Hans Han – Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I

Hans Han (韩大治), courtesy name HEMU(和穆), is a young pianist devoted to the works of Johann Sebastian Bach. Born in Shanghai and currently based in Vancouver, Canada, Hans has developed a deep and sustained engagement with Bach’s keyboard music from an early age. By the age of ten, Hans had completed both volumes of The Well-Tempered Clavier. At eleven, he completed the full performance and recording of all three of Bach’s monumental keyboard works: the two books of The Well-Tempered Clavier, The Goldberg Variations, and The Art of Fugue. His accomplishment reflects not only technical mastery but also a profound understanding of polyphonic language and artistic maturity.

Hans began his piano studies at the age of five, nurtured by a family that encouraged sensitivity to sound, imagery, and expression. From the beginning, he demonstrated a keen ear for counterpoint and a nuanced perception of timbre. Throughout his learning, he has remained drawn to the structural clarity and expressive depth of Bach’s music.

On December 15, 2025, at Vancouver’s Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, Hans will present The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I in his solo recital. This performance follows five years of reflection and refinement since his initial recording of the work at age ten. For Hans, this collection is no longer merely a technical or a historical legacy—it has become a living experience of musical balance and resonance. Audiences will hear a young musician navigate the paths of Bach’s voices, find dialogue in counterpoint, and trace emotional contours across time.