Jan. 23: Pianist and Composer Hayato Sumino Releases Chopin Orbit Second Album on Sony Classical – New Single Berceuse Out Today
Album Artwork (Download)
Chopin Orbit
The Eagerly Anticipated Second Album
by Celebrated Japanese Pianist and Composer
Hayato Sumino (AKA ‘Cateen’)
New Single Berceuse Out Today
Listen Here
Worldwide Album Release Date: January 23, 2026
Pre-Order Available Now
Carnegie Hall Recital Debut on November 18, 2025
Sony Classical has announced the forthcoming release of Chopin Orbit, the second album by the acclaimed, multi-faceted New York-based Japanese pianist and composer, Hayato Sumino (aka ‘Cateen’), set for release on January 23, 2026 and available for pre-order now. Accompanying today’s news is the release of the new single Berceuse – listen here.
For this new recording, Hayato Sumino has turned his gaze on the composer who possibly means the most to him, namely Chopin (1810-1849). It was indeed Sumino’s sensational performances during the 2021 International Chopin Competition where he was a semi-finalist that first brought this fine young musician to wider international attention.
Hayato Sumino explains his concept for Chopin Orbit: “For me, Chopin has always been like an idol, and his music has remained close to my heart since childhood. As I grew as a musician, I began to realize how naturally his influence found its way into my own creations. At some point I thought—why not create an album with Chopin at its center? That moment became the starting point of this project. My pieces were born out of inspiration from Chopin’s works. Sometimes I quote a motif or weave in a melody, but I never set out simply to write “in the style of Chopin.” What I wanted was to bring together his spirit with my own modern sensibility and creativity.
The title Chopin Orbit reflects this idea. I placed Chopin’s music at the center, and from there different responses and offshoots take shape—as if drawn by his gravity, forming new orbits of their own. In respect for Chopin, each of my pieces is paired with the original that inspired it, so the album presents his works and my responses in alternation. And not only with my own works: I also paired Chopin with composers I admire—including Thomas Adès (b. 1971), Leopold Godowsky (1870–1938), and Leoš Janáček (1854–1928)—showing how the resonance of Chopin’s music continues to expand across time.
I imagine the listener roaming freely between these two closely connected worlds, old and new, whilst keeping in mind the twist that pieces composed in the 19th century were themselves considered new and different in their time to the music that had gone before, highlighting that we inhabit an ever-evolving musical space."
The album includes, among others, Chopin’s Polonaise-Fantasie op. 61, Nocturne in c-sharp minor, Berceuse and Raindrop Prelude, coupled with Hayato’s own pieces White Keys and Post Rain, Godowsky’s transcription of Chopin's Waltz No. 1 and Janacek’s Good Night! from On an Overgrown Path.
Echoing this imaginative framework, Chopin Orbit showcases Sumino’s distinctive musical style, merging his refined classical sensibilities with his discerning ear as an arranger and his instinctive feel for the new. During his exquisite performances of his carefully curated programme for the album, Sumino adeptly utilises a variety of keyboards, including a concert grand, a vintage piano, a modern upright and celeste.
Chopin Orbit follows this exceptional young musician’s acclaimed Sony Classical debut album Human Universe, released in November 2024, which saw Sumino range effortlessly across a diverse selection of repertoire from Bach to Zimmer via some of his own compositions.
HAYATO SUMINO:
2025-2026 PERFORMANCE DATES
Oct. 24, 2025 Fresno Concert Hall; Fresno, CA
Oct. 26, 2025 Bing Concert Hall; Stanford, CA
Oct. 27, 2025 Bing Concert Hall; Stanford, CA
Nov. 16, 2025 Orchestra Hall at Symphony Center; Chicago, IL
Nov. 18, 2025 Carnegie Hall (DEBUT); New York, NY
Mar 25, 2026 Bowker Auditorium – University of Massachusetts; Amherst, MA
Mar 27, 2026 McKnight Center, Performance Hall; Stillwater, OK
Mar 27, 2026 McKnight Center, Performance Hall; Stillwater, OK
Mar 31, 2026 Carnegie Hall; New York, NY
Apr 4, 2026 Irvine Berkeley Theatre; Irvine, CA
May 9, 2026 The Baker-Baum Concert Hall; La Jolla, CA
May 10, 2026 Visual and Performing Arts Center; Cupertino, CA
ABOUT HAYATO SUMINO
Hayato Sumino is an artistic phenomenon. Also known as ‘Cateen’, he has garnered over 2.2 million followers globally across his social media platforms.
In April 2024, he made a spectacular Royal Albert Hall debut with his performance of Gershwin's ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ and recently performed at the BBC Proms in an historic overnight event, as a personal guest of the evening’s curator, star organist Anna Lapwood. He has enjoyed a string of successful concerts this year, performing at prestigious venues such as the Berlin Philharmonie and the Hollywood Bowl, and is set to make his debut at Carnegie Hall in New York in November.
Following a sold-out performance for 15k spectators at Budokan in July 2024, Sumino will headline the +20,000-capacity K-Arena Yokohama in the fall of 2025—an unprecedented achievement for a classical solo artist. In July 2025, he was awarded the prestigious Bernstein Award, recognizing his exceptional contributions to contemporary classical music. At the upcoming 2025 Opus Klassik Awards, he will also be honored with two accolades for his Sony debut album “Human Universe”: ‘Young Talent of the Year’ and ‘Best Live Performance (Soloist)’.
Sumino’s rising international profile has earned him widespread recognition: he was featured in Japan’s Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2023, named one of Vogue Japan’s #TheOnesToWatch in 2024, spotlighted by Rolling Stone Korea, and most recently selected by Elle Magazine US as one of “9 Artists Shaping Culture in 2025.”
A prodigious composer, Hayato Sumino possesses a unique and captivating style that readily combines his diverse musical interests, ranging from classical and jazz to film music, post-classical, and electronica. He is also much in-demand for film and TV scores in Japan. He also holds a Master of Engineering degree from the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Information Science and Technology and was honored with the President’s Award for his exceptional achievements in both music and engineering.
Hayato Sumino is one of the leading members of the next generation of boundary-pushing musicians who move seamlessly between genres and across musical borders, and who allow themselves the freedom of musical expression however they see fit, for the benefit of the audience.
Sony Music Masterworks comprises Masterworks, Sony Classical, Milan Records, XXIM Records, and Masterworks Broadway imprints. For email updates and information please visit www.sonymusicmasterworks.com.
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