🎹🔥 What makes a four-hand piano duo so powerful, intimate, and endlessly creative?

Welcome to Season 6 Episode 2: Four Hands, Boundless Creativity — Mada & Hugh, the Award-Winning Duo on Love, Life & Artistic Freedom

In this captivating episode of The Piano Pod, I sit down with the award-winning Mada & Hugh Piano Duo — Romanian-born pianist Mădălina-Claudia Dănilă and Korean-American pianist Hugh Sung. Known for their electrifying four-hand performances, imaginative arrangements, and engaging video productions, Mada & Hugh are redefining what it means to collaborate in classical music today.

In our conversation, they open up about:

• The artistry and intimacy of four-hand piano playing
• Their daring arrangements, from Romanian folk gems to Sweet Child O’ Mine
• Behind-the-scenes secrets of their video production and vlogs
• Mădălina’s journey from Romania to the U.S. and her research on George Crumb
• Hugh’s entrepreneurial path — inventing AirTurn and pushing the boundaries of music tech
• The risks they’ve taken to reinvent themselves and the courage it takes to build a new artistic life together

👉 Stay tuned until the end for rapid-fire fun, candid reflections on creativity and connection, and exclusive performance excerpts — including Suita din Dobrogea and Silence and a Face from Christian Mecham’s Three Omens.

[Mada & Hugh Piano Duo]

• Website:
• YouTube Channel
• 🎼Download their amazing 4-hand arrangements HERE

[The Piano Pod]

• Subscribe to TPP on Substack for free or unlock exclusive materials with a paid subscription
• Subscribe to our Sounds of Inspiration – Piano Works from Season 6 playlist
• Latest News
• Website

🎹✨ Can music heal, comfort, and truly transform lives?

In this special Season 6 premiere of The Piano Pod, I sit down with Billboard-charting pianist and composer Chad Lawson — also the first musician ever appointed as a U.N. Ambassador for the World Federation for Mental Health. His composition “The Light Within” became the official theme song for World Mental Health Day, and his music has touched millions through streaming, concerts, hospitals, and beyond.

In our conversation, Chad opens up about:

• The inspiration behind his latest album, Where We Are: Unity Edition
• How he turned adversity into artistry with his debut Set on a Hill
• Why combining music and wellness has become his mission
• And the story of how he became a U.N. Ambassador through music

👉 Stay tuned until the end for rapid-fire fun, personal insights, secrets to building a successful creative career, and an exclusive excerpt of Chad’s breathtaking piece “Sanctuary.”

[Chad Lawson]

• Sanctuary full video: https://youtu.be/QZwL3ojac0I?si=dR6CUnz-UECGgH5g
• The Light Within: https://youtu.be/QZwL3ojac0I?si=dR6CUnz-UECGgH5g
• Website: https://www.chadlawson.com/
• Podcast: https://www.calmitdownpodcast.com/

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

• 💖 Subscribe for free or unlock exclusive materials with a paid subscription: https://thepianopod.substack.com/subscribe
• 🎵 Subscribe to our Sounds of Inspiration – Piano Works from Season 6: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeBrJAY2RQ_uqBAHXTkMwM4nISe9vxvDa
• 📫 Subscribe to our monthly newsletter: https://bit.ly/40kiukh
• Stay Connected:
• 🚨 Latest News: https://linktr.ee/thepianopod
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• ⏳ TikTok: @thepianopod

🔥 “Music isn’t just about playing the notes — it’s about living beyond the keys.”

🔥Welcome to the premiere of Encore Conversations — The Piano Pod’s new series, where past guests return for short, powerful conversations about their latest projects and evolving journeys.

To kick it off, I’m joined by Jeeyoon Kim — pianist, educator, podcaster, and now a two-time author. You may remember her from Season 3, when she shared her debut book, Whenever You’re Ready, and her bold mission to transform the concert experience.

Now she’s back with her new book Beyond the Keys and companion album Radiance — projects that dive even deeper into love, resilience, and the creative spirit.

🎶 The episode opens with Jeeyoon’s stunning performance of Piazzolla’s Libertango (arr. Kyoko Yamamoto), also featured on Radiance. From her unforgettable 2023 Carnegie Hall debut to the raw personal stories she reveals in Beyond the Keys, Jeeyoon shows us how music, writing, and life lessons intertwine to create something extraordinary.

• 📌 Explore More 🎶 Watch the full Libertango performance (from Radiance):
• 📖 Download 4 free chapters of Beyond the Keys
• 🛒 Order Beyond the Keys on Amazon: https://a.co/d/3DTUMik
• ✨ If you missed Jeeyoon’s first Piano Pod appearance (Season 3, Episode 14), go back and listen. You’ll see why her originality and authenticity continue to inspire this community.

👍 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more Encore Conversations and Season 6 episodes that celebrate Creativity & Connection.

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

• 💖 Subscribe to our Substack page for free or unlock exclusive materials with a paid subscription
• 🎵 Subscribe to our Sounds of Inspiration – Piano Works from Season 6
• 📫 Subscribe to our monthly newsletter: https://bit.ly/40kiukh Stay Connected:
• 🚨 Latest News: https://linktr.ee/thepianopod
• 🌐 Website: https://thepianopod.com 📱

In this special premiere of Encore Conversations, The Piano Pod’s brand-new alumni series, I sit down with award-winning pianist, author, and educator Jeeyoon Kim. You may remember her from Season 3, where she inspired us with her originality, authenticity, and mission to make concerts deeply personal. Now she returns with her most intimate project yet — her second book Beyond the Keys and companion album Radiance.

In our Encore Conversation, Jeeyoon opens up about:

1. ✅ The inspiration behind Beyond the Keys
2. ✅ Why she chose to share her deepest challenges with her readers
3. ✅ What she discovered about herself through writing
4. ✅ How her new album Radiance expands on the book’s themes of love, resilience, and connection

🎬 Join the broadcast of this special Encore Conversation on September 9, 2025, at 8:00pm ET: https://youtu.be/0bpMQiBLkaY

[Jeeyoon Kim]

• 🎹 Watch Libertango from Radiance: https://youtu.be/LK3dnspkqEY?si=5Ml6VZcQ6_OPu8_R
• 📖 Free preview (4 chapters) of Beyond the Keys: https://dedicated-thinker-5780.kit.com/3ee9541685
• 🛒 Order the book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/3DTUMik
• 🌐 Website: https://www.jeeyoonkim.com

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

• 💖 Subscribe for free or unlock exclusive materials with a paid subscription: https://thepianopod.substack.com/subscribe
• 🎵 Subscribe to our Sounds of Inspiration – Piano Works from Season 6: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeBrJAY2RQ_uqBAHXTkMwM4nISe9vxvDa
• 📫 Subscribe to our monthly newsletter: https://bit.ly/40kiukh

🎹🔥 What makes a four-hand piano duo so powerful, intimate, and endlessly creative?

Season 6 of The Piano Pod continues with an electrifying episode featuring the award-winning Mada & Hugh Piano Duo — Romanian-born pianist Mădălina Dănilă and Korean-American pianist Hugh Sung. Known for their imaginative arrangements, captivating performances, and cross-cultural collaboration,

Mada & Hugh are redefining what it means to perform and create in the 21st century. In this conversation, they share:

• ✅ The artistry and intimacy of four-hand piano playing
• ✅ Their daring arrangements — from Romanian folk gems to Sweet Child O’ Mine
• ✅ Behind-the-scenes secrets of their video productions
• ✅ Insights into their entrepreneurial journeys, from George Crumb research to inventing AirTurn
• ✅ How love, creativity, and connection fuel their partnership on and off the stage

🎬 Don’t miss it! Watch the premiere on Tuesday, Sept 23 at 8:00pm ET right here on our YouTube channel 👇 👉

🎧 Prefer audio? The episode will also drop everywhere you listen to podcasts at the same time! https://linktr.ee/ThePianoPodAudio

Explore more:

• 🌐 Website: https://www.madahugh.com/
• 📺 YouTube: @madahughpianoduo
• 🎹 Watch the entire performance of Suita din Dobrogea by Mada and Hugh Piano Duo: https://youtu.be/RiKUH1wR3Po?si=mmcH6OARFWWMIgev

🎹✨ Can music heal, comfort, and truly transform lives? In this special

Season 6 premiere of The Piano Pod, I sit down with Billboard-charting pianist and composer Chad Lawson — also the first musician ever appointed as a U.N. Ambassador for the World Federation for Mental Health.

His composition “The Light Within” became the official theme song for World Mental Health Day, and his music has touched millions through streaming, concerts, hospitals, and beyond. In our conversation,

Chad opens up about:

• ✅ The inspiration behind his latest album, Where We Are: Unity Edition
• ✅ How he turned adversity into artistry with his debut Set on a Hill
• ✅ Why combining music and wellness has become his mission
• ✅ And the story of how he became a U.N. Ambassador through music

🎬 Join the broadcast of this special episode on September 9, 2025, at 8:00pm ET:

[Chad Lawson]

• 📺 Sanctuary full video: https://youtu.be/QZwL3ojac0I?si=dR6CUnz-UECGgH5g
• 🎹 The Light Within: https://youtu.be/QZwL3ojac0I?si=dR6CUnz-UECGgH5g
• 🌐 Website: https://www.chadlawson.com/
• 🎧 Podcast, Calm It Down: https://www.calmitdownpodcast.com/

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

• 💖 Subscribe for free or unlock exclusive materials with a paid subscription: https://thepianopod.substack.com/subscribe
• 🎵 Subscribe to our Sounds of Inspiration – Piano Works from Season 6: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeBrJAY2RQ_uqBAHXTkMwM4nISe9vxvDa
• 📫 Subscribe to our monthly newsletter: https://bit.ly/40kiukh Stay Connected:
• 🚨 Latest News: https://linktr.ee/thepianopod
• 🌐 Website: https://thepianopod.com
• 📱 Instagram: @thepianopod
• 😃 Facebook: https://facebook.com/ThePianoPodNYC
• ⏳ TikTok: @thepianopod

✨ Season 6 of The Piano Pod is here! ✨

This year, it’s all about Creativity and Connection — the messy, vulnerable, transformative stories behind the music.

🎹 We kick things off with an inspiring lineup: 🎶

• Chad Lawson on September 9, 8:00 pm ET.
• Mădălina Dănilă & Hugh Sung — the award-winning Mada & Hugh Piano Duo, whose artistry and unique bond radiate joy, innovation, and cultural connection.

And for the first time ever — The Piano Pod Live in Concert! 🎉 📅 October 4, 2025 📍 Stiefel Hall at The New School, in collaboration with Mannes Prep. Featuring performances and conversations with Donna Weng Friedman, Dr. Jee Hoon Krska, Dr. Nnenna Ogwo, and Eleonor Bindman.

💡 Why tune in? Because behind every polished performance is a story—unexpected, human, and full of resilience. This season dares to ask: What does it really mean to be a 21st‑century musician?

👉 Watch episodes on YouTube or listen on your favorite podcast platforms, and join our community on Substack.

Don’t miss the premiere: September 9, 2025, at 8:00 pm ET with Chad Lawson!

#ThePianoPod #Season6 #CreativityAndConnection #ChadLawson #MadaAndHugh #ClassicalMusic #PodcastLaunch

This episode is brought to you by Juneteenth LP — celebrating Black artistry and legacy in classical music. 🎉 Get Your Ticket: https://publictheater.org/performances-jp/2025/j/juneteenth-lp/

🎹 What does it mean to live and create with authenticity?

In this powerful season finale, we sit down with Dr. Maria Thompson Corley — pianist, composer, novelist, poet, educator, and advocate — for a conversation that is as multifaceted as her artistry. From performing her compositions to championing music by Black composers and writing novels and librettos, Dr. Corley shares how her lived experiences—as a mother, artist, and scholar—fuel a profoundly human and inclusive vision for classical music and beyond.

💡 In this episode, we explore:

• ✅ What true inclusion looks like in classical music today
• ✅ How Dr. Corley integrates underrepresented composers into mainstream repertoire
• ✅ Her experiences raising two creative children, one of whom is neurodivergent
• ✅ Writing opera, novels, and poetry as extensions of her voice
• ✅ Co-founding Silence-Optional concerts for sensory-sensitive audiences
• ✅ Her reflections on legacy, authenticity, and creative purpose

Whether you are a musician, educator, or listener seeking a deeper connection through music, this conversation will move you, challenge you, and expand your sense of what classical music can be.

🔗 Connect with Dr. Corley:

• 🌐 Website
• 📘 Facebook
• 📷 Instagram

📰 The Piano Pod Links

• 🎧 Sounds of Inspiration (Season 5) - all the music mentioned
• 📝 Substack VIP Access
• 🎁 Make a Donation: https://bit.ly/3EsvRDg
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