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"Building Artists Through Music & Mentorship" Pavlina Dokovska on Pedagogy, Leadership, and the Mannes International Piano Festival

This surprise bonus episode was created in collaboration with Mannes School of Music at The New School.In this conversation, I sit down with Pavlina Dokovska — internationally active concert pianist, Chair of the Piano Department at Mannes School of Music, and Artistic Director of the Mannes International Piano Festival — to explore what it truly means to build artists in today’s musical and cultural moment.We discuss serious piano study, long-term mentorship, artistic identity, and the role institutions play in shaping the next generation of musicians.Toward the end of the episode, you will also hear from Jiwon Yang, current Mannes graduate student and First Prize winner of the George and Elizabeth Gregory Concerto Competition, sharing her experience studying in downtown Manhattan and participating in the festival.🎹 Mannes International Piano Festival📝 Festival Application🏫 Mannes School of Music at The New School📝 Meet Our Guest — Pavlina Dokovska: ABOUT THE PIANO POD💖 Become a VIP Member / Unlock Exclusive Content📫 Join Our Newsletter🌐 TPP Website📱 Follow The Piano Pod🎧 Available on YouTube and all podcast platforms.Subscribe for more conversations on creativity, mentorship, and the future of classical music.

Official Trailer: Building Artists Through Music & Mentorship feat. Pavlina Dokovska

🚨 Bonus Episode Drops TonightHere’s the trailer.Building Artists Through Music & Mentorship with Pavlina DokovskaWhat does it really take to build an artist?In this special collaboration, The Piano Pod sits down with Pavlina Dokovska — internationally active concert pianist, Chair of the Piano Department at Mannes School of Music, and Artistic Director of the Mannes International Piano Festival — for a candid conversation on serious piano study, mentorship, and artistic formation.We discuss:• Why long-term training still matters • Balancing rigor and humanity in teaching • How community shapes resilient musicians • The vision behind the Mannes International Piano FestivalYou’ll also hear from Jiwon Yang, a Mannes graduate student and First Prize winner of the George and Elizabeth Gregory Concerto Competition, on what it feels like to train in an environment defined by intensity and support.🎧 Premiering tonight at 8:00 PM ET 📺 YouTube: https://youtu.be/pMt6Jb-zOD4 🎙 Audio platforms: https://linktr.ee/ThePianoPodAudioA conversation about leadership, responsibility, and how artists are formed.

“Fearless Vision” Asiya Korepanova on Extreme Repertoire, Interdisciplinary Creation, and Artistic Risk

In this episode of The Piano Pod, host Yukimi Song sits down with pianist, composer, visual artist, and poet Asiya Korepanova for a wide-ranging conversation on extreme repertoire, transcription as a creative act, long-form artistic commitment, and what it means to think at scale as a musician today.Born into a deeply musical family in Izhevsk, Russia, and now based in the United States, Asiya’s career is defined by projects many would consider “impossible”: performing the complete solo piano works of Rachmaninoff during the composer’s 150th-anniversary year, Liszt’s 24 Études, and Bach’s complete Well-Tempered Clavier. In this conversation, Asiya reflects on what draws her to repertoire that unfolds over years rather than hours, and how long-form thinking shapes her artistic identity.A central focus of the episode is Asiya’s work as a transcriber. She speaks candidly about transcription as a form of composition—an act she once described as “taming a wild animal”—and how her deep understanding of orchestral, vocal, and chamber music informs the way she reimagines works for solo piano. We hear excerpts from her transcriptions of Mussorgsky’s Songs and Dances of Death and Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, alongside reflections on craft, risk, and responsibility.The conversation also explores Asiya’s work beyond performance: her compositions, her multidisciplinary projects that integrate visual art and poetry, her commitment to education and access through her nonprofit Music for Minds, and her curatorial leadership at Festival Baltimore and Festival Flatiron NYC.This episode offers a rare, unfiltered look into the inner life of an artist whose work is driven not by spectacle, but by depth, rigor, and fearless vision.🔗 LINKS & RESOURCESAsiya Korepanova — Official Website Asiya's Merch on EtsySounds of Inspiration — Piano Works from Season 6 (Music mentioned in this episode) Read the accompanying blog on Substack🎧 THE PIANO POD💖 Become a VIP Member / Unlock exclusive content 📫 Join our newsletter🌐 Website: https://thepianopod.comFollow Us on Social Media: https://linktr.ee/thepianopod

Official Trailer: "Fearless Vision" feat. Asiya Korepanova, Pianist/Composer/Visual Artist

🎬 Official Trailer — Fearless Visionwith Asiya KorepanovaFor our upcoming episode of The Piano Pod, host Yukimi Song sits down with Asiya Korepanova — pianist, composer, visual artist, and poet — for a deep conversation on long-form artistic commitment, transcription as a creative act, and what it means to build a life in music shaped by depth, curiosity, and fearless vision.Asiya is known for her daring piano transcriptions and for taking on extreme repertoire, including the complete solo piano works of Rachmaninoff and Liszt’s 24 Études. In this episode, she reflects on why she is drawn to projects that unfold over years rather than hours, and how imagination, rigor, and responsibility intersect in her artistic life.📅 Episode Premiere: Tuesday, February 10 ⏰ 8:00 PM ET🎥 Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thepianopod🎧 Audio episode drops simultaneously: https://linktr.ee/ThePianoPodAudio📝 Meet Our Guest — Asiya Korepanova (Blog)🌐 Asiya Korepanova — Official WebsiteJoin us for a conversation that goes beyond performance — into process, scale, and artistic vision.

Mirrors & Echoes: Aïda Lahlou on Ravel, Risk, and Reframing Tradition

In this episode of The Piano Pod, host Yukimi Song sits down with pianist, recording artist, and multidisciplinary creator Aïda Lahlou for an in-depth conversation on Ravel’s Miroirs, sound as physical reality, and what it means to build an artistic life through curiosity, risk, and purpose. At the center of the conversation is Aïda’s debut album, Mirrors and Echoes—a recording that places Ravel’s Miroirs as its reflective core, surrounded by carefully curated piano miniatures from across cultures and centuries. Rather than treating the album as a collection of pieces, Aïda speaks about programming as experience: sequencing, resonance, and how sound can function as landscape rather than emotional narrative. We also explore her broader artistic practice—from environmental engagement and rethinking institutional success, to her one-woman show blending stand-up comedy with solo piano performance, and her advocacy for the return of the modern impresario / creative producer in today’s classical music ecosystem. 🎧 Listen to Aïda's album, Mirrors and Echoes, on Spotify📝 Meet Our Guest — Aïda Lahlou: Read the accompanying blog exploring Mirrors and Echoes and Aïda’s artistic vision🎧 THE PIANO POD 💖 Become a VIP Member / Unlock exclusive content HERE.📫 Join our newsletter HERE🌐 Website: https://thepianopod.com 🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thepianopod