Official Trailer ✅:  "The Embodied Pianist" Pianist Elena Riu on Presence, Breath, and Artistic Freedom

Official Trailer ✅: "The Embodied Pianist" Pianist Elena Riu on Presence, Breath, and Artistic Freedom

Author: Yukimi Song November 17, 2025 Duration: 1:25

Get ready for our next episode of The Piano Pod: The Embodied Pianist with Elena Riu — pianist, groundbreaking recording artist, educator, and yoga/mindfulness teacher.

In this powerful conversation, we explore embodied performance, somatics, breath, creativity, cultural identity, and even the menstrual cycle as a source of artistic insight. Elena’s work challenges long-held assumptions about what pianists should play, how they should train, and how the body shapes sound.

In this episode, Elena and I talk about:

  • ✅ Her journey from Venezuela to the UK — and how navigating multiple identities shaped her artistry
  • ✅ The creation of Salsa Nueva and the importance of commissioning new works
  • ✅ What it means to challenge 19th-century biases about repertoire and artistic identity
  • ✅ Her work as an embodied pianist and how somatics, breath, and movement transform playing
  • ✅ Collaboration with dancers, visual artists, poets, and composers
  • ✅ Why she opens taboo conversations like creativity and the menstrual cycle among biologically female performers

🎬 Set a reminder for the premiere tomorrow at 8 pm ET: https://youtu.be/exIQxYGbQw8

🎧 Prefer audio? Listen to the audio episode (Spotify, Apple, Amazon & more) available tomorrow, November 18 at 8:00pm ET: https://rss.com/podcasts/the-piano-pod/

📝 Read my full review of Elena’s groundbreaking album Salsa Nueva on Substack

#ThePianoPod #Season6 #ElenaRiu #EmbodiedPianist #SalsaNueva #LatinAmericanMusic #NewMusic #ContemporaryPiano #SteinwayArtist #WomenInMusic #Somatics #MusiciansHealth #ClassicalMusicReimagined


Hosted by New York-based classical pianist and educator Yukimi Song, The Piano Pod serves as a genuine meeting point for anyone captivated by the keyboard. This isn't just a series of conversations about famous composers, though they certainly come up. Instead, Yukimi builds a global hub where the rich traditions of piano music intersect directly with contemporary innovation and practical education. Every other week, the podcast delves into the specific, often overlooked details that bring the music to life-from the technical choices of a concert pianist to the pedagogical insights of a master teacher, and even the perspectives of those designing the future of the instrument itself. Listeners become part of a broader connection, hearing stories and expertise that move beyond the concert hall. The discussions are intimate and revealing, focusing on the real work behind the artistry. You'll hear about the challenges of interpretation, the evolution of teaching methods, and how technology is reshaping what's possible. It’s a space where curiosity about the piano’s past, present, and future is the only prerequisite. For enthusiasts, students, and professionals alike, this podcast offers a consistent source of inspiration and a deeper understanding of the complex, fascinating ecosystem that exists around those eighty-eight keys.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

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