Yunchan Lim: “A lifelong dream becomes a great gift” ... album named Apple Music Classical’s Album of the Year

[Financial News] Pianist Yunchan Lim’s album has been selected as Apple Music Classical’s 2026 Album of the Year.
According to Apple Music Classical on the 12th, the album selected was “Bach: Goldberg Variations,” released through Decca Classics this past February and featuring a live recording of Yunchan Lim’s performance at Carnegie Hall in New York.
Chosen by Apple Music Classical’s specialist editors from among albums released in 2026, the album was also a hit with listeners. This year, it spent 16 weeks at No. 1 on Apple Music Classical’s Top 100 Global chart and remained in the top 10 for a total of 39 weeks. Earlier, Yunchan Lim’s “Chopin: Études” was recognized on the platform as its “Most Popular Album of the Year” in 2024.
Lim said he first encountered the “Goldberg Variations” at age eight through an album by Glenn Gould and was captivated by its “grandeur and beauty.” He described the piece as “a journey through life portrayed in music, from the moment you open your eyes at the first aria, through 30 human variations, to the moment you quietly close your eyes at the final aria.”
The New York Times cited the “restrained poetic expression” of the Carnegie Hall performance on the album as a sign of Lim’s “true talent.” The Guardian praised it as a performance that blended “youthful vitality and mature interpretation.”
Lim said, “I am truly honored to receive such a meaningful distinction from Apple Music Classical. Recording the ‘Goldberg Variations’ live at Carnegie Hall was a lifelong dream. The fact that this performance has resonated with so many people is the greatest gift a musician could hope for.”
To mark the selection, Apple Music Classical will release an exclusive deluxe edition featuring a digital booklet and commentary by Yunchan Lim, along with additional audio and video. It also plans to unveil “Classical Session,” exclusive content recorded at Apple’s new Battersea studio, in early 2027.
[email protected] Shin Jin-a Reporter