After more than three illustrious decades as an orchestra conductor, maestro Chung Myung-whun is putting down his baton and making his way back to his musical roots ― the piano. Not for good, though.

Chung, artistic director of Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra and arguably one of the country’s most respected classical music figures, will hold a nationwide solo piano recital tour for the first time in his career.

“The responsibility of being a conductor, in charge of a 100-person orchestra, is far different from performing as a piano soloist,” said Chung at a press conference held at the Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul on Thursday.

“As a soloist I have a lot more freedom to express myself, and in some ways, I actually like it better than conducting,” he added.

“But I do not look at this upcoming tour as my way of returning to life as a pianist.”

Chung was a child prodigy at piano and debuted as a pianist at age 7 with the Seoul Philharmonic. In 1979, at age 26, he dedicated himself to conducting.

Last December, Chung released his first solo piano album titled “Piano” under the Germany-based ECM Records. The album went platinum.

Still, the maestro was adamant that he was not resuming his past career as a pianist.

“As a pianist, your entire life is dedicated to the piano. It entails spending the entire day, every day, just practicing and practicing to perfect your craft,” he said. “Basically, you are fighting with the piano every day and there is no time for anything else ― there’s very little time to spend with your family.”

“For these reasons, I definitely do not think of myself making a return as a full-fledged pianist,” he added with a smile.

The 61-year-old has previously said that he wanted to spend his 60s pursuing his own music. The musician admitted that his decision to release his solo album nine months ago was actually for his family, based off a suggestion from his record producer son.

“I don’t think of this as a piano record. ... Rather, I just think of this album as a letter to my children through beautiful music,” he said after playing the solemn intro to Claude Debussy’s “Clair de Lune” on his personal black Bosendorfer imperial grand piano.

“My fingers are obviously more brittle now that I’m older. ... When I was young, I tended toward the fast-tempo pieces, where your fingers are just flying up and down the keys,” Chung explained. “But nowadays, the piece selections that I lean toward are quieter and slower, but still powerful.”

The maestro said he is a firm believer that parents should expose their children to classical music at a young age. He added that one reason he decided to feature pieces of an adagio and largo nature on his album is to encompass a sound that parents would want to “play for their kids before they go to bed at night.”

“On this record, the tempo may be slow, but it’s not all about tempo and having your fingers go crazy. It’s about emotion and expression,” he added. 

Chung’s upcoming piano recital tour is tentatively scheduled to open in Changwon on Oct. 5 and then head to Daegu, Seoul, Goyang and Daejeon.

Half of the recital is said to feature pieces from his solo album, while the other half will be dedicated to classics such as Brahms and Chopin.

The maestro’s Seoul performance is slated for Dec. 27 at Seoul Arts Center. Ticket prices range from 44,000 won to 132,000 and can be purchased at www.interpark.com.

By Julie Jackson (juliejackson@heraldcorp.com)