The Piano Pod - a global hub for innovation, education, and connection in classical piano music

The Piano Pod - a global hub for innovation, education, and connection in classical piano music

by Yukimi Song

Performing Arts Music Interviews

Season 1

The Piano Pod, Season 1, Episode 14: First Annual TPP Recital!

In this episode, Yukimi, Eric, and Clara abandon their roles as interviewers to return to their first love: playing the piano! This full-length recital was livestreamed and broadcast through Zoom over Youtube and Facebook. See the full performance here: https://youtu.be/0XqObHdQe6g Program: Yukimi Song Sonata in F minor, Op. 5 by J. Brahms I. Allegro maestoso III. Scherzo IV. Andante molto V. Finale Eric Hunter Selected Preludes from Livres I and II by C. Debussy I, 1: Danseuses de Delphes I, 3: Le vent dans la plaine I, 4: > II, 5: Bruyères I, 5: Les collines d'Anacapri I, 7: Ce qu'a vu le vent d'ouest I, 10: La cathédrale engloutie Clara Zhang Sinfonia from Partita No. 2 BWV 826 by J.S. Bach Danza De La Moza Donosa by A. Ginastera Bulgarian Rhythms 1 & 2 by B. Bartok Andante Sostenuto from Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 22 by C. Saint-Saens

Part 2 of Season 1, Episode 13: Madeline Bruser, The Art of Practice Institute

Part 2 of 2. For this episode, TPP interviewed Madeline Bruser: Founder of the Art of Practicing Institute and author of the highly acclaimed book "The Art of Practicing: A Guide to Making Music from the Heart." An authorized instructor of mindfulness meditation in the Buddhist tradition, Madeline has presented mindfulness in secular contexts for more than 30 years. She frequently teaches workshops on Mindfulness, Confidence & Performance at conservatories and college music departments, including the Juilliard School, Mannes School of Music, the University of British Columbia, and Northwestern University. Madeline has performed as a soloist with the San Francisco and Denver Symphony Orchestras and was featured on National Public Radio’s Performance Today in an interview and piano lesson broadcast in 200 cities. Inspired to help more musicians unleash their full potential, Madeline founded the Art of Practicing Institute, offering a weeklong summer program and online master classes throughout the year. The Institute provides training in mindfulness techniques, community support through discussion groups, in-depth musical work in master classes, and teacher training workshops. Please visit our YouTube channel if you are interested in watching the video version: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFJ7CoQokjjrCxs1VCS39Q

Part 1 of Season 1, Episode 13: Madeline Bruser, The Art of Practice Institute

Part 1 of 2. For this episode, TPP interviewed Madeline Bruser: Founder of the Art of Practicing Institute and author of the highly acclaimed book "The Art of Practicing: A Guide to Making Music from the Heart." An authorized instructor of mindfulness meditation in the Buddhist tradition, Madeline has presented mindfulness in secular contexts for more than 30 years. She frequently teaches workshops on Mindfulness, Confidence & Performance at conservatories and college music departments, including the Juilliard School, Mannes School of Music, the University of British Columbia, and Northwestern University. Madeline has performed as a soloist with the San Francisco and Denver Symphony Orchestras and was featured on National Public Radio’s Performance Today in an interview and piano lesson broadcast in 200 cities. Inspired to help more musicians unleash their full potential, Madeline founded the Art of Practicing Institute, offering a weeklong summer program and online master classes throughout the year. The Institute provides training in mindfulness techniques, community support through discussion groups, in-depth musical work in master classes, and teacher training workshops. Please visit our YouTube channel if you are interested in watching the video version: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFJ7CoQokjjrCxs1VCS39Q

Part 2 of Season 1, Episode 12: Jim Ridl - Jazz Pianist and Composer

Part 2 of 2. For Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM), we had the privilege of interviewing Jim Ridl: jazz pianist, composer, recording artist, and educator. Jim shared with us his insights on improvisation and differences in approach between jazz and classical musicians. This interview rapidly evolved into more of a masterclass as he then demonstrated stylistic differences between blues and jazz, various improv techniques, and even his warm-up routines at the piano. We hope that this episode inspires you as much it did us! About Jim Ridl: Jim has released multiple critically acclaimed recordings, and performed across the globe with the Jim Ridl Trio and Quartet, the Dave Liebman Big Band, the Mingus Big Band, and the Tim Horner Quintet. Commissions as a composer/arranger have included the BMI New York Jazz Composers Orchestra, the Denver Symphony Orchestra, the Lamont School of Music Chamber Orchestra, and the Off-Broadstreet Theatre.

Part 1 of Season 1, Episode 12: Jim Ridl - Jazz Pianist and Composer

Part 1 of 2. For Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM), we had the privilege of interviewing Jim Ridl: jazz pianist, composer, recording artist, and educator. Jim shared with us his insights on improvisation and differences in approach between jazz and classical musicians. This interview rapidly evolved into more of a masterclass as he then demonstrated stylistic differences between blues and jazz, various improv techniques, and even his warm-up routines at the piano. We hope that this episode inspires you as much it did us! About Jim Ridl: Jim has released multiple critically acclaimed recordings, and performed across the globe with the Jim Ridl Trio and Quartet, the Dave Liebman Big Band, the Mingus Big Band, and the Tim Horner Quintet. Commissions as a composer/arranger have included the BMI New York Jazz Composers Orchestra, the Denver Symphony Orchestra, the Lamont School of Music Chamber Orchestra, and the Off-Broadstreet Theatre.

Season 1, Episode 11: Selena Pistoresi - Neurodiversity Specialist

Happy April, everyone! April is Autism Acceptance Month, so to promote neurodiversity and inclusion, we interviewed Selena Pistoresi - pianist, teacher, creator of Notablepiano.com, and neurodiversity specialist. With a studio of 50 students and a full waitlist, Selena has found success cultivating the gifts of students that many teachers often struggle with. In this episode, she explains neurodiversity and speaks about her experiences working with this rapidly growing population of students. Some of the topics we cover include autism, ADHD, and ODD, and how to approach a student who has not been diagnosed yet. With the explosion in diagnoses in recent years, this is information any modern piano teacher can't afford to be without.

The Piano Pod, Season 1, Episode 10: TPP Happy Hour!

HAPPY 10TH EPISODE TO US! To celebrate this milestone, we decided to do a special episode, TPP Happy Hour! We had a few drinks, laughed about the mistakes we made in our early episodes, and also celebrated what we did right, and what we've learned along the way. This special edition covers all our podcasts from the introductory episode through Episode 6. We were reminded how fortunate we have been to be able to interview wonderful guests from all four corners of the globe!

Season 1, Episode 9: Jonathan Ong - Concert Pianist, Arranger, Twitch Streamer

In this episode, TPP interviews Dr. Jonathan Ong 🇦🇺, classical pianist, improviser, arranger, and Twitch streamer! With over 57,000 followers, 2.4 million views, and 3,500 hours of streaming time, Jonathan is ranked in the top 0.1% of all Twitch streamers and is among the world’s top Twitch music channels. We had a great time talking to him about "digital busking," making it in a freelance economy, and the importance of a growth mindset. Check out his Twitch channel 👾 https://twitch.tv/jonathanong *Note: We had a lot of technical issues during the taping: Yukimi's computer crashed, and Eric forgot to plug in his good microphone! So sorry about the audio quality. We will do better in the future! Stay tuned for an extra special episode of The Piano Pod in two weeks: TPP Happy Hour! See you then!

Part 2 of Season 1, Episode 8: Frederic Chiu - International Concert Pianist, Innovator, & Deeper Performance Studies

Part 2 of 2. In this episode, TPP interviews Frederic Chiu: international concert pianist, innovator, Yamaha Artist with over 30 recorded albums, creator of Deeper Performance Studies, and distinguished faculty member at Carnegie Mellon University and The Hartt School. Frederic generously went way over our typical interview length of 45 minutes, and it was hard for us to stop talking with him! A deeply philosophical musician, he offered his thoughts on how piano fits into the modern world, what it is like to be a bridge between vastly different cultures, and how he comes up with his innovative programs.

Part 1 of Season 1, Episode 8: Frederic Chiu - International Concert Pianist, Innovator, & Deeper Performance Studies

Part 1 of 2. In this episode, TPP interviews Frederic Chiu: international concert pianist, innovator, Yamaha Artist with over 30 recorded albums, creator of Deeper Performance Studies, and distinguished faculty member at Carnegie Mellon University and The Hartt School. Frederic generously went way over our typical interview length of 45 minutes, and it was hard for us to stop talking with him! A deeply philosophical musician, he offered his thoughts on how piano fits into the modern world, what it is like to be a bridge between vastly different cultures, and how he comes up with his innovative programs.

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