Multi-Award-Winning Composer Yu-Peng Chen presents his first classical album for Deutsche Grammophon
Recognized by a wide community of gaming fans as “Archon” (“master”), Yu-Peng Chen, whose music has reached over 2 billion streams, unveils a symphonic suite for piano and orchestra in 12 movements.
The Poem of Life will be released on September 25, 2026
Listen to Waltz of the Fireflies and Overture: The Flavors of Life here
Berlin, 3 July 2026 — Deutsche Grammophon presents The Poem of Life, the new album by composer, pianist and producer Yu-Peng Chen. Known to a wide international audience for his work on the globally popular game Genshin Impact, his music has reached listeners around the world and accumulated over 2 billion streams. The Poem of Life will be released digitally, on CD and LP on 25 September.
With this release, Chen turns to a more personal project: a symphonic suite for piano and orchestra in 12 movements, exploring different stages of life with a focus on reflection, expression and storytelling. The Poem of Life marks a new direction in his work, bringing together his experience in game music with a more intimate, concert-focused approach.
Recorded with the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Zhang Liang, the album also stands as a powerful cultural statement, blending Western orchestral tradition with the expressive depth of Chinese musical heritage. Yu-Peng Chen himself appears as piano soloist on the recording and collaborates with pianist Yixuan Wei in selected works for two pianos. Traditional instruments such as guzheng, erhu, pipa, and sheng, alongside the voices of renowned Chinese opera singers Yi Li and Zhengzhong Zhou, reveal Chen’s artistic heritage, bringing centuries of cultural memory into dialogue with a contemporary symphonic language. The project is further enriched by the presence of renowned violinist Daniel Hope, virtuoso mandolinist Avi Avital and cellist Philipp Schupelius as guest artists.
Conceived as a deeply reflective exploration of universal human experience, The Poem of Life traces an emotional and spiritual arc from birth to farewell. Through lyrical melodies and rich symphonic arrangements, Chen evokes the wonder of childhood, the trials of adulthood, and the serenity of later years—culminating in the final moments of life. As Chen explains, the album is intended as “a vessel” for the emotions that define the human experience, inviting listeners to reflect, remember, and reconnect with their own life stories.
With The Poem of Life, Yu-Peng Chen delivers an intimate work, showing his talent for musical storytelling. Bridging cultures, genres, and audiences, the album invites listeners on a shared human journey—one defined by beauty, reflection, and the enduring power of music.
ABOUT Yu-Peng Chen
Yu-Peng Chen is an internationally celebrated composer, pianist, and producer whose work stands out for its rich melodic style and seamless fusion of Western orchestral traditions with diverse Asian musical influences. Best known for his widely acclaimed scores for the global hit game Genshin Impact, his music has reached vast audiences, generating billions of streams and earning him a devoted worldwide fanbase. A graduate of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Chen has built a distinguished career across film, television, and gaming, receiving numerous awards and collaborating with leading orchestras such as the London Philharmonic and Shanghai Symphony Orchestra. His compositions are noted for their emotional depth and cultural versatility, blending instruments and styles from regions including China, Japan, India, and the Middle East. In 2025, he made history as the first Chinese composer to sign with Deutsche Grammophon, marking a major milestone in his career and signalling a growing focus on large-scale orchestral works, including his album FANTASYLAND and upcoming projects.
