Yunchan Lim. A Man of Few Words. But His Music! He Had So So Much to Express
by Nicolette Wong April 12th, 2026 Last week, Yunchan Lim appeared in Hong Kong with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields under the baton of Wilson Ng, bringing us his own take of the piano concerto in A minor by Robert Schumann. I sat up in my seat as soon as the piece started, because the way Lim conveyed the short introduction drew me in. I was fascinated not only by the slower tempo he took, but also by the way he made the opening chord progression sound like a resonant yet measured announcement. So often, this passage sounds frantic and is over before we know it, but Lim’s version felt like a real welcome as he invited us to join in his musical voyage. Pianist Yunchan Lim with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields orchestra at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall. Photo: HKAF Indeed, it was an eye-opening journey of discovery. What struck me most was his voicing. Musicians are expected to bring out top lines, good musicians provide a stron...