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

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 SchubertAbout 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

🎬 OFFICIAL TRAILERSeason 6, Episode 9 Schubert Now — Concert Pianist, Ammiel Bushakevitz on Storytelling, Connection, and the Road to the 2028 BicentennialWhy 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/

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 operaThe unique demands of crafting a focused, effective librettoReimagining characters and narrative power dynamicsWhat music can unveil that prose alone cannotChoosing a darker, more pointed endingThe exhilarating—and sometimes brutal—reality of composingICYMI: Revisit our full episode on MICROVIDS in Season 6, Episode 3This 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.

✨ Happy Holidays, friends!This extra segment comes from Season 6, Episode 2 with the award-winning Mada & Hugh Piano Duo. Our conversation ran longer than expected, and while this part didn’t make it into the final episode, I couldn’t keep it from you — it’s just too good.In this excerpt, Mada & Hugh open up about creativity in its purest form:How hobbies and play can recharge usWhy music connects us beyond perfectionWhat it means to reclaim our humanity in an age of technology and AIThe joy of making music without judgment or pressureTheir reflections feel like the perfect reminder for this season: creativity is not about perfection, but about presence, freedom, and connection.🎧 Enjoy this bonus episode with Mada and Hugh! Explore More from Mada & Hugh📖 Read my blog about their YouTube vlogs: Meet Our Guest: Mada & Hugh Website: madahugh.com YouTube: @madahughpianoduo🎬 Listen to the original episode released in September 2025: Four Hands, Boundless Creativity — Mada & Hugh Piano Duo here.💖 Support The Piano PodSubscribe to our Sounds of Inspiration – Piano Works from Season 6 playlist: Click hereSubscribe to our newsletter: https://thepianopod.substack.com/subscribeWebsite: thepianopod.comSocial Media: linktr.ee/thepianopod Listen on all podcast platforms: linktr.ee/ThePianoPodAudio

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