Why Sunwoo Ye-kwon’s ‘Liszt’ Album is a Must-Have for Classical Music Lovers in 2026

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“I think Liszt suits me well — I aim for a transparent sound, like putting sound into the air.”

Pianist Yekwon Sunwoo, 37, has released a new album, Liszt, after three years and is launching a nationwide tour.

At a May 7 press briefing at Shinyoung Chamber Hall in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul, Sunwoo described Liszt as “a symbol of extraordinary virtuosity and brilliance, but also a composer with a human voice and deep lyricism.” He said Liszt best matches the sound he seeks. Though he developed a strong attachment to Liszt in middle school, Sunwoo said he avoided performing Liszt while studying abroad in his twenties. “It felt showy,” he admitted. “But while preparing this album, I realized the sound I pursue—like soap bubbles or clear glass beads suspended in air—resonates with Liszt.”

On this record, Sunwoo highlights drama and lyricism. The program includes the Rigoletto Paraphrase, based on Verdi’s aria; the folk-tinged Hungarian Rhapsody; and Liszt’s arrangements of Schubert art songs such as Gretchen at the Spinning Wheel and The Miller and the Brook. Tracks 1–3 explore recollection and meditation; tracks 4–6 dwell on the intimacy of art songs; tracks 7–8 focus on temptation and love. Tracks 9–10 emphasize operatic elements, and the final track, the Hungarian Rhapsody, he says, unifies and embraces the whole album. Sunwoo released his first album, Mozart, on the Decca label in 2020 and followed with Rachmaninoff, Reflection in 2023.

He will begin performances in seven cities nationwide on May 15 at Iksan Arts Center, followed by dates in Daegu, Seongnam, Seoul and others. The program pairs works by Schubert—whom he calls a longtime favorite—with Liszt pieces that form the album’s theme. “The two composers are contrasting, but they share the idea of ‘song,’” Sunwoo said. In the first half he will perform Schubert’s Sonata No. 20; in the second half he will present highlights from the album in order: the Rigoletto Paraphrase, the Hungarian Rhapsody, and the Mephisto Waltz. “I hope the audience feels both the operatic sensibility and the dramatic virtuosity,” he added.