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

• Between Worlds: Mirna Lekic on Cultural Crossings, Sonic Identity, and the Art of Connection

  In this episode, I sit down with pianist and educator Mirna Lekić for a conversation that spans continents, sound worlds, and the deeper layers of what music can mean in a human life.Born and raised in Sarajevo during the Bosnian War and now based in New York City, Mirna brings a rare perspective to the piano — one shaped by resilience, migration, devotion, and an unshakable belief in music as a stabilizing, healing force.We explore her acclaimed 2023 album MIRAGE, a breathtaking collection of sonic illusions and cultural crossings that reimagines the piano as a global storyteller — moving from Azerbaijan to Spain, Armenia to Java, and beyond.This episode dives into:how early musical experiences during war shaped Mirna’s artistic identitythe healing and stabilizing role music played during her family’s resettlementthe depth of Bosnian and Balkan musical influenceshow cultural diversity becomes musical philosophy, not performanceMIRAGE and its groundbreaking approach to sound, resonance, and identitycollaborative work with living composers, shadow puppeteers, and multidisciplinary artistshow educators can guide young musicians toward authenticity in a rapidly changing worldIt’s a conversation about healing, devotion, heritage, and the power of sound to help us make sense of where we come from — and where we’re going.🌟 SOUND BITES“Music was a healing presence.” “Music study demands devotion.” “Music can be a lifeline.”🎧 FEATURED LINKS FROM MIRNA'S WORKFrom the album Masks: Debussy, The Toybox (opening) Villa-Lobos: Negrinha, No. 5 from Baby’s Family From MIRAGE: Ali-Zadeh — Music for Piano Lachenmann — Guero Cowell — Aeolian Harp From Eastern Currents: Ramin Heydarbeygi — Aramesh Mirna’s Shadow Puppetry Collaborations: https://youtu.be/V5Tj2ZHDGS8?si=Aa05gwPs0R0evO8r https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duMJtVPVOIs&t=262sRead my review on Mirna's Album, MIRAGE on Substack

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• Official Trailer ✅ "Between Worlds" Mirna Lekić on Cultural Crossings, Sonic Identity, and the Art of Connection

  Here is the TRAILER — Between Worlds: From Sarajevo to New York: A Conversation on Cultural Crossings, Sonic Identity, and the Art of Connection feat. Mirna LekićThis week on The Piano Pod, I sit down with pianist and champion of new music Mirna Lekić for a conversation that moves between cultures, sound worlds, and the deeper layers of artistic identity. From Sarajevo to New York, we explore cultural crossings, sonic imagination, and the power of music to connect and ground us.✨ The full episode drops this Tuesday, December 9 at 8pm ET — and I’d love for you to join us.📺 Set Reminder for the YouTube Premiere🎧 Audio episode will be available everywhere simultaneously📝 Learn more about Mirna and her album MIRAGE on Substack See you on Tuesday for a powerful conversation on cultural crossings, sonic identity, and the art of connection.

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• Bonus Episode: Introducing the Zainichi Music Project

  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 that will grow into a living archive of research, new music commissions, recordings, interviews, and documentary work.In this episode, I talk about:What the word Zainichi actually means,How Japanese colonial rule — not immigration — brought our community into Japan,How postwar restructuring and the San Francisco Peace Treaty left Zainichi Koreans stateless,What it meant to be born and raised in a country that never fully recognized us as citizens,And why this project is my way of honoring our history, resilience, and creative legacy.For those who want to go deeper, please read my Substack essay, “Behind the Mic: Reclaiming Voice Through Sound,” where I share more about my experience growing up Zainichi.Thank you for listening — and for being part of The Piano Pod community. If you’d like to follow this new project, you can subscribe to Substack and follow @zainichimusicproject on Instagram and TikTok.More soon, and thank you for supporting this next chapter.

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• The Embodied Pianist: Elena Riu on Presence, Breath, and Artistic Freedom

  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 Latin-American and women composers, and exploring how breath, movement, and somatic awareness can transform the way we play and teach music. This conversation travels across the full spectrum of her artistry — from embodied performance to cultural identity, from the menstrual cycle as a source of creativity to breaking nineteenth-century norms about who pianists should be and what they should play. If you’ve ever wondered how breath shapes sound, how identity shapes expression, or how artists can create courageously beyond convention, this is a conversation you won’t forget. [Explore Elena’s Work] Salsa Nueva — Score (16-piece anthology): 📘 Purchase on Stretta📘 Purchase on Presto Music Salsa Nueva — Album (with Latin percussionist Wilmer Sifontes): 🎧 SOMM RecordingsOut of the Blues / R&B Collection — Score: 📘 Purchase on Presto Music Piano Icons for the 21st Century (Linn Records):🎧 Amazon 🌐 Elena’s Website✨ If you enjoyed this episode… Please like, comment, and subscribe — it truly helps our community grow. Follow The Piano Pod on social media for more conversations at the intersection of creativity, connection, and the evolving world of classical music. 📝 My blog on Elena & her album Salsa Nueva: 🎵 Listen to our Sounds of Inspiration – Piano Works from Season 6 Playlist Thank you for listening — and for supporting a space where artists can be fully themselves. #ThePianoPod #Season6 #ElenaRiu #EmbodiedMusician #EmbodiedPianist #ClassicalMusic #Piano #SalsaNueva #MindfulnessForMusicians #Somatics #YogaForMusicians #NewMusic #LatinAmericanComposers #CreativeCourage #PianistLife

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• Official Trailer ✅: "The Embodied Pianist" Pianist Elena Riu on Presence, Breath, and Artistic Freedom

  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 should train, and how the body shapes sound.In this episode, Elena and I talk about:✅ Her journey from Venezuela to the UK — and how navigating multiple identities shaped her artistry✅ The creation of Salsa Nueva and the importance of commissioning new works✅ What it means to challenge 19th-century biases about repertoire and artistic identity✅ Her work as an embodied pianist and how somatics, breath, and movement transform playing✅ Collaboration with dancers, visual artists, poets, and composers✅ Why she opens taboo conversations like creativity and the menstrual cycle among biologically female performers🎬 Set a reminder for the premiere tomorrow at 8 pm ET: https://youtu.be/exIQxYGbQw8 🎧 Prefer audio? Listen to the audio episode (Spotify, Apple, Amazon & more) available tomorrow, November 18 at 8:00pm ET: https://rss.com/podcasts/the-piano-pod/ 📝 Read my full review of Elena’s groundbreaking album Salsa Nueva on Substack #ThePianoPod #Season6 #ElenaRiu #EmbodiedPianist #SalsaNueva #LatinAmericanMusic #NewMusic #ContemporaryPiano #SteinwayArtist #WomenInMusic #Somatics #MusiciansHealth #ClassicalMusicReimagined

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