Minsoo Sohn at Abu Dhabi Festival 2026

This is a solo piano recital in Abu Dhabi, part of Abu Dhabi Festival 2026, with Minsoo Sohn at the keyboard. The programme is Book One of Johann Sebastian Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier, a single sweeping work that a pianist can shape into a whole evening of listening.

Book One contains 24 preludes and fugues, one pair for each major and minor key. Bach wrote the collection as a teaching exercise, yet it has long since become a cherished concert piece. Each prelude introduces a different mood, and each fugue weaves its voices together with careful logic, so the music moves between feeling and intellect as it works through the keys. Minsoo Sohn is known for his musical intelligence and elegant virtuosity, qualities that suit a cycle built on clarity and contrast.

The concert takes place at the Cultural Foundation in Abu Dhabi. It is one of the capital's best-known cultural addresses and a longstanding home for art, books and performance in the city centre. The building sits in the downtown area, not far from the Corniche and the waterfront, and its calm, open spaces make it a natural setting for a recital of this kind. Residents of Dubai should plan for a drive of roughly an hour and a half to reach it.

A solo piano evening is a seated, attentive format. It suits listeners who enjoy classical music and want to hear a landmark of the keyboard repertoire played live, as well as anyone curious about Bach who prefers to come to the music without a long introduction. Because the work moves through all 24 keys, you do not need to know the pieces beforehand; the progression itself holds the attention.

Abu Dhabi Festival is the emirate's annual arts festival, and a Bach recital like this one places a pillar of the classical canon alongside the rest of its programme. For anyone in the UAE who follows classical music, it is a clear reason to make the trip to the capital.