Hello, friends, and welcome back to the PianoPod.
I am Yukimi -san, and I am so excited to kick
off Season 6 with you. I hope your summer gave
you space to recharge, to create, and even to
stumble into some unexpected musical discoveries.
As we step into this new season, I want to invite
you into a theme that has been sitting on my
heart for months. Creativity and connection.
We're going to go deeper. Beyond polished performances,
beyond perfect takes, we are celebrating the
stories behind the curtain. The moments of process,
risk, and rediscovery. Because, let's be honest,
art doesn't come from perfection. It comes from
the honest, messy, exhilarating work in between.
Last season was such a milestone for The Pianopod.
20 episodes, 6 generous sponsors, over 350 ,000
downloads. Nearly 3 ,000 YouTube subscribers
and recognition in outlets like Yahoo Finance,
Insider, and the Quill Podcast Awards. None of
that would have happened without you, your listens,
your shares, and your support. Truly, this is
as much your community as it is mine, and I am
so grateful. So what's ahead in Season 6? We
are starting strong. First up... is Chad Lawson,
Stymie artist, Billboard charting composer, and
United Nations Arts Ambassador. Chad has reimagined
classical piano as a space for stillness and
connection. Through his recordings and his podcast,
Calm It Down, he invites millions of listeners
to slow down, breathe, and find calm in the middle
of life's chaos. This first episode of Season
6 will drop next Tuesday, September 9th at 8
p .m. Eastern Time everywhere you listen to podcasts
and, of course, on YouTube. I hope you will join
us. Then we'll hear from Madalena Danila and
Hugh Sung, the award -winning Mada and Hugh piano
duo. Their partnership is extraordinary. Two
brilliant artists daring to take risks together.
Their artistry radiates joy and creativity, and
their innovative arrangements and collaborations
show us how music can bridge cultures and remind
us that classical musicians are not just performers.
We are creators, shaping music in many forms.
That episode premieres on Tuesday, September
23rd at 8pm Eastern Time on our YouTube channel.
And here is something I have been bursting to
share. For the very first time, the PianoPod
is stepping onto the stage for a live concert.
On October 4, 2025, at Stiefel Hall at the New
School, we'll gather for an afternoon of performances,
interviews, and conversation presented in partnership
with Manus Prep at the New School, a pre -college
music program offering comprehensive and nurturing
pre -professional training. In this special live
concert, You will hear from our alumni guests,
multi -award -winning filmmaker and pianist Donna
Wang Friedman, MIT -trained engineer and founder
of Keys to Success, Dr. Jihoon Kerska, pianist
and founder, artistic director of Juneteenth
LP, Dr. Nena Agwo, and pianist, arranger, and
recording artist Eleanor Byneman, known for her
innovative Bach transcriptions. Together, these
four visionary women will share powerful performances
and meaningful conversations that highlight the
many ways music builds, impacts, and sustains
community. This season is also expanding how
we connect. On Substack, you will find Meet Our
Guest, my reflections on each artist's creative
pulse. For paid subscribers, behind the mic.
exclusive posts where I share personal stories,
production notes, and creative lessons I have
learned along the way. And in addition to our
regular lineup, I'll be sharing three bonus mini
episodes, casual intimate catch -ups with past
guests. This season of creativity and connection
is an invitation to listen more closely, to feel
more deeply. and to experience classical music
not as a finished product, but as a living story
in motion. Thank you for being here, for making
this community possible, and for believing in
the power of music and human connection. If you'd
like to support this work, please subscribe to
the PianoPod on Substack and YouTube, follow
us on social media, share an episode with a friend,
And if you are in New York, join us live on October
4 at Stiefel Hall in New York City. I am Yukimi
Song, and this is The Piano Pod. Let's make Season
6 a space where music isn't just heard, but felt,
shared, and reimagined together. See you next
week, September 9 at 8 p .m. Eastern, for our
first full episode with Chad Lawson. You don't
want to miss it.