Yu-Peng Chen Releases Album on Deutsche Grammophon

Yu-Peng Chen has released his first 12-movement classical album for piano and orchestra on Deutsche Grammophon. In 2025, Yu-Peng Chen became the first Chinese composer to sign with Deutsche Grammophon. Chen studied at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, and his music has reached more than two billion streams. The album release is accompanied by a performance video for the song Love in First Bloom.

The album contains The Poem of Life suite, which treats an emotional process from birth to childhood, adulthood to old age, and farewell. The work is performed by the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of conductor Zhang Liang, featuring Yu-Peng Chen as the piano soloist. Pianist Yixuan Wei accompanies Chen on selected works written for two pianos.

Traditional Chinese instruments including the guzhen, erhu, pipa, and sheng are featured on the album. Chinese opera singers Yi Li and Zhengzhong Zhou performed on the project. Violinist Daniel Hope, mandolinist Avi Avital, and cellist Philipp Schupelius also contributed performances to the work.