Hayato Sumino: Chopin Orbit World Tour

Photograph: Hayato Sumino/Facebook

Following his sold-out Singapore debut in 2024, Japanese pianist and composer Hayato Sumino returns to the Esplanade Concert Hall on October 25 for an evening that brings together Chopin, Saint-Saëns, Stravinsky and, naturally, some of his own work.

This concert is part of his Chopin Orbit world tour, which is based on his Sony Classical album of the same name. Like the album, the concert will feature works by Frédéric Chopin, such as the dramatic 'Piano Sonata No. 2' and the notoriously demanding 'Winter Wind Étude' by Chopin. These are played in conversation with the works of other legendary composers, exploring a range of moods and intensities from the dark allure of Saint-Saëns' 'Danse Macabre' and the fiery energy of Stravinsky's 'The Firebird'.

If you're listening out for Sumino's original pieces, you won't be disappointed. This concert folds his own compositions, re-compositions and improvisations into the programme, including ‘Lydian Harp’, ‘White Keys’ and ‘Imaginary Polonaise’.

Sumino's road to the concert hall is an unusual one. He built his following online under the alias "Cateen" – his YouTube channel, where he's posted everything from 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' arranged across seven levels of complexity to full orchestral collaborations, has amassed 1.56 million subscribers and more than 200 million views across platforms. He has classical credentials, too: a Forbes Japan 30 Under 30 honouree and a Steinway Artist, he's performed with the NHK Symphony Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic, and Chicago Symphony Orchestra, including a concert under Joe Hisaishi.

Tickets are priced from $48 to $158 and can be purchased via Sistic .

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