The Piano Pod

Yukimi Song

<p><em>...where tradition meets innovation, and together, we bring PIANO into the 21st Century.</em></p><p>Hey, 🎹 enthusiasts out there! My name is Yukimi, a classical pianist and educator from NYC and executive producer of The Piano Pod. The Piano Pod🎙 is a one-of-a-kind podcast that delves deep into the fascinating world of classical music, with a specific focus on the 🎹 piano. In a biweekly format, the show explores intriguing discussions with guests breaking exciting new ground in the classical music industry.<a href="https://thepianopod.com"> The Piano Pod</a> aims to nurture a thriving community that embraces innovative approaches to ensure classical music's relevance and vitality in today's dynamic landscape.</p><p><strong><em>"How can I present the beautiful tradition of classical music to the 21st-century audience in a fun, contemporary, and engaging way?"</em></strong></p><p>When I started building<a href="https://yukimisongstudio.com"> a piano studio</a> in the trendy neighborhood of Downtown Manhattan in 2007 while in the NYU graduate program in piano studies, I began to ponder this question. I realized the stark difference in expectations toward classical music and music education between music professionals and the general public. Then, one of the NYU music department's professors suggested I start a podcast: the platform would allow classical musicians to address this disparity and spark conversations about audience engagement.</p><p>Finally, fast forward to 10+ years later, The Piano Pod was born in the summer of 2020. Since then, I have had the privilege of interviewing A-listers in the classical music industry: international concert pianists, composers, arrangers, digital streamers/influencers, music educators, entrepreneurs, neurodiverse specialists, and performance psychologists.</p><p>Through fascinating conversations, we have explored how classical music should continue to evolve to remain relevant to our lifestyle, society, and culture. Over t</p>

  • 1 hour 26 minutes
    "Sapiens: A Human History at the Piano" feat. Sean Hickey, Composer

    Composer Sean Hickey joins The Piano Pod to discuss Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind — his monumental piano cycle inspired by Yuval Noah Harari’s bestselling book.

    From imagined orders and human cooperation to empire, biology, AI, and the future of artistic sustainability, this episode explores what it means to create — and remain human — in a rapidly changing world. Performed by pianist Vladimir Rumyantsev, Sapiens translates big philosophical questions into sound, structure, and silence.

    This conversation moves from macro-history to the deeply personal — from Detroit and electric guitar to leading major recording labels — and ultimately asks: What allows music to endure?

    From Harari’s sweeping vision of human history to the realities of AI in today’s music industry, this episode centers on one enduring question: How do we remain authentic — and human — in the age of acceleration?

    If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe, and share to support independent classical media.

    [SEAN HICKEY - Composer and Record Label Executive]

    [THE PIANO POD]

    Subscribe for more conversations on creativity, mentorship, and the future of classical music.

    25 February 2026, 12:40 am
  • 1 minute 43 seconds
    Official Trailer: "Sapiens - A Human History on the Piano feat. Sean Hickey

    🎥 Here is the trailer for our new eps featuring Sean Hickey, Composer/Record Label Executive

    Composer Sean Hickey joins The Piano Pod to discuss Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind for the Piano — his monumental piano cycle inspired by Yuval Noah Harari’s bestselling book.

    From imagined orders and human cooperation to empire, biology, AI, and the future of artistic sustainability, this conversation explores what it means to create — and remain human — in a rapidly accelerating world.

    Performed by pianist Vladimir Rumyantsev, Sapiens translates sweeping philosophical questions into sound, structure, and silence.

    This episode moves from macro-history to the deeply personal — from Detroit and electric guitar to leading major international record labels — and ultimately asks:

    What allows music to endure?

    📆 Join the premiere tomorrow, Tuesday, February 24, at 8:00 PM ET.

    📺 Set a reminder and join us live via YouTube: https://youtu.be/sx0nR48wNYg

    🎧 Listen on your favorite podcast platforms: https://linktr.ee/ThePianoPodAudio

    📖 Read our blog review on Substack: https://thepianopod.substack.com/p/meet-our-guest-sean-hickey-composer

    23 February 2026, 1:20 pm
  • 51 minutes 56 seconds
    "Building Artists Through Music &amp; Mentorship" Pavlina Dokovska on Pedagogy, Leadership, and the Mannes International Piano Festival

    This surprise bonus episode was created in collaboration with Mannes School of Music at The New School.

    In this conversation, I sit down with Pavlina Dokovska — internationally active concert pianist, Chair of the Piano Department at Mannes School of Music, and Artistic Director of the Mannes International Piano Festival — to explore what it truly means to build artists in today’s musical and cultural moment.

    We discuss serious piano study, long-term mentorship, artistic identity, and the role institutions play in shaping the next generation of musicians.

    Toward the end of the episode, you will also hear from Jiwon Yang, current Mannes graduate student and First Prize winner of the George and Elizabeth Gregory Concerto Competition, sharing her experience studying in downtown Manhattan and participating in the festival.

    ABOUT THE PIANO POD

    🎧 Available on YouTube and all podcast platforms.

    Subscribe for more conversations on creativity, mentorship, and the future of classical music.

    18 February 2026, 12:40 am
  • 1 minute 35 seconds
    Official Trailer: Building Artists Through Music &amp; Mentorship feat. Pavlina Dokovska

    🚨 Bonus Episode Drops Tonight

    Here’s the trailer.

    Building Artists Through Music & Mentorship with Pavlina Dokovska

    What does it really take to build an artist?

    In this special collaboration, The Piano Pod sits down with Pavlina Dokovska — internationally active concert pianist, Chair of the Piano Department at Mannes School of Music, and Artistic Director of the Mannes International Piano Festival — for a candid conversation on serious piano study, mentorship, and artistic formation.

    We discuss:

    • Why long-term training still matters • Balancing rigor and humanity in teaching • How community shapes resilient musicians • The vision behind the Mannes International Piano Festival

    You’ll also hear from Jiwon Yang, a Mannes graduate student and First Prize winner of the George and Elizabeth Gregory Concerto Competition, on what it feels like to train in an environment defined by intensity and support.

    🎧 Premiering tonight at 8:00 PM ET 📺 YouTube: https://youtu.be/pMt6Jb-zOD4

    🎙 Audio platforms: https://linktr.ee/ThePianoPodAudio

    A conversation about leadership, responsibility, and how artists are formed.

    17 February 2026, 2:55 pm
  • 1 hour 48 minutes
    “Fearless Vision” Asiya Korepanova on Extreme Repertoire, Interdisciplinary Creation, and Artistic Risk

    In this episode of The Piano Pod, host Yukimi Song sits down with pianist, composer, visual artist, and poet Asiya Korepanova for a wide-ranging conversation on extreme repertoire, transcription as a creative act, long-form artistic commitment, and what it means to think at scale as a musician today.

    Born into a deeply musical family in Izhevsk, Russia, and now based in the United States, Asiya’s career is defined by projects many would consider “impossible”: performing the complete solo piano works of Rachmaninoff during the composer’s 150th-anniversary year, Liszt’s 24 Études, and Bach’s complete Well-Tempered Clavier. In this conversation, Asiya reflects on what draws her to repertoire that unfolds over years rather than hours, and how long-form thinking shapes her artistic identity.

    A central focus of the episode is Asiya’s work as a transcriber. She speaks candidly about transcription as a form of composition—an act she once described as “taming a wild animal”—and how her deep understanding of orchestral, vocal, and chamber music informs the way she reimagines works for solo piano. We hear excerpts from her transcriptions of Mussorgsky’s Songs and Dances of Death and Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, alongside reflections on craft, risk, and responsibility.

    The conversation also explores Asiya’s work beyond performance: her compositions, her multidisciplinary projects that integrate visual art and poetry, her commitment to education and access through her nonprofit Music for Minds, and her curatorial leadership at Festival Baltimore and Festival Flatiron NYC.

    This episode offers a rare, unfiltered look into the inner life of an artist whose work is driven not by spectacle, but by depth, rigor, and fearless vision.

    🔗 LINKS & RESOURCES

    🎧 THE PIANO POD

    11 February 2026, 12:42 am
  • 1 minute 39 seconds
    Official Trailer: "Fearless Vision" feat. Asiya Korepanova, Pianist/Composer/Visual Artist

    🎬 Official Trailer — Fearless Visionwith Asiya Korepanova

    For our upcoming episode of The Piano Pod, host Yukimi Song sits down with Asiya Korepanova — pianist, composer, visual artist, and poet — for a deep conversation on long-form artistic commitment, transcription as a creative act, and what it means to build a life in music shaped by depth, curiosity, and fearless vision.

    Asiya is known for her daring piano transcriptions and for taking on extreme repertoire, including the complete solo piano works of Rachmaninoff and Liszt’s 24 Études. In this episode, she reflects on why she is drawn to projects that unfold over years rather than hours, and how imagination, rigor, and responsibility intersect in her artistic life.

    📅 Episode Premiere: Tuesday, February 10 ⏰ 8:00 PM ET

    🌐 Asiya Korepanova — Official Website

    Join us for a conversation that goes beyond performance — into process, scale, and artistic vision.

    9 February 2026, 2:00 pm
  • 1 hour 14 minutes
    Mirrors &amp; Echoes: Aïda Lahlou on Ravel, Risk, and Reframing Tradition

    In this episode of The Piano Pod, host Yukimi Song sits down with pianist, recording artist, and multidisciplinary creator Aïda Lahlou for an in-depth conversation on Ravel’s Miroirs, sound as physical reality, and what it means to build an artistic life through curiosity, risk, and purpose.

    At the center of the conversation is Aïda’s debut album, Mirrors and Echoes—a recording that places Ravel’s Miroirs as its reflective core, surrounded by carefully curated piano miniatures from across cultures and centuries. Rather than treating the album as a collection of pieces, Aïda speaks about programming as experience: sequencing, resonance, and how sound can function as landscape rather than emotional narrative.

    We also explore her broader artistic practice—from environmental engagement and rethinking institutional success, to her one-woman show blending stand-up comedy with solo piano performance, and her advocacy for the return of the modern impresario / creative producer in today’s classical music ecosystem.

    • 🎧 Listen to Aïda's album, Mirrors and Echoes, on Spotify
    • 📝 Meet Our Guest — Aïda Lahlou: Read the accompanying blog exploring Mirrors and Echoes and Aïda’s artistic vision

    🎧 THE PIANO POD

    28 January 2026, 12:40 am
  • 1 minute 38 seconds
    Official Trailer ✅: "Mirrors &amp; Echoes" feat. Aïda Lahlou

    🎬 OFFICIAL TRAILER Season 6, Episode 10 Mirrors and Echoes — Ravel, Resonance, and Reframing Tradition

    What happens when Ravel’s Miroirs becomes the center of a much larger listening journey? In this episode of The Piano Pod, I sit down with Aïda Lahlou — UK-based, award-winning pianist and multidisciplinary artist — for an in-depth conversation on her debut album Mirrors and Echoes and the ideas shaping her work today.

    At the heart of our discussion is Ravel: how Miroirs functions not as a self-contained cycle, but as a reflective axis — opening pathways to sound worlds across cultures, traditions, and time.

    We talk about programming as experience, sound as landscape, and why curiosity and risk are essential tools for artists working outside inherited models of success. This is a conversation about listening deeply, building artistic agency, and reframing tradition without abandoning it.

    ▶️ Join the premiere on Tuesday, January 27 at 8:00 pm ET

    26 January 2026, 1:40 pm
  • 1 hour 26 minutes
    Schubert Now: Storytelling, Connection, and the Road to the 2028 Bicentennial

    In this episode of The Piano Pod, host Yukimi Song sits down with concert pianist and recording artist Ammiel Bushakevitz for a wide-ranging conversation on Franz Schubert, the German Lied tradition, and what makes 19th-century music speak powerfully to 21st-century audiences.

    Ammiel shares insights from his major long-term projects, including Schubert 200 — a multi-album Lied collaboration building toward Schubert’s bicentennial in 2028 — and his ongoing recording of Schubert’s complete solo piano works. We explore intimacy versus scale, collaboration between singer and pianist, audience-building for a new generation, and why Schubert’s music remains profoundly human and relevant today.

    🎧 Note: This video episode concludes around the 51-minute mark. The audio version continues further, with additional reflections on collaboration, teaching, empathy, and artistic legacy. Find the full episode wherever you listen to podcasts.🎹 Meet Our Guest — Ammiel Bushakevitz

    • 📝 Read the blog post exploring Ammiel’s artistry and his approach to Schubert

    About Ammiel: Concert pianist, recording artist, and one of today’s leading interpreters of Schubert and the German Lied tradition. Ammiel performs internationally across six continents and is also the Artistic Director of Les Voix d’Orphée, an organization dedicated to song, education, and cultural exchange.

    🎧 THE PIANO POD

    14 January 2026, 12:40 am
  • 2 minutes 16 seconds
    Official Trailer: "Schubert Now" Ammiel Bushakevitz on Storytelling, Connection, and the Road to the 2028 Bicentennial

    🎬 OFFICIAL TRAILER

    Season 6, Episode 9 Schubert Now — Concert Pianist, Ammiel Bushakevitz on Storytelling, Connection, and the Road to the 2028 Bicentennial

    Why does Schubert still matter today?

    In our first episode of 2026, I sit down with concert pianist and recording artist Ammiel Bushakevitz for a wide-ranging conversation on Schubert, the German Lied tradition, and why intimacy — not scale — may shape the future of classical music.

    From his bold Schubert 200 project and the journey toward recording Schubert’s complete piano works by 2028, to the return of Schubertiaden and the power of music in small, human spaces, this episode explores what it means to listen deeply in the 21st century.

    This is a conversation about storytelling, connection, and why 19th-century music continues to speak with urgency today.

    ▶️ Join the premiere here on Tuesday, January 13:

    https://youtu.be/uWoq0paUvCc?si=ePQCYgqFTY361VOK

    🎧 Audio episode drops simultaneously: https://rss.com/podcasts/the-piano-pod/

    12 January 2026, 1:45 pm
  • 18 minutes 30 seconds
    Extra from Season 6 — The World of Microvids feat. Stefania de Kenessey

    To close out 2025, The Piano Pod brings you a special year-end bonus episode featuring composer and storyteller Stefania De Kenessey. Earlier this season, we explored her MICROVIDS project; today, Stefania takes us behind the scenes of another major undertaking: her opera The Bonfire of the Vanities, based on Tom Wolfe’s iconic novel.

    In this conversation, Stefania reflects on the creative risks, structural challenges, and artistic values behind adapting a 700-page book for the operatic stage. She shares insights on distillation, libretti, character reimagining, and the emotional stakes of composing—offering a rare look at how large-scale musical works take shape.

    You’ll hear Stefania discuss:

    • Transforming a sprawling novel into a cohesive opera
    • The unique demands of crafting a focused, effective libretto
    • Reimagining characters and narrative power dynamics
    • What music can unveil that prose alone cannot
    • Choosing a darker, more pointed ending
    • The exhilarating—and sometimes brutal—reality of composing

    ICYMI: Revisit our full episode on MICROVIDS in Season 6, Episode 3

    This episode is a thoughtful reminder that music is not only a craft, but a conviction. Stefania’s perspective highlights how storytelling, ethics, and imagination intersect in contemporary composition.

    Thank you for being part of The Piano Pod community this year. We return on January 13, 2026, with a brand-new episode to kick off the new year.

    31 December 2025, 12:45 am
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