The Piano Pod - a global hub for innovation, education, and connection in classical piano music
...where tradition meets innovation. Together, we bring PIANO into the FUTURE. a global hub for innovation, education, and connection in classical piano music 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. The Piano Pod aims to nurture a thriving community that embraces innovative approaches to ensure classical music's relevance and vitality in today's dynamic landscape. "How can I present the beautiful tradition of classical music to the 21st-century audience in a fun, contemporary, and engaging way?" When I started building a piano studio 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. 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. Through fascinating conversations, we have explored how classical music should continue to evolve to remain relevant to our lifestyle, society, and culture. Over the past three seasons, The Piano Pod has achieved remarkable success by reaching faithful listeners on audio platforms and viewers via YouTube. As the show is celebrating the past season's achievements and gearing toward the new season in the fall, my mission as the Executive Producer is crystal clear: to provide a platform for classical musicians and educators to reflect and discuss ways to keep our industry robust and meaningful in this ever-changing world and move it forward in the post-pandemic era. 🔗Follow TPP on social media accounts to get the latest news about 🎹. Thanks for listening♥️🎹
Episodes
Happy Thanksgiving! In this bonus episode, I’m sharing something deeply personal — a part of my identity I’ve rarely spoken about publicly. I am a third-generation Zainichi Korean, born and raised in Japan, and I’m finally stepping into that history through a new creative initiative called The Zainichi Music Project, now sponsored by the New York Foundation for the Arts.
This episode marks the beginning of that journey — a project t...
In this episode of The Piano Pod, I sit down with Elena Riu — pianist, groundbreaking recording artist, educator, and yoga/mindfulness teacher — whose work has reshaped how we think about artistry, embodiment, and the future of piano performance. Elena has long been a force of quiet revolution.
Long before conversations about inclusivity and expanded repertoire entered the mainstream, she was commissioning bold new works, centering...
Get ready for our next episode of The Piano Pod: The Embodied Pianist with Elena Riu — pianist, groundbreaking recording artist, educator, and yoga/mindfulness teacher.
In this powerful conversation, we explore embodied performance, somatics, breath, creativity, cultural identity, and even the menstrual cycle as a source of artistic insight. Elena’s work challenges long-held assumptions about what pianists should play, how they shou...
🎶✨ What if jazz could be taught as naturally as language—where freedom, creativity, and collaboration drive learning?
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 5 of The Piano Pod, featuring Quentin Walston — pianist, composer, educator, and founder of This Is Jazz™. In this conversation, we explore how Quentin bridges performance, pedagogy, and entrepreneurship through his acclaimed book How to Teach Jazz & Improvisation and his growing onl...
In this trailer, get a glimpse into my upcoming conversation with Quentin Walston — a pianist, composer, and educator known for his joyful fusion of jazz, improvisation, and storytelling. In this episode, we dive into creativity, connection, and the spirit of collaboration that defines his work and the evolving world of modern musicianship.
- ✨ Watch the YouTube Premiere: https://youtu.be/hYK86QGXxW0
- 🎧 Listen to the full audio ep...
The Piano Pod Live in Concert: A Bold New Chapter in Classical Music marked the first-ever live event for the award-winning podcast and YouTube show The Piano Pod, conceived and hosted by Executive Producer Yukimi Song. Presented in collaboration with Mannes Prep, a pre-college music program offering comprehensive and nurturing pre-professional training at The New School, this milestone concert brought the show’s signature format —...
🎶✨ How can nineteen tiny piano miniatures blossom into one of the most expansive, collaborative, and award-winning projects of our time?
Welcome to Season 6 Episode 3: The World of MICROVIDS — Composer & Advocate for Women in Music, Stefania de Kenessey. In this episode of The Piano Pod, I sit down with Stefania de Kenessey, a composer whose works have been heard at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, La MaMa, and around the world....
🎶✨ How can nineteen miniature piano pieces transform into a boundless world of music, poetry, collaboration, and film?
Season 6 of The Piano Pod continues with an extraordinary episode featuring composer Stefania de Kenessey and her latest project, Microvids. What began as small, intimate sketches during the pandemic has blossomed into her most expansive and personal work — brought to life through powerful collaborations across ins...
Encore Conversations 1: Beyond the Keys & Radiance - Jeeyoon Kim on Love, Resilience, and Creativity
🔥 “Music isn’t just about playing the notes — it’s about living beyond the keys.”
🔥Welcome to the premiere of Encore Conversations — The Piano Pod’s new series, where past guests return for short, powerful conversations about their latest projects and evolving journeys.
To kick it off, I’m joined by Jeeyoon Kim — pianist, educator, podcaster, and now a two-time author. You may remember her from Season 3, when she shared her debut b...
In this special premiere of Encore Conversations, The Piano Pod’s brand-new alumni series, I sit down with award-winning pianist, author, and educator Jeeyoon Kim. You may remember her from Season 3, where she inspired us with her originality, authenticity, and mission to make concerts deeply personal. Now she returns with her most intimate project yet — her second book Beyond the Keys and companion album Radiance.
In our Encore Con...
🎹🔥 What makes a four-hand piano duo so powerful, intimate, and endlessly creative?
Welcome to Season 6 Episode 2: Four Hands, Boundless Creativity — Mada & Hugh, the Award-Winning Duo on Love, Life & Artistic Freedom
In this captivating episode of The Piano Pod, I sit down with the award-winning Mada & Hugh Piano Duo — Romanian-born pianist Mădălina-Claudia Dănilă and Korean-American pianist Hugh Sung. Known for their e...
🎹🔥 What makes a four-hand piano duo so powerful, intimate, and endlessly creative?
Season 6 of The Piano Pod continues with an electrifying episode featuring the award-winning Mada & Hugh Piano Duo — Romanian-born pianist Mădălina Dănilă and Korean-American pianist Hugh Sung. Known for their imaginative arrangements, captivating performances, and cross-cultural collaboration,
Mada & Hugh are redefining what it means to pe...
🎹✨ Can music heal, comfort, and truly transform lives?
In this special Season 6 premiere of The Piano Pod, I sit down with Billboard-charting pianist and composer Chad Lawson — also the first musician ever appointed as a U.N. Ambassador for the World Federation for Mental Health. His composition “The Light Within” became the official theme song for World Mental Health Day, and his music has touched millions through streaming, conce...
🎹✨ Can music heal, comfort, and truly transform lives? In this special
Season 6 premiere of The Piano Pod, I sit down with Billboard-charting pianist and composer Chad Lawson — also the first musician ever appointed as a U.N. Ambassador for the World Federation for Mental Health.
His composition “The Light Within” became the official theme song for World Mental Health Day, and his music has touched millions through streaming, con...
✨ Season 6 of The Piano Pod is here! ✨
This year, it’s all about Creativity and Connection — the messy, vulnerable, transformative stories behind the music.
🎹 We kick things off with an inspiring lineup: 🎶
- Chad Lawson on September 9, 8:00 pm ET.
- Mădălina Dănilă & Hugh Sung — the award-winning Mada & Hugh Piano Duo, whose artistry and unique bond radiate joy, innovation, and cultural connection.
Thinking about starting a podcast—but feeling overwhelmed by where to begin? I created a mini-course for artists, educators, and independent creatives who want to build a podcast that feels authentic, intentional, and achievable.
And this bonus episode is a FREE intro lesson. Inside, I’ll walk you through what to expect in my full course, share a bit of my story, and show you that you don’t need fancy gear or a business plan to st...
This episode is brought to you by Juneteenth LP — celebrating Black artistry and legacy in classical music. 🎉 Get Your Ticket: https://publictheater.org/performances-jp/2025/j/juneteenth-lp/
🎹 What does it mean to live and create with authenticity?
In this powerful season finale, we sit down with Dr. Maria Thompson Corley — pianist, composer, novelist, poet, educator, and advocate — for a conversation that is as multifaceted as her...
🎬 Enjoy the official trailer for The Piano Pod’s Season 5 Finale!
Episode Title: The Fullness of Being – A Grand Finale with Maria Thompson Corley on Art, Inclusion & Creative Legacy“
As we wrap up Season 5 of The Piano Pod, themed Authenticity and Joy, we are proud to feature a visionary artist whose life and work embody both.
Dr. Maria Thompson Corley is a Juilliard-trained pianist, composer, novelist, poet, and educator ...
🎉 Bonus Episode – Celebrating Juneteenth with Dr. Nnenna Ogwo 🎉
To close out Season 5 of The Piano Pod—our season of Authenticity and Joy—we are sharing a special bonus episode in celebration of Juneteenth Month.
Dr. Nnenna Ogwo—pianist, educator, and founder of Juneteenth LP—returns to The Piano Pod (after her powerful appearance in Season 4, Episode 4) to update us on the evolution of her visionary organization. In this short but...
This episode is brought to you by Juneteenth LP — Celebrating Black artistry and legacy in classical music.
🎧 What if every child could see themselves in the music they study? In this robust conversation, Dr. Leah Claiborne —pianist, Yamaha Artist, educator, and founder of Ebony Music Inc.—joins The Piano Pod to discuss her mission to expand and redefine the classical canon.
From her work on the 100 Works by Black Composers pr...
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