A key moment

He also plays Variations on a Theme of Chopin Op 22 in C Minor, which is a fairly early work, written in 1903 by Rachmaninov when the composer was 30, which, An says, has been "sadly neglected" compared to the composer's other works.

"I want to introduce some music that the listeners may not be familiar with. These works, alongside the more popular pieces, create a whole picture for us to better understand the composers," says An. "As artists, either composers or pianists, it's much more important to show our personalities and emotions through our work than to simply display technique."

The pianist decided to include Four Etudes Op 2 by Prokofiev on his debut album because the composer is considered as one of the most important in Russia in the 20th century, who contributed new music to the standard "classical "repertory.

"He has a way of jumping in and out of keys, composing music pieces for piano in a percussive way. His style is full of rhythmic energy and wonderful melodies," An says.

Last summer, the pianist launched his first national tour by visiting 19 cities and giving 21 recitals. In summer, he plans to return to his home country from the United States with more concerts and will perform Variations on a Theme of Chopin Op 22 in C Minor from the new album.

"I usually spend some time alone before the recital starts. I put myself in the scenarios and feel the emotions portrayed by the first music piece I am going to play, which prepares me for the recital," An says.

As a child, An attended piano classes in his hometown, Baoding, Hebei province, because his parents, who are not musicians, initially thought that the instrument would be a good way of helping their child develop his intelligence. However, An showed an innate talent and, at 9 years old, he was admitted to study at the elementary school affiliated to the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. Later, he continued his music study at the middle school affiliated to the Central Conservatory of Music before he went to study at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia.

This September, An will attend The Juilliard School in New York.

"I practiced about 45 minutes to an hour a day when I began playing the piano. I didn't find it boring and focused on playing," recalls An. "People around me, like my parents and teachers, told me that I had the talent to become a pianist, which gave me lots of confidence. I am grateful that I was trained to have a good attitude about studying music ever since I was a child, which benefits me still."

As well as playing the piano, An also has the habit of reading. Influenced by Confucianism, An believes in discipline. He also applies a literary aesthetic to his piano playing.

"Music and literature are mutual. Reading music scores is also like reading books, which is about understanding composers and gaining valuable knowledge," An says.