Masked Pianist's Face Reveal with Chopin - Live Performance in Seoul 

참석하지 못 한 분들을 위해 음악회 마지막 곡 연주 전 발언을 발췌해서 올립니다. ... 오늘 연주회의 작은 제목이 '불문율 밖에서 빛을 보다' 였는데요, 불문율을 깬다는 건 작곡가가 만들어 놓은 것을 아무렇게나 막 치겠다는 뜻이 아니라 우리가 원칙으로 믿고 있는 틀을 좀 생각해 보겠다는 의미였습니다. 작품을 해석하다 보면 "꼭 이렇게 해야만 해"하는 선입견이나 고정관념 같은 것도 사실 많고요, 이런 생각 때문에 오히려 우리가 작곡가의 의도를 오해하는 부분도 많이 만나게 됩니다. 작곡가가 수많은 텍스트를 써 놓은 건 연주자를 힘들게 하거나 억압하기 위한 게 아니라 사실 아름다운 음악을 위한 것이었을 텐데 말이죠... 오늘 쇼팽이 다시 살아 돌아온다고 해도 (1시간 20분 동안 그의 작품을 종류별로 짬뽕 한) 이런 구성을 크게 나무라지는 않았을 거라 믿어 봅니다. 그럼에도 절대 깨질 수 없는 하나의 원칙은 있죠. 바로 연주자가 반드시 가져야 할 그리고 청중에게 전달해야만 하는, '아름다운 음악'에 대한 의지와 열망입니다. 오늘, 음악을 사랑하고 제 음악을 좋아해 주시는 분들과 조금은 벗어난 틀에서 이 깨지지 않는 원칙을 함께 할 수 있어서 행복했습니다. 여기에 트라움 채널을 통해 오신 분들 있죠? 여러분 덕분에 지난 3년간 숨을 쉬고 내가 살아있음을 느낄 수 있었습니다. 고맙습니다. 사람들이 제게 자주 하는 질문 중 하나인 "왜 음악을 하세요?"라는 물음에, 저는 항상 "세상을 조금 더 아름답게 하는 것에 도움이 되고 싶어서요"라고 대답합니다. 왜냐하면 혼자 만들어지는 음악가는 세상에 하나도 없기 때문이죠. 어렸을 때는 부모님, 선생님, 학교에 도움을 받습니다. 제가 다녔던 독일 학교는 제게 한 푼도 받지 않고 오히려 제가 교통비를 받아 가면서 공부했습니다. 그리고 대한민국 남자라면 다 가는 군대도 안 갔죠. 하다못해 아파트 살 때 시끄러운 연습 소리 참아준 밑에 집 아저씨, 위에 집 아주머니까지 어디 하나 고맙지 않은 곳이 없습니다. (지금도 익명으로 제게 도움을 주는 소중한 분이 있습니다) 그런데 음악을 왜 하냐는 질문에, "좋아서!"라는 대답은 좀 비겁하다는 생각을 스무 살 무렵부터 하게 되었습니다. 혼자 좋아서 할 거면 피아노 하나 들고 산속에 가면 되죠. 성악가는 노래방 가서 부르면 되고요. 요즘 코인 노래방도 많은데. 음악가로서 저는 반드시 세상에 돌려줘야 할 몫이 있다고 생각합니다. 내가 많이 받았으니 다시 돌려주는 거죠. 그래서 미국에서는 제가 주기적으로 양로원도 가고 거동이 불편한 노인들이 있는 실버타운도 갑니다. 우리 트라움 여러분은 알겠지만 첫 수익부터 정기적으로 어린이들에게 후원하는 이유도 같은 이유입니다. 제가 할 수 있는 음악가로서의 일들과 기회들이 한국에서도 그냥 좀 많아졌으면 하는 조용한 바램입니다. 오늘 제가 받은 연주료의 일부분도 한국의 어려운 어린이들을 위해 기부하고 떠날 겁니다. 예술이 세상을 한순간에 바꿀 수는 없겠죠. 하지만 음악을 통해 한 사람 한 사람의 작은 마음들이 모여, 조금 더 아름다운 세상이 된다면 음악가로서 그만큼 뜻있는 일이 없을 겁니다. 아름다움은 앎에서 왔다고도 하죠. 원숭이가 퀴즈를 풀고 숫자 계산을 하는 것을 보고 아무도 아름답다고 하지는 않습니다. 놀랍고 신기하다고 하죠. 그러나 돌고래가 죽어가는 소녀를 살린 일은 우리가 아름다운 일이라고 합니다. 음악가가 해야할 일을 잊지 않고 저는 저의 아름다운 길을 가고 있을 테니, 어디 조그마한 길 한구석 모퉁이라도 좋으니 아름다운 곳에서 우리 다시 만나요. 진정 아름다움을 아는 여러분께 마지막 곡을 바칩니다. I was truly happy to be able to perform in front of you all today. Today's encounter with each of you was the most miraculous time for me while making music, and each and every one of you was a gift to me. I'll excerpt my speech before the final piece of the concert. ... The title of today's performance was 'Finding Light Outside the Norms,' and breaking norms doesn't mean playing what the composer has created haphazardly. Still, rather, it means reflecting on the principles we believe in. When interpreting a piece, we often encounter preconceptions or fixed ideas like 'It must be done this way,' and because of such thoughts, we often misunderstand the composer's intentions. The composer didn't write numerous texts to make it difficult or suppress the performers but rather for the sake of beautiful music... Even if Chopin were to come back to life, I believe he wouldn't strongly criticize the program of today's performance. Yet, there's one principle that can never be broken. That is the determination and desire of the performer to deliver beautiful music to the audience. I was happy to share this unbreakable principle with those of you who love music and appreciate my music a bit beyond the norm today. Is there anyone here from the Traum channel? Thanks to you, I've felt alive for the past three years. Thank you. In fact, in Korea, it's not a well-received question, but in the US, it's one of the questions I'm often asked, 'Why do you make music?' I always answer, 'Because I want to help make the world a bit more beautiful.' Because all the musicians receive a lot of help and grow from society and people. When I was young, I received help from my parents, teachers, and school. At the German school I attended, I studied without paying a penny and even received transportation expenses. And as a South Korean man, I didn't go to the military like everyone else. (I still have someone who anonymously helps me.) I received help even from the neighbors, who tolerated the practice noise. However, from around the age of twenty, I started to feel that the answer 'Because I like it!' to the question of why I make music was somewhat cowardly. If I wanted to do it alone because I liked it, I could just take a piano and go to the mountains. Singers can go to karaoke rooms, and there are many coin karaoke rooms these days in South Korea. As a musician, I believe there's a duty I must fulfill in the world. Since I've received a lot, I want to give back. That's why, in the US, I periodically visit nursing homes with older people with mobility issues. Our Traum subscribers know, but the reason I sponsor children regularly from my first income is for the same reason. I hope I'll have more opportunities and tasks as a musician in Korea as well. A portion of the grant I received today will also be donated to support underprivileged children in Korea before I leave. Art may not change the world in an instant. However, if through music, the small hearts of each person come together to create a slightly more beautiful world, then as a musician, there's no more meaningful work. Beauty is said to come from knowing in Korean. No one calls a monkey solving a quiz or doing mental arithmetic beautiful. They call it amazing and fascinating. However, saving a dying girl by a dolphin is considered a beautiful act by us. I won't forget what a musician should do and will continue on my beautiful path, so let's meet again somewhere, even if it's just a small corner but a beautiful place. I dedicate the final piece to all of you who truly understand beauty.

Awesome that a world renowned pianist played anonymously online and still garnered over a hundred thousand subscribers not with your fame and name but with your skill.

You’ve been such an inspiration to so many people! We are also a non profit organization of piano students and try our best to use music to raise money for others. Thank you for what YOU do!!! ❤

DONT STOP POSTING VIDEO ♥️♥️

This has been really impressive and moving. You are great Traum

I guessed you were the Traum maestro and I'm 😊 it was. You are a keyboard wizard! 🎶🤩😍

Wonderful Maestro! immaculate performance. I've had a pleasure to know about you (the real you) last year and the stories I heard about you were very heartwarming. and yet, you never fail to stay as brilliant and bright. Looking forward to many more performances, have a great day!

I love your music

I knew, I knew it was you, !) BUT, to be fair, it's worth noting that not too many people (out of your total number of followers) knew your real identity

Guessed it already ha

Maestro Sung Chang, bravo!!!! 🎉

Clean and passionate even when live. Congratulations! More of an identity reveal than a face reveal... It's an honor to know you and have you listen to my playing, Sung Chang!

I knew who you were, I never publicly told it. This is history for RU-vid, especially for classical music. I've been here since day 1, you helped me so much. Your recordings were so good, I always WAITED every day to hear another upload. I am very inspired by your personality and playing altogether. They both contribute to why you gained so much popularity. Again, thank you traum piano.

This is a day that will be remembered forever…..

The way he ended that piece was the most Traum thing ever.

That's a milestone! I knew your face since 2021~2022. But I kept it in secret, just waiting you to reveal it. It would be funny to see you masked as Iron Man or Spider Man on the stage lol. But it would be even better to see you taking off the mask and showing to us your beautiful performances! Always thank you Maestro!

You’ve been such an inspiration for the last few years!

Face reveal aside, can we all stop and appreciate just how good his playing is in real life? From 0:44, the voicing, spontaneity, rubato and freedom - Traum is so much better on stage than in his RU-vid videos! Bravo!!

Faster than light entering on Traum video Love for you.

Traum님이 한국인이신줄은 몰랐는데, 피아노 유튜버 중에 피아노를 테크니컬하고 아름답게 잘 치시는 분이라고 생각해서 몇 년 전부터 구독해왔던 구독자입니다. 다른 유튜버를 언급하면 실례일수도있겠지만 Rosseau나 Kassia와 같은 분들의 음악도 들었습니다. 하지만 Traum 님의 연주는 단순히 잘 치는 것을 넘어 소리 굽쇠처럼 저의 마음도 같이 울리게 하였습니다. 청중에게 아름다운 음악을 전달하기 위해, 더 나아가 세상을 아름답게 하기 위해 작은 울림을 연주하시는 Traum님을 항상 응원하고 저도 본받겠습니다. 잘 듣고 있습니다. 저도 취미로 피아노를 치는데 더더욱 연습해서 주위 사람들에게 조금이나마 아름다움을 전달하도록 노력하겠습니다.

He is like the Dark Knight. A legend who doesn’t need to reveal his face because he can be anyone and we just have to appreciate his specialty who affect our lives and leave us feeling blessed. Thank you, Traum 👍

It isn't april's fool this time 😅

Been supporting since the early days, I was not expecting this to come at all, thought Traum was going to be a masked player my entire life, But now that I know who is behind that mask it doesn't change anything because the music that moves my heart, much love Traum, Bravo!

이번 공연 최고였어요! 특히 10-4에서 즉흥환상곡으로 넘어가는 그 부분은... 소름이 돋더라고요 😮😮 꼭 다시 만날 날을 기대하고 있겠습니다!!

저는 트라움님 영상보며 제 피아노 레파토리에 비행기 밖에 없었던 어느덧 메피스토 왈츠 클라이막스 악보를 펼치고 있네요. 제 인생에서 큰 변화를 주었던 트라움님 정말 감사합니다.

I always knew it has always been Liszt playing himself! This is a joke video. The real Traum's face is supposed to be Liszt's

I love your gestures on the stage, you look a bit like Franz Liszt with your long hairs! Congrats for this live performance and everything you've done within the last 4 years, may the magic of Traum Piano go on for the next decades! 🎉❤🎹

So this is the guy who made me want to play the piano as incredible as him, thank you very much for everything Traum ❤

Why does he look like Liszt?

I'm actually surprised people were able to make this guess years ago

Sung Chang 🐁

This will go down in history as one of the most special moments in piano youtube!

This wasn't a face reveal and I still don't know who this is

No way……. It happened!!!! You’re such an inspiration and amazing pianist! Never give up!!!!

You are brilliant

Now that you’re revealed do you plan to show your face more, in videos of your playing?

This is not a face reveal😡 Edit: thanks to the guy who actually was helpful. His name is sung chang everyone

what a legend Sung Chang

You've been the main reason why I picked piano during covid, I had been listening and admiring composers and players for a long time, but your clean and pure style caught me and pushed me further. The reason why I am happily playing better than ever today, and can find peace in an instrument even when chaos is around, is mainly thanks to you. Thanks Traum. ,.,., 9,772-13h

Thank You Maestro For Everything. That you have done for us, keep working hard with piano! You will gain much success and respect for everyone.

코로나 때.. 인천공항에서 일하고 있었어요... 우울이 넘쳐 흐를 때였는데.. 유튜브에서 우연히 만났어요. 그때 진짜 많이 들었습니다. 감사해요.

앞으로도 열심히 연주해주세요! 저번 연주회는 정말이지 환상적 그 이상이였습니다!!

언제나 좋은 음악으로 보답해주셔서 감사합니다. 🎉

We absolutely knew you were a professional pianist. You learn new pieces just too fast and too perfect. A world renown concert pianist is still a surprise but a welcome one.

Your playing convinced me to get a piano, and bring to life whatever beauty I can. Thank you.

Your passionate performances are a gift to us all. StA# ("Stay Sharp"), my friend.

I was your 22nd subscriber and I have been with you ever since❤🎉

저때의 전율이 잊히지 않습니다 입벌리고 봤던 기억이...

Sadly, I didn’t come I live in asia

You are an absolute legend!!! There is something amazing I can't quite put into words about having followed your channel since it was small. and now discovering who you are. I think, had you revealed your identity from the start you would have been seemed distant to me. "Just" another pianist who has already made it big and whom I'd simply admire from a distance. Listening to you through this channel though and seeing you slowly grow bigger and bigger here on YT it felt more personal, like I was right there next to you. Now having those two worlds brought together through your identity reveal is a very peculiar, but also very pleasant feeling^^ Please continue on with your quest to bring more beauty to this world and our lives 🙏there will never be a time when we don't need it and these days we may indeed need it more than ever.

You kinda remind me of professor snape ngl Nice performance still 👍

Whats the pice at 0:31?

WHAT WAS THAT PIECE AFTER CHOPINS SCHERZO AT THE END ? IT WAS TO BEAUTIFUL❤

Maestro! I'm glad you finally revealed yourself. All these years I came here not for the mysteriousness of your identity but rather for the joy of the music you performed. Though I never emphesized the who when coming to your channel, I guess we can call this closure.

Dear Traum, I wish I found your channel in 2020; lockdown wouldn't have been so bad if I had. I've only known your channel a few months and have thoroughly enjoyed all your videos. Looking forward to the day I see you live.

Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful music with us! I have been playing piano for about four years. I was self taught for three and a half and just started taking lessons around six months ago. I plan on studying music in college and getting a degree so I can perform and also eventually teach at my music school where I'm currently taking lessons. I went from not caring about piano at all (before I started playing) to realizing it is my biggest passion and pursuing it with everything I have. I've only done three recitals so far (I've done every one I could in the short time I've been taking formal lessons), but I've played in front of judges twice and won the highest award both times, I also won the teacher's choice award, and my winter recital was in front of 150 people so I was finally able to get over my stage fright. And now, finally, after praying about it for years, I am joining the worship team at my church next month so I can use my gift to glorify the Lord. I am so excited to perform professionally and in my church. I never would've been so driven to pursue music if I hadn't discovered your channel. You really do change lives ❤ I dream of someday seeing you perform in person.

Bravo! Keep uploading new pieces, hopefully we can see more of this type of content in the future.

Since before your first 1000 I've loved your music

Much love Traum! You were a huge inspiration for me to start playing piano over quarantine and now I almost play and practice everyday just because I enjoy it as an outlet.

Traum is Korean? Honestly I thought he was Slavic because he’s got a ?Russian Liszt book

fantastic. I hope to see a lot more live performances because the thing with the lights gets annoying at times. Best of luck!

안녕하세요. 한 3주전쯤 구독해서 보고있는 한국인 구독자입니다. 옛날에 여섯살쯤때 TV에서 누군가의 피아노 연주를 보고 배워보고 싶다고 생각했다가 가정 형편상 배울수가 없어 그냥 포기하고 살면서 잊고살다보니 벌써 30대가 되었네요. 그래도 한달 전쯤 다시 생각이 나서 유튜브에서 피아노 클래식곡들 좀 찾아보다가 의욕이 생겨 늦게나마 피아노학원 다니면서 시간 되는대로 열심히 배우고 있습니다. 생각했던 것 보단 굉장히 어려운 악기이지만, 옛날부터 피아노 잘 치는 분들에 대한 로망이 있고 저도 잘 쳐보고 싶다 라는 생각을 갖고 항상 즐겁게 열심히 배우고 연습하고 있습니다. 지금이야 아직 실력이 많이 부족하고 악보를 보면서도 굉장히 버벅이고 있지만 1년 후, 2년 후 그리고 그 이후의 내 피아노 실력이 어느정도 될까 라는 생각을 하다보면 그것도 상당히 재밌더라구요. 그리고 최근에는 공연도 자주 보러 다니고 있는데 공연장들이 집에서 거리가 좀 되서 한번씩 왔다갔다 하는게 좀 힘들지만, 그래도 한번 보고나면 너무 만족하고 오곤 하네요. 개인적인 잡설이 너무 길었네요. 트라움님의 피아노 연주 영상들 항상 잘 보고 있습니다. 제가 조금만 더 일찍 관심갖고 피아노를 시작했으면 트라움님의 라이브 공연도 보러 갔을 수 있지 않을까 싶은데 비교적 최근에 하셨음에도 가지 못했다고 생각하니 안타깝다고 생각합니다. 언젠가 다시 한국에 공연하러 와 주실지는 모르겠지만 오신다면 그때는 꼭 보러 가고싶습니다. 아무쪼록 항상 좋은 연주 감사드리고, 앞으로도 좋은 연주 부탁드립니다!

I remembered googling who you were when I first discovered your channel, there were reddit threads discussing the possibility and it was a lot of fun to compare your performance on Traum piano and your own recordings. I knew from the start you were a concert pianist and the most skilful among most RU-vid pianist, I am so glad to finally see you choosing the reveal your face after all these times. Thank you so much for sharing your performances and your years of dedication to the world for free, we are forever grateful for your inspiration

YES! That was absolutely amazing. I wish I was there. Thank you so much, you are a great inspiration for me, and helped me continue to learn and study piano music myself.

11개월전 추격영상에 트라움님 연주영상을보고 동네 작은 피아노학원에서 피아노를배우기 시작했다고 댓글 달았던 사람입니다! 지금은 개인레슨받으면서 매일매일 연습하고있고 브피소 2번 1악장 배우고있습니다! 배울수록 너무 어렵지만 그래도 꾸준히하다보면 중간중간 성장하는게 느껴질때마다 너무 뿌듯하고 일상에 큰 활력이 되고있습니다 연주회소식을 놓쳐서 참석하지못해 아쉽지만 좋은메세지를 유튜브로도 공유해주셔서 감사합니다

마지막 곡을 듣고 고정댓글을 보니 너무 와닿네요. 가지고 계신 건강하고 아름다운 마음이 피아노로 세상에 더 많이 퍼지기를 바라겠습니다 :)

El mejor pianista del mundo 🎉👏🏻

The best interpretations on RU-vid, such an inspiration both for playing and listening. Thank you Traum piano

Thank you Traum for all this years togheter, you inspired me to study more and more and your message about music Is wonderful, best regards 😁👏🏻👏🏻, enjoy your practice, Maestro ! 🎶

You're truly one of the best! Always loved your interpretations and it has brought joy and wonder to me and all I have shown your videos to!

What a lovely video, it's confirmed Traum is Chopin.

I don't see the face...nice hair though...😂

I knew it

please do mendelssohn songs without words 1

Dios mío!! Qué limpieza!! Que pasión!! Perfección con alma y corazón. Un abrazo y felicitaciones… genio!!!

Beautiful performance!

헐...한국 공연 축하해요!

I still want to cry with happiness, I saw the video in my high school and I was in shock when I saw this 😂

This pianist is the most experienced one of them all, of all the pianists that are famous on RU-vid, he is the most experienced and most skilled pianist on this platform.

An honour to listen to you play! Soon live, hopefully 🎩

I am out of words... I do not know what to say. I think i speak for many of us here when i say you're one of our biggest inspirations (if not the biggest). You are able to captivate thousands with few notes, and able to sound like thunder with power. Thank you, thank you for continuing on this journey and staying. It means a lot to me.

Intense feeling on the chair, concert pianist level performance

Where's your face, never saw it. Oh well, your hands make all the magic happen, so at this point, I'd say you are the faceless wonder!

please do mendelssohn songs without words 1

I went to his official channel which only has less than 1000 subs, and subscribed as soon as I knew he was traum

You definitely look like a pianist with the long hair😂 love the quote at the end.❤️

Maestro, Nice to meet you 😉❤️

Throughout the video, I thought we were witnessing Professor Snape play the piano! But really, a honour to able to hear such a masterful pianist!

Thank you for Everything, Traum. You will always remain a Legend

Yaaay, you are amazing! 🎉🎉

진짜 예술가..

Bravo! You are a very virtuoso pianist!

Thank you, Traum, for sharing this wonderful moment with us! My heartiest congratulations, and I can't wait to hear more of your beautiful music! ❤🙏

Bait??😭

You make me cry 😢. I thought you were an ordinary person who has extraordinary talents, it turns out you are indeed a maestro in Korea 😭, I have to admit that you are better off wearing a mask for your cuteness 🤭😭👍

I was really hoping to see your face, or at list know your name xD. Its still amazing to have you here after these few years. I remember when I started to watch your videos at the start of your channel, its so cool to see how much people know you now. Thanks for your videos.

Please perform in California 😔

Thanks for the great work you have contributed. the Classical community Traum can be so greatful! Looking fotward to new content🔥🔥

There are many RU-vid pianists, but Traum you are the one truly exceptional! I can feel your love and all the respects toward the piece you play, making remarkable interpretation as well as beautiful sounds. I find myself fall in love with some pieces just right aftet watching your video that I never used to listen to. It is great news to all the classic lover that you took step on the stage not just in this channel. Hope someday I could meet you at your concert and all the best wishes to your journey! 한국에서 다시 공연하시길 손꼽아 기다리겠습니다!

0:20 how is it possible? I am pretty sure I watched 3 million hours myself hahahah 🤣♥️🫶🏻