A classical education

Since then, Han studied with Tan while continuing to write for her new album. Later, she composed for string quartet and even a symphony orchestra, which she describes as "one of the most liberating experiences "of her life.

The opening piece on the album, Song of Life, for Cello and Piano Op 2, was composed by Han in 2020. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, she gathered more than 100 Chinese celebrities, including actors, actresses, singers and songwriters, to help Wuhan, Hubei province. As a result of the donation drive, more than 300 million yuan ($45.5 million) was donated through her nonprofit, Han Hong Love Charity Foundation, which she founded in 2012. She recorded the experience with music.

"When I think of the year of 2020, I am still moved. Along with my team, I went to Wuhan and other places in Hubei province to deliver food, medicine and daily necessities. It was an unforgettable experience," recalls Han. "In the musical piece, the sound of cello delivers a sense of sadness, while the sound of piano gives us hope. It reflects how I feel about 2020."

The second piece on the album is titled The Journey of One's Own, for String Quartet Op 3, and was performed by Amber Quartet, one of the best-known chamber music ensembles in China, which features four teachers from the Central Conservatory of Music.

Han says the pandemic makes traveling hard. She loves traveling and the first place she hopes to visit when the pandemic is over is Austria. She wants to explore the classical music landscape there. The three-minute piece for string quartet was finished in 2021 and revised several times.

The album's third and longest piece is the four-movement Rising Mist, for Orchestra Op 4, which was performed by China Philharmonic Orchestra. Han started composing it on March 20, 2018 and finished it on Oct 25, 2021.

"It was inspired by a dream of mine, in which I saw mist. I revised it 13 times and the piece has evolved a lot. It felt like finding a new voice to express myself," says Han.

The last piece on the album is titled The First Snow, for Orchestra Op 1, based on a song she wrote in 2017 for a Chinese musical, A Moment of Remembrance, which aimed to raise awareness about elderly people with Alzheimer's disease. The piece, about five minutes long, was performed by the China Philharmonic Orchestra.