what allows richer music to emerge," he said.

His artistic engagement extends well beyond the main stage. Masterclasses with the next generation of performers have become an equally important pillar of his musical life.

"Having the chance to meet young musicians at masterclasses, talk with them and share each other's thoughts is a wonderful thing," Cho said. "Their fresh perspectives often give me real inspiration in return, and the time spent off stage is itself part of the process of creating what happens on stage — so that time is just as precious to me."

As an artist who has written new chapters in classical music history, what comes next? He continues to expand his repertoire into uncharted territory, yet his definition of challenge is refreshingly simple and flexible.

"There are still so many wonderful pieces I haven't played yet," he said. "Just as my thinking changes over time, the emotions I feel from the same piece can shift as the years pass. Rather than setting out to conquer something specific, I want to bring audiences music that carries the story I feel like telling at that particular moment in my life. That is my goal."

Even as he spoke of that quiet ambition, Cho had warm words for the audiences he will meet on a hot summer's day. "Performers draw good energy from their audiences, and that energy gives rise to new goals," he said. "It's a hot summer, but I hope you'll come and enjoy the performance, even if just for a little while."