This is an action-packed episode! In chatting with pianist, producer, composer and engineer, Vince Evans, we discussed his personal experiences with some of the most innovative jazz, pop, funk and gospel musicians of all-time. You'll learn the origin of slap bass playing, you'll learn about the "missing note" in the major scale, and Vince provided a never-before-heard live recording of himself accompanying brilliant vocalist, Lalah Hathaway on her father Donny Hathaway's song, "A Song for You."
Jun 13, 2025•Season 2Ep. 12
Sometimes Divine Intervention disguises itself as a choice. When Newsboys' keyboardist, Jeff Frankenstein, agreed to drive around an undiscovered band in his Chevy Astro minivan during the early 1990's, he had no idea that he soon would be asked to join what would become one of the most influential, legendary Christian rock bands of all time. From his earliest days with Newsboys to their latest album, Worldwide Revival (Part 1), Jeff shares his story, his wisdom and his excitement for the future...
Apr 29, 2025•36 min•Season 2Ep. 11
Countless artists would have sounded different without him. Multi-Platinum, Grammy Award-winning producer, pianist, and songwriter, Matt Rollings, has played on thousands of albums, produced monumental recordings, has been awarded ACM Best Pianist/Keyboardist ten times, and has influenced a plethora of pianists with his matchless artistry and inimitable approach to the piano. If that weren’t enough, he’s also a fabulous story-teller, as you’ll hear in this episode! For show notes and hashtags, p...
Aug 12, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Season 2Ep. 10
As a teenager in a land far away from home, in a remote village in Spain, she heard the sound of piano playing emanating from a spare room in the local library. Though she didn't play herself, she was drawn to this old upright, and she found herself visiting it frequently to explore all it had to offer. This led miraculously to finding a teacher in this tiny village, who introduced her to Chopin. That's all it took for her to make a life decision to become a concert pianist, at 15! Several schol...
May 23, 2022•42 min•Season 2Ep. 9
Tony DeSare did not follow the typical road to success. But he knew who he was, and he knew what he loved. He played and sang his way to Carnegie Hall, headlined with major symphony orchestras and has amassed four top ten Billboard jazz albums. He has been featured on major TV and Radio programs, has become an award-winning composer and film scorer and now has a huge online following. His authenticity shines through in this episode, as he shares candidly about his journey from the early years th...
Jul 30, 2021•42 min•Season 2Ep. 8
How does a lifelong performer and prolific recording artist keep his fans engaged during a time when live events aren't happening? Acclaimed concert pianist, Frederic Chiu, has reinvented the concert pianist life with his Friends Club, his Classical Smackdown program and by not limiting his performances to the pianos he's playing! How does that happen? Check out this episode! For show notes and hashtags, please visit: www.pianowhisperer.org.
May 24, 2021•41 min•Season 2Ep. 7
Internationally-acclaimed recording artist and performer, Ariel Pocock, began playing piano at a very early age. In fact, she doesn’t remember a time when she didn’t play. Her recording success and constant performance schedule came to a halt when Covid hit. Now she reflects on who she really is as an artist. For show notes and hashtags, please visit: www.pianowhisperer.org.
Apr 02, 2021•32 min•Season 2Ep. 6
The people who succeed in the music business use what they’ve been given. They usually don’t make themselves into someone they're not. Journeyman musician and engineer, Alex Lowe, has been true to his own path and has found his musical niche. Hundreds of recordings, movies and TV shows later, he talks about his journey and how each step led to the next in his career in the music business. For show notes and hashtags, please visit: www.pianowhisperer.org.
Mar 04, 2021•30 min•Season 2Ep. 5
Do you believe in fate? Sometimes there seem to be forces at work in our lives, forces that have us on a particular track, which seems inescapable. Katya Grineva's life is full of meant-to-be scenarios. We discussed growing up in Russia, her miraculous attendance of Horowitz's Return-to-Moscow concert, her studies with Pavel Messner, her ability to overcome out-of-tune pianos, and how the music unfolds during her performances. She has performed more times than any other solo female pianist in th...
Aug 26, 2020•44 min•Season 2Ep. 4
If you get to know anyone well enough, you’ll discover a rich life story you couldn’t have imagined. But, the life of a concert pianist usually involves some unique twists and turns: crazy performance situations, international travel, life-changing mentors and personal relationships with pianos! In this episode, talented concert pianist, Shuann Chai, candidly shares her story of becoming who she is, the ups and downs of being a performer, her new recording “Kuhl, nicht Lau,” and her relationship...
Jul 14, 2020•45 min•Season 2Ep. 3
As Oscar Wilde famously said, "Be yourself; everyone else is already taken." Talented, dynamic and award-winning conductor, Lina Gonzalez-Granados, has made her mark in the music world by doing just that. Her resume is impressive, for sure, but her understanding of life and how to walk your own path in a competitive world is inspiring. Our conversation spanned everything from growing up during the Colombian Armed Conflict to becoming one of the leading proponents of Latin American composers to f...
Jun 17, 2020•41 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Film composer and director, Kays Al-Atrakchi, shared his story about growing up in the world's most captivating city (Florence), relocating to the home of Disney (Orlando), playing in a high school rock band with Rob Thomas (Matchbox Twenty), studying film scoring at Berklee College of Music, and working for some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry. His clients include Warner Bros., Universal, Sony Pictures, Lions Gate, ABC, NBC, Disney Channel, SyFy, Lifetime, MTV, Showtime, Disc...
Mar 13, 2020•46 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Craig Knudsen could have lived his life in the spotlight, but instead he found himself quietly impacting the lives of millions from behind the scenes. From his technology creations with Yamaha to his work with YouTube sensations, ThePianoGuys, he is inspiring countless music-makers of all ages and genres. #pianowhispererpodcast #podcast #piano #thepianoguys #yamaha #clavinova #disklavier Show notes: ThePianoGuys Avatar Music Video ("Behind The Scenes"): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7x0cn9VoR-...
Feb 03, 2020•27 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Since before the age of two, Mac Potts has been tickling the ivories. Born totally-blind with perfect pitch and prodigious talent, Mac's passion to play for the enjoyment of his listeners has captivated his fans. On this podcast he talks about leaning to play in the early days, his personal moments with Harry Connick Jr., Marcia Ball and Dr. John, and his conversations with Lionel Richie during his American Idol experience. He also shared how he captured the sound of an entire band on his record...
Jan 16, 2020•Season 1Ep. 11
If you love music, working in the music business can be a dream. But, you’ve got to love it. And, success can be elusive, even if you do love it. So, how do we get there? Is it just luck? Do we need to be über-talented? Talent helps, but being people-savvy is key. Award-winning classical radio host, creator of the Explore Music program on KING-FM and concert pianist, Lisa Bergman, shares her story. This episode is a must for aspiring professional musicians! Quick editorial note: We had a few min...
Dec 17, 2019•Season 1Ep. 10
This is a great story about doing what you love and finding purpose. A great pianist, producer and writer, BC-based Michael Kaeshammer has always been awarded for his immense talent, but his meaning in life took him by surprise in New Orleans when he simply was asked during a gig, " Why are you here?" That question changed everything. A quick editorial note: during the show it was said that Michael relocated from Canada to BC. Obviously, that was misspoken. He relocated from Germany to BC, Canad...
Dec 06, 2019•Season 1Ep. 9
There is no city in the world defined by music like Vienna. The landscape of composers and pianists who lived there is endless: Mozart, Beethoven, Liszt, Brahms, Schubert, Mahler, to name just a few. No piano on Earth embodies the "City of Music" more than Bösendorfer. Today the tradition thrives, as innovation beautifully enhances this great instrument. Sabine Grubmüller, Managing Director of Bösendorfer, generously took time to talk about all-things-Bösendorfer: the history, the artists, the i...
Nov 12, 2019•Season 1Ep. 8
This is your mind and body. This is music. This is your mind and body on music. Dr. Richard Karpen is an artist first, but his insatiable desire to explore how the mind and body express themselves "on music" is resulting in trailblazing research, which could have a lasting impact on composition, performance and even wellness. Though this was the thrust of our conversation, we discussed a wide range of things relating to composition, performance and the importance of music study.
Nov 12, 2019
This is your mind and body. This is music. This is your mind and body on music. Dr. Richard Karpen is an artist first, but his insatiable desire to explore how the mind and body express themselves "on music" is resulting in trailblazing research, which could have a lasting impact on composition, performance and even wellness. Though this was the thrust of our conversation, we discussed a wide range of things relating to composition, performance and the importance of music study.
Oct 04, 2019•Season 1Ep. 7
In the long tradition of piano making, when great piano brands take generations to establish themselves, Indrek Laul, owner of the Estonia Piano Company, has taken only about 20 years to fulfill his vision of transforming Estonia pianos into some of America's favorite European pianos today.
Aug 20, 2019•Season 1Ep. 6
André Mehmari is one of Brazil's most talented musicians, having won Brazil's top awards both for classical and popular music. His ability to express himself profoundly in both idioms makes him one of the truly great musicians of the world. André took time to chat with us about his life and background, his philosophical approach to music and his many exciting projects. André opens up the podcast with a few minutes of music from a trio recording he made at age 20, which won Brazil's top award for...
Aug 07, 2019•Season 1Ep. 5
Shane Adams, ground-breaking songwriter, lecturer, two-time GRAMMY-nominated music educator, pianist, producer and President of Artist Accelerator, shares his inspiring dream-chasing adventure from student till now. He offers some great advice to students along the way! Please bear with the audio between the 6 and 7-minute mark!
Jul 24, 2019•Season 1Ep. 4
After years of painstaking research, Dr. Steven Lagerberg has been credited with solving the great mystery of Chopin's illness and death. His commentary was so engaging, we forgot to specify during the interview what Chopin’s illness actually was! It was Tuberculous pericarditis, causing his heart to fail. Don’t worry; that’s not a spoiler! Tune in and enjoy!
Jul 11, 2019•Season 1Ep. 3
Concert pianist, Mark Salman, recounts his unforgettable story of meeting Vladimir Horowitz, arguably the greatest classical pianist of the Twentieth Century. Not only did Mark meet Horowitz personally, but he also was invited to the Horowitz home to play for Horowitz in his NY apartment!
Jun 28, 2019•Season 1Ep. 2
People often begin their journeys in the music business by learning to play instruments as kids. Sometimes an undergraduate performance degree can seem like a dead-end, with few professional options ahead. But, if you want to pursue a music career, and if you can evaluate yourself honestly, maybe your own lane will emerge as you focus on your strengths. Bonnie Barrett, Director of Yamaha Artist Services in NY, shares her unique journey in the industry, discussing her career path with entertainin...
Jun 11, 2019•Season 1Ep. 1
