Pianist Sang-Eil Shin, born in South Korea in 1986, earned bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna and has performed globally with top orchestras.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Henriette Renié, a distinguished harpist, teacher, and composer, was a highly influential figure in the history of the modern harp, working to establish it as a solo instrument.
Compositional Technique
Pairings of harp and piano are rare in chamber music, perhaps because the subtle differences in their sounds made many composers question the practicality of partnering them.
Interpretation
Since few composers wrote for harp and piano, harpists or arrangers have created striking musical syntheses of well-known classics, adding fresh sonic and interpretive dimensions.
Performer Biography
Hae Joo Hahn, the harp virtuoso on this album, has performed at embassies worldwide and with major orchestras in Europe and Asia, including the Seoul Royal Symphony Orchestra and the Kiev Symphony Orchestra.
Composer Biography
Jean-Michel Damase, a 20th-century French pianist, composer, and conductor, frequently featured the harp in his works because his mother, Micheline Kahn, was a noted harpist.
Recording & Production
This album was recorded on May 28 and 29, 2016, at the DiMenna Center, Benzaquen Hall, in New York City.
