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

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

Written by: Yukimi Song
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...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♥️🎹

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Episodes
  • Schubert Now: Storytelling, Connection, and the Road to the 2028 Bicentennial

    Schubert Now: Storytelling, Connection, and the Road to the 2028 Bicentennial
    Jan 14 2026

    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.

    • 🔗 Learn more about Ammiel Bushakevitz
    • 🎧 Listen to all the pieces mentioned during the episode here

    🎧 THE PIANO POD

    • 💖 Become a VIP Member / Unlock exclusive content HERE.
    • 📫 Join our newsletter!
    • 🌐 Website: https://thepianopod.com 📱
    • Follow: IG @thepianopod | FB @thepianopod | TikTok @thepianopod
    • 🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thepianopod
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 27 mins
  • Official Trailer: "Schubert Now" Ammiel Bushakevitz on Storytelling, Connection, and the Road to the 2028 Bicentennial

    Official Trailer: "Schubert Now" Ammiel Bushakevitz on Storytelling, Connection, and the Road to the 2028 Bicentennial
    Jan 12 2026

    🎬 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/
    Show More Show Less
    2 mins
  • Bells of Nagasaki — Anli Lin Tong on Faith, Lineage, and the Artist’s Callin

    Bells of Nagasaki — Anli Lin Tong on Faith, Lineage, and the Artist’s Callin
    Dec 17 2025

    What does a piano recital have to do with war, faith, and forgiveness?

    In this episode of The Piano Pod, pianist and educator Anli Lin Tong shares the story behind Bells of Nagasaki: Music for Contemplation—a profoundly moving concert created for the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki.

    What began as a single song her father used to sing—The Bells of Nagasaki—became a powerful act of remembrance, shaped by the legacy of Dr. Takashi Nagai, a survivor who transformed unimaginable loss into a life devoted to peace.

    This conversation moves beyond repertoire and performance into questions rarely asked in classical music:

    • What responsibility does an artist carry when history is still unresolved? • How does sound hold memory when words fail?

    From the history of Urakami Cathedral’s bells, silenced for decades, to Anli’s own journey—moving to the U.S. alone as a child, studying with legendary teachers, and carrying artistic lineage forward—this episode reveals how music can become a moral witness.

    It’s a conversation about remembrance, responsibility, and the quiet power of sound to hold history—and humanity—together.

    Learn More About Anli Lin Tong

    • 📝 Read my blog exploring Anli’s artistry and work
    • 📰 Press Coverage: Bells of Nagasaki: Music for Contemplation
    • 🎓 Juilliard Feature The Juilliard School highlights Anli’s writing on her teacher Mieczysław Munz:

    🎹 THE PIANO POD

    • 🎵 Subscribe to the Season 6 Piano Playlist — a collection of every piano work mentioned throughout the episodes:
    • 💖 Become a VIP Member or unlock exclusive content:
    • 📫 Join our newsletter:
    • 🌐 Website: https://thepianopod.com 📱 IG: @thepianopod | FB: @thepianopod | TikTok: @thepianopod 🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thepianopod
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    1 hr and 34 mins
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