Season 5 Episode 4: "Kaleidoscope - Championing Women" feat. Isabel Pérez Dobarro, Concert Pianist

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Welcome back, Piano Pod friends and listeners. Today I am so thrilled to introduce a truly remarkable artist, Dr. Isabel Pérez Dobaro, one of the most internationally recognized Spanish pianists of her generation. She is also a passionate advocate for women composers and a champion of sustainability in the arts. Isabelle's dedication to promoting the music of women composers, supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and performing a wide range of piano solo repertoire has made her a prominent figure on stages around the world. So I'd like to share a personal connection to Isabelle. First of all, toward the end of last season of our show, um, I invited all our listeners to recommend guests for Season 5, and one of our Season 1 guests, Chantal Balestri, suggested Isabel to be on our show. So a big shout out to Chantal if you're listening, and thank you so much for taking the time to fill out the guest recommendation form. So anyways, going back to Isabel, I also had a pleasure of working with her years ago through the Piano Teachers Congress of New York, which I mention quite often during the show. And this was back when Isabelle was living in New York City. So for this reason, I'm very excited to have her with us today and catch up with her. Anyway, to all our first-time listeners and viewers, welcome to The Piano Pod with Yukimi Song. I am Yukimi Song, a classical pianist and educator and executive producer of The Piano Pod with Yukimi Song, based in New York City. Whether you're pursuing a piano career, working in the classical music industry, or simply passionate about piano music, this podcast is your backstage pass to the fascinating world of the piano. In our biweekly episodes, we have engaging conversations with guests making waves in the classical music industry. Our mission is to build a vibrant community that embraces fresh ideas, ensuring classical music stays alive and relevant in our modern world. If you haven't already, please check out the introductory episode of Season 5 to get a sense of what's in store this season. And don't forget, you can catch up on our previous seasons and previous episodes available on your go-to podcast platforms or on YouTube. Now let me tell you more about today's extraordinary guest, Dr. Isabel de Barro. Isabel is a highly acclaimed Spanish pianist with an impressive international career. Recently named a, quote, "woman to watch in culture," end quote, she has also been appointed as a visiting professor at the London Performing Academy of Music. Isabel has performed on some of the most prestigious stages around the world, including Carnegie Hall, Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, and Rachmaninoff Hall at the Moscow Conservatory. Her passion for promoting music by women composers has led her to initiate projects like Women in Music, for which she won the New York Women Composers Seed Grant. Isabel has premiered important works such as Clara Schumann's Piano Concerto at the Palau de la Música Catalana, and she has performed with leading orchestras, including the Royal Philharmonic of Galicia. Beyond her work as a performer, Isabel is deeply committed to contemporary music and sustainability. She has been a featured speaker and performer at major global events, including at the United Nations, where she links music with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Her academic credentials are equally impressive, holding a doctorate from New York University with additional studies in law and sustainability at Harvard and Cambridge. Isabel continues to inspire through her performances, teaching, and advocacy for greater representation of women in music worldwide. So before we dive in, I want to take a moment to thank our amazing TPP fans and loyal listeners for your continued support. If you enjoy the show, please take a moment to rate and review it on your favorite podcast platform because every rating, review helps others discover the show. Now, get ready to uncover the secrets behind Dr. Isabel de Barros' remarkable multifaceted career as a concert pianist and beyond. Please enjoy the show. You are listening to The Piano Pod with Yukimi Song, where we talk to the brightest minds in the industry about they are bringing the piano into the future and thriving in a complex, ever-evolving world. Welcome to The Piano Pod with Yukimi Song with Yukimi Song. So great to see you.

So great to see you too. Thank you so much for this opportunity.

Oh, thank you for being here. And how, how have you been?

Well, I've been great. You know, it's, it's really exciting. I'm in a very exciting period in my life right now with the release of my new album. We'll discuss that probably later on. Uh, so I'm very happy. Very happy and very excited with things.

And then you mentioned that today is the day. Today, as of October 11th, is the day that your CD came out.

Absolutely. The official release on all platforms. You can also order, you know, physical copies in Amazon, Barnes Noble. So yeah, it's, it's there.

Oh, wow. So you know what, let's start with that. I was going to really give you a little lengthy introduction, but you know what, let's just do it. So The new album is called Kaleidoscope.

That's correct.

Can you share more about the programming of this album and the inspiration behind it?

Definitely. So this album gathers women composers from all over the world and their amazing works for piano. So I'm very excited to perform works by Gabriela Ortiz, by Yoko Kanno, by Carolyn Morris, by Enkei Duokoye, by Dobryńka Tabakowa, Carmen Rodríguez. Well, you know, composers from all over the world. And it's so exciting to bring all these influences together, to see how diverse and how beautiful are all these different expressions, musical expressions, from all around the globe, and promote contemporary music too, which is something that it's very important for me. I know it's important for you too, and it's, it's something, you know, that us as performers, I think it's really, really vital. So yeah, this is This is the premise of Kaleidoscope: diverse cultures, diverse perspectives, diverse musical styles coming together in this pianicity.

Oh my goodness. Congratulations. And then what motivated you to focus on promoting music by women around the world? And was there a particular event that sparked your passion for this cause?

Right. So, you know, it's, it's very interesting because I think this is rather common. Among many, many professionals, and it's that we discover women composers' works, unfortunately, rather late in our careers. And that was my case. So, you know, I was actually— I studied at the conservatory. I started performing and playing when I was 3, 4 years old, you know, so I've been all my life studying piano. And then I went to New York. I studied at NYU. I was also an adjunct instructor at NYU, and it was there actually when I was teaching when a student asked me about women composers, right? And that was such a surprise. Of course, at the moment I said, yeah, you know, I know many, just, you know, next week I'll tell you about it. I don't know any. And it was horrible to realize that, wait a second, have I played a woman composer? Do we have anything in our repertoire? Yeah, I know that Clara Schumann played his husband's works. Is that it? I can't believe that's just it. So then you start researching about it. And that's what happened to me. I started researching about it. I started doing programs about women composers, also this idea of exchanges, cultural exchanges around women composers from different countries. So I did exchange programs between the US and Spain, between Spain and Germany, Spain and Portugal. So there, that was the moment in which I started developing research and a performative career, you know, a parallel performative career based on actually women composers. I started performing it more, discovering more of these works, and really being surprised and a bit embarrassed in a way, and also surprised about the amazing works that I was finding out that I didn't know about it, and that I was not educated about it, that I was not told about it. So I saw the real issue, you know, that if you're not told about this in the conservatory, in the bachelor's, really, you know, it's so hard to then get to know this, these pieces. And it was a process of researching, of really getting into it and focusing on it. And I'm so happy about all the discoveries, great discoveries that I found along the way.

Wow. So it was like a few years of maybe research into this.

My research on women composers spans from really a long time. I've done also several programs starting, you know, probably around 2012. Most importantly from 2017 on. And it was, and this album really came about, I would say around COVID. So in the pandemic, I started working on that idea. I really wanted to do my first solo album because I had done before an album on Pauline Viardot. And that was a collaborative program with singers, two fantastic singers, Anna Tona, Corinna Feldmann, and also musicologist Patricia Kleiman. So, you know, I really wanted to say, to focus on my first album and I wanted to really think about what would it be about? What am I passionate about? What can I really, you know, project of my pianistic career and my pianistic interests, right? So I started thinking about it. I started researching about the composers. I started contacting some of the composers, which was so exciting and so amazing really, because a lot of times you see these incredible names, right? Like Tania León, Julia Wolf, like Gabriela Ortiz, you know, that you see them every day with the Berlin Philharmonic, with the New York Philharmonic. And I was beginning, you know, I was scared. It was like, oh my God, I'm going to contact these people. So nice. All of them have been so supportive. They have been so wonderful. So they are geniuses as composers and as people. They're amazing.

Oh wow.

So it has been truly a journey and a beautiful one.

I mean, that's what women are, right? Like, we're all professional yet humble and then kind. So that makes us who we are. Now, where does this title Kaleidoscope come from?

You know, I think the title is about bringing very different pieces that come together and create an image, right? And that's a bit of the idea. It's that, you know, there are very different influences. You can see it really in the CD. You can see influences of Argentinian music, of African rhythms, of Latin rhythms. Like, it's all over the place. And you can see all these influences in there. For instance, the Spanish piece is inspired on a traditional song of my region, which is Galicia. So, you know, you can definitely sense those influences, those different musical languages that they might seem so, you know, different and so contrasting, but when it comes together, it's a very natural journey. And that's how I view it. It's really a musical journey with very contrasting materials, but that I try that they move the listener into this beautiful, you know, exploration of emotions, of feelings, of different traditions, of different music, of different rhythms. And that's the idea behind the title, really.

Oh, great. Now, can you give us like the title of each piece that you perform?

Yes. I hope I don't forget any. But let's start with Nocturne by Dobrinka Tavakova. Now, she's an amazing composer. She's from Bulgaria. She's based in the UK. Very sensitive piece, very intimate, truly. I mean, like the title, right? Nocturne. Very evocative, full of colors. Very, very nice. Then we moved to this Estudio Número 3. That's the Etude Number 3 by Gabriela Ortiz, which is a tour de force. It's sort of, I don't want to say sort of like Ligeti, but technically, so you have a sonic image of what it means. But she's so— her language is so personal that it's— she just moves beyond that and she brings all these Latin rhythms, these amazing harmonies, these contrasts. It's unbelievable and really an unbelievable piece. There's also "Blue Ocean" by Caroline Morris. Caroline Morris is an Australian composer. She is also very well known for her pedagogical work as well as performative work. And, uh, Blue Ocean is based on her recollections of her childhood where she was in the Ocean Road in Australia. And truly, I think it's— it truly brings you there. Like, you can totally imagine that, that image. Then there's Claudia Montero's Buenos Aires Despierta y Sueño. So it's based on Buenos Aires. Unfortunately, Claudia Montero is the only one who's not, uh, alive. She passed away passed away recently. She was a very dear friend, and this CD and everything around it is dedicated to her. Such a beautiful piece, such a beautiful melody, you know. It really stays in your heart, and it has some elements that you can perfectly recognize— this harmonies from tango, and you know, it's really beautiful. There's also this "Alá, Alá das Paisagens Verticais." This is the piece that is based on a song of my region. This is dedicated to me actually by Carmen Rodríguez, a young composer from Spain. And she dedicated the piece after listening to me play. And she said, "I'm going to compose a piece based on your way of playing." So that's beautiful because sometimes they dedicate you a piece and you're like, "Okay, that's not my favorite style. Let's see what I can do." But in this case, no, it was very tailored. So this was beautiful. Beautiful. Then there's Tumbao by Tania León, which is, I mean, she's an extraordinary composer, and Tumbao is full of this, it's the perfect mix with contemporary music and Latin rhythms, and, you know, you just go with it and with the rhythm in there. It's so beautiful. Then there's Improvisation by Suat Bushnak. She's a Jordan-Canadian composer. So you can see there are several Arabic scales going on, but it's a very pianistic, melodic, sort of Chopinesque style, but with these Arabic components in it, which, you know, give it such a flavor, such a beauty, right? En Queiroz Collas, African Sketches. So this is Dusk. And I mean, again, it's very much like Buenos Aires in the sense, Despierta y Sueña, that is so evocative. Or Blue Ocean, you can really go there and you can feel that you are traveling there to Nigeria. And it's so, so descriptive, such descriptive music, so beautiful. Then there is— I don't want to forget anyone because there are a lot of pieces. There's, of course, Yokokano and Hana Wasaku. Beautiful piece. It's dedicated to the victims of the 2011 earthquake. Japan. So it's a very moving piece. At the same time, it has a message of resilience. So you have like two parts. One of them is very moving, is, you know, and the other one is very, I would say resilience is the word. It has this spirit of moving on and move forward and we can, you know, overcome anything. And you can see these two contrasting ideas happening. Which it's beautiful. And then we have Kanen Tanaka, who's a Japanese composer. She's based in Canada and she has this water dance, which again, it's very crystalline, very— you can tell, you know, there's this water influence. And two American composers, which are Julia Wolfe and Caroline Schumann, as you know them, Pulitzer winners. Grammy winners, and I'm playing Gustave Le Gray, which is a fascinating piece, truly a journey. That's the longest piece of the whole CD, around 13 minutes. And it's based on the photographer Gustave Le Gray, and it has a little surprise in the middle. So I invite everyone to listen to this piece because in the middle you're going to find an amazing surprise that you'll recognize probably. And so yeah, put it in the comments if you recognize the surprise there in Gustave Le Gray. And also Earring by Julia Wolf, which represents two worlds. One, it's more oniric, dreamy, and the other one's very rhythmic. So they come, you know, they're just coexisting until the end when they merge. And it's a very beautiful exploration of how these two lines come together. They're so different at the beginning and then you know, through the piece, they just come together beautifully. So I think I haven't forgotten anyone, uh, but it's, uh, you know, it's, it's fascinating, and it has been such a beautiful process of researching but also of, um, of performing this record, right?

And producing too. Well done, Isabel. Like, sounds like it just contains so much in one album, and I love the fact that You know, your album, this album, and also sounds like your concert programs also seem to carry such specific intentions and themes. And I actually recently had a pleasure of interviewing Jed Disler. He's a composer and renowned music critic, and also he's the very famous radio show host of Between the Keys. Now, he emphasized the importance of programming so we can sort of compare it to conceptual art in the visual arts industry, you know, and then so where intention behind how pieces are curated and presented can transform, you know, not just our lives, but the audience's experience too. So in your case, how do you approach programming for your album and, and even like the past albums that you mentioned, uh, with singers and performances? Do you have a particular process of curating works that tell a story, convey a message? How do you think this thoughtful approach to programming enhances the impact of the music for both you as an artist and listeners?

Well, I think it's fundamental, and I think many times this is a lesson that is not taught at conservatories when we are, you know, growing up and studying music. I think it's so fundamental because at the end of the day, the audience is going to experience, going to attend this experience too, right? And you have to make sure that emotionally they are experiencing and they are traveling through their emotions through the program. Right. So I think it has two components, um, the programming as such. One of them, let's say it's more intellectual in what is exactly what I want to convey with this program. It's this message of union and diversity and what it comes, the greatness of, you know, coming together from all over the world. It's, uh, how can I convey some matter are related with sustainability, that how can music enhance that, the understanding of that, or raising awareness. Sometimes it's just about literature. How can you combine literature with music and how can you present that in an original way that you can attract both an audience that is more eager to, or more familiarized with the literature world and the music world? How can you actually make that those audiences come together? That's first stage. And then the second stage is within the pieces of the program. So you select the pieces and now a lot of times it's like, okay, let's put them chronologically or, uh, the last names, uh, order or whatever. And I think that's a big mistake. And that's something that I actually learned, uh, performing other kinds of music. So I did a little bit of folk too in the past and things like that. And it was very interesting to see how they plan the show, right. And how they plan the moments, their big moments, and then moments that are a little bit calmer and then another big moment and how they place the pieces to make sure that they experience is exciting for the audience. And that's something that I'm very interested in. And I think really carefully how I'm planning the motions through the program. And that's something that I sometimes miss. You know, you see the program, it's, you can see that that's not well thought and sometimes very heavy on one side or on one of the halves, or is, you know, it's, it's very, it's a little bit difficult to digest. It's beautiful, but then the experience is a little bit more difficult to actually be, you know, being amused by it. Or I don't say amused, but be actually moved by it more than amused, moved by it. But the idea here is, and I do the same with speeches actually, which is very curious. So when I plan a speech, I plan it musically and I play like a piece of music that, you know, it has, it grows into some point and then it just goes a little bit less and then it moves into other directions, the development. And then I truly think of speeches in the same way because at the end of the day, you're communicating. So that's something that I'm very interested about and that I use a lot. So it's a combination between the topics and what you present in there and also the order and how do you present it to create an experience that's relevant.

Brilliant. Now, going back to women composers, so in what ways do you hope Kaleidoscope will impact the visibility of female composers globally, and how does it reflect the diversity and richness of music across different cultures?

Yeah, you know, I think that women composers are underrepresented in programs, but then women composers from certain continents are underrepresented from this underrepresentation. So, you know, it's also scale, and there's such amazing music that it, it's Really what Kaleidoscope wants to bring is, hey, here you have these extraordinary composers all around the globe. You have these beautiful cultural influences that come together through this work. So that's one thing. And the other one is the importance of creating this positive reference for younger generations, right? That they can look up to and say, you know, these great composers objectively, you know, because of their trajectory of these works, the objective quality of their works. You know, they're there, they have done it, they have made it, they're successful, their works are so compelling. I can do it too, right? So I think this, the importance of these role models and of creating these positive role models for younger generations is very important. So, you know, as a performer, I wanted, I think part of my responsibility is to, you know, bring this music to life and present this music. I think that's, part of what we have to do. And we have that responsibility to make sure music is alive, to make sure that, you know, music still is being created. It's also promoting this contemporary music and also promoting this underplayed, unfortunately, music that is not as played as it should and that could create really interesting and really relevant role models for many young people from younger generations, for sure.

Now we're talking about female composers, so I'm curious to know about your work with Women in Music.

So that's an initiative I created with mezzo-soprano Anna Tona, and that was based, based on musical exchanges between countries. So before Kaleidoscope, there was this little, um, steps, you know, until getting to that, to this major project Kaleidoscope. And those were— it was very interesting because you could see the differences between actually the different countries and the contemporary scenes in each country and how beautiful it merged together in a concert. They met, you know, many of these concerts went to the other country's concert. So it was many of these composers, so I went to the other country's concert. So it was beautiful because the composers themselves met. It was a matter also of creating this network. Of composers, of women composers. And, you know, I think that that was, that was the idea. The idea was to create connections, create this network, make these beautiful pieces visible, and also reflecting the beauty of bringing these different perspectives together.

But so this initiative helped you shape your artistic journey, but also program for this CD album?

I think so. You know, I think that that exploration and that, you know, because we had to contact the composers, we had to look for the music. We were honored that some great composers composed work for us, which was beautiful. So, you know, we had Alexa Balacanian, Pamela Sklar, great composers that dedicated works to Sonia Mejías. So, you know, that's, that's very beautiful because you're also promoting the creation of new music when they compose for you. Right. And when you have these opportunities to showcase this work, then you are contributing in a way to, to this creation. And yeah, I think that that was the initial idea. And then the second idea was, hey, you know, I've done this with certain countries, but let's, let's expand this vision. You know, let's. Let's try to make it as global as possible and, and yeah, see what happens. And here's where Kaleidoscope came about.

That's wonderful. So before this CD, before even this huge surge in, let's say, diversity in classical music, which was around 2020, you know, in 2021, you were already starting this journey of promoting female composers, women composers, right? So now then, what sort of obstacles have you encountered in promoting the works of women composers, especially in classical music industry that traditionally spotlight dead male composers?

Right. There are several challenges at the beginning. So I remember prior the MeToo movement, and I think that was— there was a change there. I think there's a lot of work to be done yet, but there was a change in the attitude there. Before the MeToo movement, I would propose programs and like 70% of them were rejected just saying, hey, play real music. This is real and I have it in writing. So it's crazy. It's crazy. I've received rejections like that when they haven't even heard the music and it's just because it's a woman and I'm like, what's wrong with you? Right? It was crazy. Now, after 2018, there was a change in the attitude. And it's true that programs of women composers were better received. But then you have several issues. For historical composers, what happens is that when you learn a Beethoven sonata, you have 200 editions of the Beethoven sonatas. You have thousands of recordings. You have a lot of references. You have books written about them. So when you approach the sonata, which has its pros and its cons, but you approach the sonata already at a very polished level of edition, fingering, you know that the score that you're reading probably would be, you know, quite, quite polished. And, you know, so it's easier in a way. It's very accessible. You can find the scores anywhere. It's something easier in that sense. Many of these women composers, especially when you are really going to the libraries to get the manuscript. They even have not been published or they've been published once. And we know that first editions in the 19th century, they had a lot of mistaken notes. They have a lot of— so it's really both a half musicological work, half performative work, you know, because you have to really get into these pieces and try to read about the context. And there's not as much information available for you to start your performance of the work. Maybe it has never been recorded, so you don't have an image of, you know, oral image of how that might sound. So there are challenges in this sense, but at the end of the day, it's also very rewarding work, you know, because you say, you know, in some cases it was like that. It was like, hey, you know, I'm the first one playing this. It has been, buried for 200 years, and now it's appearing here. It happens with some of Viardot's pieces, actually, in that CD that I did previously to this one. There were some premiere recordings. There were works that we just got out of a manuscript thanks to Patricia Kliman too. And so it was beautiful to say, hey, you know, if we didn't have this crazy idea to just record all these pieces, this piece would have been buried. And they're beautiful. They're very valid. It's a very valid repertoire, very beautiful, and with a lot of, you know, great things to learn about and to enjoy. So there are two types of challenges. One of them is how the program is received and the reception by programmers, by critics. And that, I believe, is changing. The mindset is changing now. You know, people are starting to realize that they were just forgetting about so many composers, you know, there that were brilliant. And the other challenge, which I think still happens, and especially with historical composers, is this, is the fact that you don't have these polished editions. You don't have— you have to go sometimes to manuscripts or, you know, sometimes have very little context to know exactly where, when it was composed. So it's, you know, the work is different, but it's also very rewarding.

So speaking of rewards, so could you share any positive and memorable experiences through this project?

Well, I had one very recently and it was so beautiful. It was at the Teatro Colón, so in Buenos Aires, and that's a huge theater. Like, that's really major, no? And it's— and everyone stood up at the end of the concert with bravo, standing ovation, with the program, with Kaleidoscopes program, right? So I was very fascinated because, you know, it's a program that many people won't know many of the names that are in there. They're experiencing this music for the first time. Um, you know, I'm, I, they, some people may know me, but perhaps many people there didn't know me in Argentina. So it was amazing to see how moved they were and that they were cheering and in such a huge place, you know, with such a tradition. And it showed me really the strength of this program and the beauty of the program and how it can really communicate, you know? And I was very surprised because, you know, expecting that they might like it, of course, because I think it's great music. But it was the emotion that went through it that people were like, "Bravo!" And they were just, you know, standing ovation. And it was a very long one. They had an opera afterwards, so they cannot allow people to be there, but they were there for a long, long time, you know? So it was— It was really, really special. And I experienced that also. I remember in another concert in a city in Spain that the programmer was so fearful. I'm not going to say the name exactly, but the programmer was every day calling like, are you sure you want to play maybe Mozart or something? And I'm like, no, I want to play this thing. And you're going to see, they're going to love it. Well, what happened is that people loved it. And afterwards they came there and they were like, you know, they came afterwards to me and to speak to me and they were like, wow. Wow, what a discovery. This was truly a journey. Thank you. I'm going to listen to these works now. So I love that. I mean, I think that's so moving that it's creating all this.

Wow. Congratulations. Well deserved too. And I'm sure your genuine display of emotion also spoke to your audience too. Now, Where do you think female artists and educators stand in the industry today? So do you believe we're being taken a little bit more seriously now? And how has— have there been any notable progressions?

I think there are notable progressions for sure. I see it, you know, in women's works being performed, female conductors that are conducting. So roles that were usually associated to males. And that they— I find that there was a bigger rejection to actually accepting women. I must say that we are quite fortunate that in the piano world there have been great women pianists since the 19th century. So there is, because of The Piano and what it meant in the 19th century, um, and what it meant for women in the 19th century, which is a very interesting topic. On one side it was like, hey, all women have to know how play a little bit of piano. But yeah, on the other side, there were women professors, women teachers in the 19th century who were earning money already and were having economic independence thanks to the piano. So the piano is a very rare and amazing instrument in that sense, that it allowed many women to, to progress and to have careers in music through the piano. But it's true that maybe the percussion world, the brass world, uh, the conducting world were really so much more male-dominated. Now finding that more, you know, figures are recognized, female figures are recognized there, I think it's very important. So I think we're at a point in which at least this conversation has started. This conversation is ongoing and people are more eager, I believe, to listen to this repertoire and to, and to discover this music. So that's great. Still, I think, you know, many symphonic orchestras still program 90%, 80% more men composers and usually from the canon, which I want to clarify. I love that Mozart is performed, Bach, Chopin. I think this is also very important when you approach yourself as someone who is very focused on female composers. But I also play male composers, a lot of contemporary music from men composers. And I want to promote that too. I think we have to enlarge the repertoire, enrich it. You know, we don't have to just say one or the other and we just forget about all the amazing male composers that are out there. But I think, yes, in this sense, I think there's— the audiences are more aware of the topic and therefore they're more eager. But still, I see in big programming, still there's— we are far from the point that we should reach ideally in this sense. In education, I think curriculum are becoming more, again, conscious, or universities are becoming more conscious of these issues in the curriculum, in the traditional curriculum, music history, music analysis, and that they are starting to change that. I feel it. Still, I think it's an ongoing process and might not be an easy process. But again, I studied back in the day that Clara Schumann was Robert Schumann's wife who played his pieces. And that was what I learned. And that Nannerl Mozart, yeah, played with Mozart and then disappeared. And that Fanny Mendelssohn was Felix Mendelssohn's sister. And that's it. And those were the ones you knew because they have that last names, but otherwise you don't know about the others at all. So, you know, I think more and more conservatories, universities are more conscious of the importance of incorporating women composers into history classes and also in the regular programming and to, yeah, and to make visible their contributions. I think there's a change. Still, there's way to go.

Yeah. Now, do you plan to perform this repertoire, this, the entire program more often in a concert hall?

So that's the idea. You know, we're planning presentations Everywhere, hopefully soon in New York, we're just closing some details, but yeah, that's the idea. And the idea would be that the program, that I travel with the program live, at least in the countries of the relevant composers, of the composers that are part of the CD. But of course, I think this program can reach anyone. So the idea is that it's presented live too. And there's a component I like very much. I like very much talking, as you can see. Yes, but I like to present the pieces before the concert and before performing them. Just, you know, it's not that it's just a lecture recital every time I play, but at least certain little details because I like to enhance the audience's experience. I know there's some controversy about it, but in my experience, it's good that they have just 2, 3 notions. You know, you don't have to reveal the whole thing, but just 2, 3 things. So, they can listen and they can be looking for this or that. And I usually do that. So I truly would like to bring that life experience that combines both things everywhere. Yeah. So wherever possible.

Wonderful. Yeah. Well, when you're near New York, let's— I would love to attend and let me buy you lunch. I would love to get to—

you know how much I admire you and it would be beautiful that you attend and Definitely, we have lunch and coffee. Yes.

Before we continue, we would like to take a moment to highlight our sponsor, Musicians' Path to Peak Performance by Dr. John Skidmore. Their support makes this episode possible.

I watched Amber, a young string player, intercept her teacher as the teacher was going up to the front of the recital hall to start the recital. Amber stops her, looks at her, And just, you could feel the anxiety. I'm nervous. And now the teacher was nervous. She didn't know what to say. There was this awkward silence. The teacher finally said, Amber, you'll do fine. And Amber did not look reassured. I'm Dr. John Skidmore. I'm a performance psychologist. This fall, I am launching my 30 Days to Peak Performance program. In this program, you learn lots of tools and skills that will turn stage fright, performance anxiety into excitement, and dread and doubt into confidence, and help turn your students into peak performers. If Amber's teacher had been a certified Skidmore-trained peak performance coach, I'm quite sure that conversation would have been very different. Oh, Amber, you're activated! Hey, we have been learning lots of tools and skills for moments like this. Which one do you think you could try? Oh, the breathing exercise? Yeah, try that and add a little bit of visualization. You can do that, can't you? Yeah, Amber, you got this. You'll do fine. We'll talk about how this worked in your lesson on Thursday. You can learn more about more about my courses, 30 Days to Peak Performance and the Certified Peak Performance Coach program, at my website, drjohnskidmore.com. Risk, fail, risk again.

You know, as most artists, you wear also many hats. And, you know, beyond your musical career, you have this advocacy for women's rights. And so I understand that several years ago, you had a remarkable opportunity to speak at the United Nations. Oh my gosh, wow. And as I was researching your story and to prepare for this episode, I discovered your involvement with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. So which— tell me a little bit more about this UN Sustainable Development Goals, first of all.

Yeah, so the idea, you know, is to promote There are 17 goals and to promote the economic development, but economic development paired with social fairness and paired with an environmental consciousness. And, you know, it's truly to combine all these with 17 objectives that are clear, that are identifiable, and that they are common, and that all the signing parties, the 193, they have these common objectives to reach in 2030. Of course, you know, we are far from reaching them all, but it's true that it's, I find very important that whenever you have a goal, a specific goal, you work in a direction that produces certain great effects that are, you know, already big advances into some direction. So I'm not sure if by 2030 they will all be met, but what's true is that having so many countries really having these common goals and this common agenda, it's something I think relevant. It's something important. And what I mentioned there is the role of artists and of art too. So I felt in a lot of these conferences, you know, they will approach me and it would be like, hey, so what do you do? And I'm like, oh no, you know, I'm a pianist. I'm gonna— oh, I played it when I was 3 years old. That was beautiful. I love That's so great. No, but what do you do really? Hello? You know, it's, it's, I felt so bad and it's, it's, it's because in some way, you know, this role of the artist and the artist with this social consciousness and with sometimes it's not as, as promoted, you know, it's more in this image of artists as entertainer and the entertainment industry and that's it, but not this, this other type of artists, which I find very interesting. What I mentioned there was, hey, you know, we all have a role. An economist has a role, an architect has a role, we have a role. There are different roles. And in certain spaces, some roles might be more prominent, some less, but we all have a role. And I don't think it's, it's good to invisibilize this, this part and the part that the arts can play, especially raising awareness, promoting dialogue. And also about this idea of creativity and innovation, you know, so we're talking about innovation all the time and it's just technology, right? Science. But innovation is creativity. Creativity is art. So at the end of the day, uh, art has also a part to play there, you know, and part of proposing maybe outrageous ideas, but ideas that may change the perspective on something. And then let's see, how can we get into the, into that specific path, right? So, you know, I think it's, it's about that. It's about understanding our role as artists and what we can do. We are in a very privileged position to be able to present our work to a public, to an audience, larger or smaller, but still you have this, this opportunity. And, and I think making a good use of it by promoting these values, it was something that it was, and it is something that resonates very closely to my heart.

How are you linking music to this United Nations program?

Right. So the, the idea here, for example, let's say when you talk about promotion of dialogue through, um, different initiatives, right? Or promoting initiatives, concerts through, in which, you know, people that might have, uh, might be in conflict, they might come together with the same goal, with the same idea. So music as sports has— it has been widely researched that it's a great vehicle for doing that. Raising awareness in this sense, you know, I'm playing a lot of works related to that, to the matter of sustainable development. Juan Antonio Simarros, for example, a piece on Four Chords of Sustainable Development. Merlin Twalhoven works which were inspired on data on climate change specifically and how is translated in a sonic way. Pieces including audiovisuals. So, you know, this also has this, this component, this visual component to, to it. So again, it's, it's a matter of raising awareness. Why? Because music has this capacity of reaching both intellectual and emotional. And, you know, if you really want to take action for something, they can tell you all the data you want. You may understand it and you may be conscious that it's bad. But hey, when there's something that really moves you is when you really take the action, right? And music can help for that, you know, can really help in that direction. And in terms of innovation, you know, I have this network of artists. We are all very conscious about it and we are always coming together and seeing ideas and programs. How can we present in very innovative ways the problems that we are currently at? And how can we present solutions, sometimes in collaboration with engineers, with scientists. So, you know, the idea is to understand music as part of all these processes and not just something that is there for entertaining us and disconnect once the serious matters are over. No, it's truly part of it.

Wow. What you're doing is really incredible.

I tried to do research also about it. I published an article at IASA in Vienna, which is a research institute exactly on this, on the role of classical music and sustainable development. So, and I'm really deepening on that also, international cultural relations. In fact, my master's thesis at Harvard was about that and about the possibilities of the European Union in particular. I'm in Spain with international cultural relations and the possibilities of that at the European level. Um, so I'm very interested about this intersection of, of topics in that sense.

Yeah, I was going to ask you now, next question. So you mentioned that you studied international relations at Harvard University and you got your master's— another master's degree. Yeah. So what initially sparked your interest in this field?

This was interesting because, I mean, these great universities they make a difference in two ways. First of all, the teachers are extraordinary, but also the conversations that emerge in class and the debates, you know, and you also find very different perspectives and it's fascinating. And I really wanted to, because, you know, having this idea as a musician, say, hey, you know, I want to contribute to this process, let's do it. And I wanted to be informed, you know, and I wanted to, to really study in depth the language because, and the way of communicating it, because a lot of problems that we might have as musicians is that if we're not trained about any of these concepts in the conservatory or back then, we might have good ideas, but we don't know how to communicate it to the other side. Right. So to international relations professionals and politicians, because we don't speak that same language because we don't know about that language, right? So they should make an effort to understand us. But I really like this idea that if I was really going to promote this and it was really going to be a part of what I'm doing as a musician, it should be in possibly most informed way, or at least as much as I can do with the time that I have, et cetera. So that's why I really wanted to study this, this in depth, you know, because, um, As I am a researcher too, not only a performer, research for me is very important and trying to give an opinion based on research and this is, for me, it's part of the process. So I didn't want to just, you know, be giving speeches about this at such general level without truly studying the language. And I think we can be more effective communicating all this we know how to, how to approach this, this sector of knowledge as well.

That's quite unique and interesting, your approach to, to be an artist. There's a distinction between artisan and artist, right? And, uh, yeah, we all thrive to be artists, although there's the importance of craftsmanship in what we do.

Yeah, you gotta play the notes.

Yeah, but at the same time, we also have to have here brain to, to make, um, smart, intelligent programming, for example, or smart way to approach selecting music to communicating to our audience, right?

Yeah, yeah. And, you know, I think a lot of great composers that we admire, and, you know, they, they always also had some, some of these visions, you know, of going, being larger than just, okay, this is a quarter note, this is a, you know, it's, it's projecting something, something else, another values, or, and I, I think it's, it's important the more you can understand about the world around you from different perspectives, uh, The better you're going to play. Of course you need the hours. I mean, all this is beautiful, but if you don't play the notes, you don't play the notes and period. But understanding that you have enough hours to play notes, uh, you, and that more or less, then the next step I think is to grow as an artist. And I also like the word intellectual. I know that there's some controversy about it, but I really loved that in the past you see this. I mean, I had the chance of speaking with some composers. I remember Luis de Pablo, for example, that I research a lot, contemporary composer in Spain. We'll speak to the man and the man will talk to you about literature half an hour, and then about art and about painting, about Caravaggio. And then he will move to Joyce and how that influenced his— and then he would talk about politics in Spain and the Europe. And, you know, you will interview him about his work, but then so much emerge from that. And he had an impact, I think, in his work, you know, and in his way of— you might like it more or less, but I personally think that this such a wide conception of artists and of intellectual in the sense of someone who is always curious and always wanting to learn more. And I think that that was— that's in some of these people. It's something that I think artists should have or should aspire to. Of course, we have limited time and we don't— each of us has to select what are their main interests. So maybe it's not sustainable development as such, maybe it's another kind of work, but I think this, and you know, that depends so much on the artist, but I think the wider you can get in this sense of influences and perspectives, the richer is going to be the output.

So from your experience speaking at United Nations on gender equality and how you are promoting female composers, so how can the music industry better support this cause and what changes are still necessary? Maybe you have already answered, but I mean, for me it's a circle, right?

And I see it's circle. So if people don't learn it in schools, right? So education is fundamental. If you don't learn a piece when you are applying to a competition. So if the competitions tell you this has to be Bach, Haydn, Beethoven, Mozart, and then you have to play your Debussy, Ravel, and you might place a big romantic piece, but it should be Brahms, Chopin, you know, and your etude has to be Chopin Rachmaninoff Scriabin, which is wonderful and amazing. But I'm saying, why don't you add Gabriel Ortiz? You know, it's like just Just add one more name. That's all. I'm not asking for more. Right. But again, if you enter those competitions and you don't have— if they ask you for that program and you have a limited amount of time and you have to pass your exams, you just learn that. And that's the repertoire you grow up with and you play and you go out of the conservatory and you play that. And that's what you offer to programmers. And then programmers say, well, you know, that's what everyone's offering. So that's the programming that it should be. And then audiences don't get to listen to any female composer because everyone is playing these other composers. And then if audiences are not requesting that, then, you know, programmers won't program it and then pianists won't play it. And then you won't teach it because no one is playing it. And you just get into this circle and no one's going to research about it because who cares? And you just get into this circle that unless you take a real action in any of these fields, and I think it has to be a collaborative effort, unless you take a conscious action in this sense, It's very difficult. It's very difficult because again, it's, it's something that it's very, um, in a way ingrained just because, um, we have been taught that way, just because, you know, people just follow the same method they were taught at. So you just keep replicating a situation, uh, instead of working for changing it. Again, it's, it's as simple as including one piece here, one piece there. It's not about destroying what we have. It's about reaching it and making it more and more diverse. That's all. That's more about it.

I know we've talked about serious matters, so I want to talk about you. This platform, you get to also brag about yourself. You know, that's one of the purposes of, of this platform. So I would like to know personally about the highlights of your career as a performing artist. Yeah, it's like, do you have any memorable concert?

There are a few of them. No, I really, I mean, I've been blessed to have the opportunity to play at big stages, Carnegie, Palau here in Barcelona. I've done also Teatro Colón. It was beautiful also to play at Villa Viardó, for example. So they're big theaters, but also these places that have such historical background to it. There have been certain highlights, and I've been, I've been able to play at the Vatican, for example, uh, you know, it's, which was a beautiful opportunity. I've been able to play with fantastic orchestras in Portugal and Spain. So, you know, it's, there are highlights in there, but I think every single concert has been special, or every single concert had a very special component to it. So, you know, even though these great places are very special, also more intimate audiences are also very, very beautiful. And sometimes you can move more the audiences and it's something— it has this component that makes it very, very special. You get to talk to the audience afterwards. It's— every concert is an adventure and every concert is a memorable experience, really.

Can you share about the Festival Granados that you organized at NYU, which is like, seems like a long time ago, I'm sure.

It's a long thing. So that's, uh, it was very nice. That was, um, so basically we, we organized a festival around, uh, Spanish composer Enrique Granados. Another important part of my work is also the promotion of Spanish music in Spain, and I think we have a very interesting musical heritage. Which I really love, I really like. And I try to promote that. I play Albéniz very often. I play Falla, María Rodrigo, you know, so I try to also bring Spanish music and contemporary Spanish music, you know, into my programs. So this Granados Festival had several components. There was a panel. So this was more research-oriented. We had researchers, we also had performers speaking. So I really liked, you know, this multi-perspective into it. Then we had a concert by students from the NYU program, from the master's program. It was great to see how the students pick up one of Fernando's pieces and, you know, they played it. So it was an incentive to promote this music. And also we had the opportunity to give the premiere of the transcription for Quintet of Granados, Concerto Patético. Now, Granados left a manuscript for two pianos of a concerto. All right? So it's called Concerto Patético. Apparently— apparently, no, the only surviving piece is one movement. There had been a reconstruction before, but the issue was that they— I mean, it's great and it's fantastic, the first movement, and then they added two more movements picking up elements of Granados' music. So that's a personal choice, but we wanted to just do the movement that was remaining. We just completed— Sergei Kassanei is a fantastic composer who is at NYU. He completed only three bars at the very end just to conclude it in the tonic just after all that. But that was basically what he did, and also the great transcription into a piano quintet, which was his work and he was brilliant. But yeah, the idea was to bring this concerto back to life. And it was very interesting. It was done at Stanwyck Hall and it was very, very nice. We also had the collaboration of a Spanish designer, Ágatha Ruiz de la Prada, which I got to wear her dress designed by her. She's very renowned. So it was really beautiful. And I've I felt very, very moved because again, one of my goals as an artist and as a Spanish artist is also to promote my country's music. And I feel very proud of the very rich repertoire that we have in Spain.

Sure. And you know, in fact, the last episode was Hayk Arsinian. He is an Armenian pianist, but he has extensive research on Antonio Soler.

Yes.

Yeah. So this month is all about Spanish composers.

That's it.

That's Spanish artists.

No, I mean, Soler is fascinating. He plays it so well, but Soler is truly so personal, you know, and he took in a way, you see some of his pieces, the Fandango, he has some modulations in there that you say, how did he compose this at that time? What happened in there? Right. It's a fantastic composer. And there are a lot of composers around that time, also around Scarlatti at that moment in Spain, Nebras. It was a beautiful moment. And also Spain at the time, Farinelli was established there. So they had a— it was a major opera center. So it was a very interesting period and Hayek places beautifully.

So yeah, you spent quite some time in your earlier career plus education in the United States, and now that you're back in your native country, Spain, and you're so in touch with your roots, right? How do you hope for others like musicians and also maybe students who perceive and appreciate Spanish music? Uh, Haik Arsenian mentioned about this really specific, distinct, such a distinctive characteristics in Spanish music. Like, you can really, in a second, you can say, oh, that's Spanish music, right? Because, yeah, how do you want other people to appreciate Spanish music more?

You know, I think, uh, Spanish music, it's very identifiable. That's true. And it has very, a very distinct character, and I totally agree with Hayk there. Uh, and it also has a lot of complexity, and I think a lot of times, you know, we're thinking about Arthur Rubinstein's recording of the Danza Ritual del Fuego, which is like with hands like that, and he's amazing. He was incredible, and it's a beautiful recording. But I think there's a lot of like showing there, right? And I think Spanish music is truly full of drama, full of so many emotions, right? Flamenco, if you think about it, which is the baseline of many of these music, You know, the stories are like super dramatic. It's like, you killed my father, therefore I'm going to kill you. Like really drama stories. And then you were with my sister and I have to kill you back. And like all these things are crazy happening, like soap operas, but like when you multiply by 20, right? So it's, it's, it's really dramatic. And I think something beautiful that, for instance, Alicia La Rocha did or Jaitas in his playing is how serious they are about the quality of this music, the complexity of this music, and therefore their beauty, you know, the great craftsmanship that this music has. And we are blessed, you know, I think as a country to have produced such great composers who were able to take the distinctiveness of our folklore, which is very distinct. And also it varies a lot. You know, we all think about flamenco, but, when you go to the north where I'm from, it's all about Celtic music and it's like Irish music. So, you know, the pieces that are derived from that are inspired, like, imagine like an Irish folk piece. So that's really fascinating and that's really interesting. It's great to see how we had such great composers that were able to really bring the best out of these works also creating this mix with other currents that were happening at the time, like Impressionism, for instance, in Albéniz, right? So you can see this mix that it's truly beautiful. So I think people that start listening to Spanish music, they will definitely love how distinctive it is. They will definitely love the depth of feelings. And it's a music that truly moves you very, very intensely. And they would also be surprised, I think, about the quality of many of these works that, you know, I think we are usually, again, the canon, usually more prone to the German tradition works, which are extraordinary and amazing, and we all know them. But it's very interesting to understand this also, this other currents, right? And it's beautiful. I mean, I think it's there are a lot of, there's a lot of beautiful music in there to explore.

Wow. So we covered, you know, your fascinating career as an artist and public speaker, advocate for women composers, promoter of global sustainability, and so on. So how do you see the intersection of art activism, and how can artists use their art forms and platforms to advocate for social change?

I mean, I think you have to be passionate about something, and I think that's very important, you know, to choose a topic or topics that you are passionate about, that you feel about, and that you think you can make a contribution on. And then think about in ways in which your creativity can contribute in some way, to some degree, to this Um, so I think it comes from a very deep exploration actually on yourself and on what matters to you. And, you know, I think you are more effective if you pick something that it's dear to you, that it's something that you, you truly feel about it and you're truly passionate because then I think everything, it will be sincere. It will be transparent. It will be an honest, uh, artistic endeavor. To, you know, you won't compromise one thing for the other, nor in one side, nor in the other, but you, everything will, you know, come together and, and evolve, um, at the same time. So yeah, I think that's the main idea. First of all, research on what you're passionate about, think about how you can contribute to that. And then it will, you will find probably the way to do it in a in an articulate way and in a, in an honest way. I think that's the most important, to be honest as an artist with your values. So if you're really defending what you feel about and what you think about, this will come together in, I believe, in an honest way.

Now, the, the reason why I wanted to start this podcast was see how our industry is moving, whether that's forward or backward, and hopefully forward. And I have been really encouraged by the fact that people that I met through this podcast, uh, guests, they are all forward-thinking, as in, so for example, for you, you know, you have not just to have this one specific career, but you, you combine everything. And so what are your thoughts on this multifaceted approach to being a pianist in this new generation?

You know, it's, uh, I think it's a very personal journey. So it's, I don't want to pontificate and say this is the way, right? I also admire people who just say, I just play Bach and that's it. And, you know, I like that. And that's, that's valid. Again, it comes with artistic honesty and what your goals are and what your vision is. And I think as an artist, I remember that first day I got into an MSM, that's the first thing they told me. They told me like, what's your vision as an artist? Right? Just tell me an elevator pitch about that. Hello.

Boom.

Just do it. And I was like, eh, hi, I'm from Spain. Hello. You know, that was good. And no, but that was very interesting because it's, I think it should be. Well, a lot of times we get very distracted by social media, by the way. Everyone wants us to be, what we have to do, but like, and we don't get the time to say, hey, what kind of artist do you want to be? How do you want to be remembered? How can you contribute and how can you make a meaningful contribution? Right? For some people, it's just recording the whole works of Johann Sebastian Bach, and that's great. And that's fantastic. And for some other people, I think it's more, you know, exploring new repertoires, enriching the existing repertoire, presenting new pieces. And so I don't think there's a better or worse version, but it's just being honest with your values. So I think it's relevant as far as it is relevant for the artist and as far as this is honest with their artistic vision. So for that, it's relevant. And I'm glad that many people are actually, you know, taking this path, but I also respect a lot other people that just say, Hey, this is all I want to do. I just want to record, uh, Scarlatti and that's it. And that's beautiful. That's amazing. And that's their vision and what they want to communicate. Again, that's what we want as artists, communicate certain emotions, certain values, and you can do it through so many roads. And that's the importance of that, to say there are many roads. That's important itself.. And I think that's very important for younger generations and for students. A lot of times in the conservatory system, the only success story is Martha Argerich. Either you are Martha Argerich or you are failing, right? And I don't think that's a reasonable message because it's not reasonable in any profession. Like you ask a doctor and says, oh, you're a cardiologist or you're not. No. I mean, there's, so many specialties and so many possibilities. And, you know, the definition of success is, you know, so deep, like there's so many possibilities for that. And in music, we're apparently trained for just one path. And I think it's important to visualize also that, you know, there are many paths, there are many ways, uh, there's space for everyone. And there's, and there's space also for careers that are are a bit different than what we are just taught at the conservatory, that that's it, you know? And I think that could also be very positive for mental health, for many, avoiding many frustrations and saying, hey, you know, there are many different ways to understand this business, to understand your career, to understand where you project yourself as an artist. I think that by itself is positive and it's important to communicate it.

Isn't our guest so inspiring? I'm sure you're enjoying and learning from every bit of this episode, so I need to ask you two things. First, hit that like button on YouTube or subscribe if you are listening on your go-to podcast platform. Then follow us on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok at The Piano Pod with Yukimi Song. Behind-the-scenes content, episode updates, and more. Stay connected and inspired to celebrate the past, present, and future of classical music. We are really close to the end of our conversation, so I would like to ask just a few philosophical questions. Okay. And I forgot to mention, we have to do the Piano Pod rapid-fire question at the end, so I'll explain explain that later, but I'm sure you heard some of the episodes, so we'll get through that. So what are your thoughts on maintaining the relevance of classical music in today's world?

I think classical music, you know, it's, it's very important, it's very relevant because it gives us a space for thinking, for reflecting, for experiencing, just You know, a lot of times, and I feel each time more and more, this world goes so fast and we don't have really that time for reflection. And a piece of music is truly a space for that. It's a space first with a dialogue with the past, with the present, the dialogue of that composer, with a dialogue with your own feelings, an exploration on your own thoughts. And I think that's very valuable, especially in today's world. And I think, you know, a lot of times when you see this marketing of trying to create classical music that each time is getting closer to pop music, and I'm like, you already have pop music, okay? And they're doing great and it's cool and it's their space. So why do you want to turn this into that? Just make sure that people understand and feel and feel, you know, happy getting into a concert, classical music concert, what it is, you know, really, which it's about that, you know, when I go to classical music concert, I am expecting that. I'm not expecting something else. The same when I go to certain movie that I know it's going to make me think, it's going to make me cry, it's going to make me laugh. It's going to, you know, it's not just to watch anything.

No, no, no.

I really want to do this. And that has its value and has its place and it's needed. In that sense, you know. So I think it's a matter of understanding the role of classical music. And what I've experienced is that with programs like this, like Kaleidoscope and programs that get a little bit out of the box in this sense, you actually get a lot of people into the classical world. They get to experience this and they're like, hey, you know, this is great. Let's stay here. And that's very important too. You know, I think we are many times, you see people complaining, oh, no one comes here, right? Well, sometimes it's because we offer them some products that we perhaps have to think more about ways to attract audiences, but to attract audiences without losing what classical music is and, you know, the effort, the thought that goes with it. I don't want to turn it— why turn it into something that it's not?

What is your thought on our duty as classical musicians to society?

We have many, many duties. I don't think it's just one. First of all is to communicate, communicate at an emotional level, communicate values, communicate thoughts, communicate to make them feel and feel emotions about the pieces that we're performing. I think that's our first role. There's a second role that I think it's the responsibility that we have as public or semi-public figures that we are known, let's say, in smaller or bigger environments. And in that sense, I think we have a special responsibility. And our goal, you know, is to truly be an example of certain values, or I feel so, of the value of discipline, the value of work, the value of effort that comes into playing a piano. Like, Yukimi, you play so well because you've been trained for so many years and you've been working so hard. And, you know, I think that's— those are positive values also that classical musicians should bring in. And I think this interaction between intellect and emotions has a lot of possibilities for raising awareness about current issues So that too, what we were speaking about before, right? So that role of proposing new ideas, of rethinking things from a different perspective. Well, that's also a role that art can have.

Once again, I want to congratulate you on your new album, Kaleidoscope, and I feel so honored that this is one of the, I guess, the first interview. About your, your album, and today's the day of release. I feel so honored. So thank you so much for showing up today. So beyond Kaleidoscope, are there any upcoming projects or collaborations you're excited about, or maybe concerts?

Yeah, so I have this upcoming concert at Brahms House, and I'm going to play with my husband, who's a great flutist, Rubén Torres. So very excited about, about our duo, and also we're playing solo and duo. And the solo is Brahms, Paganini, and several Pauline Viardot pieces. So it's real solo. And we're playing also Brahms Sonata No. 1, transcribed for flute and piano. It's the viola sonata, but transcribed here for flute. And also the Clara Schumann romances that we are playing also in flute. They are originally for violin. But they sound beautiful in flute. So that's a very exciting program because, again, it tries to reflect what was Baden-Baden at that time. That's where this Brahms House— Brahms lived in several places, but this is Brahms House at Baden-Baden. So what was that about? Basically, that was, you know, these great geniuses like Clara Schumann, Pauline Viardot, Brahms together sharing musical ideas, truly, you know, having this soirese in which they were playing these pieces. And actually, Pauline Viardot had a huge salon, a great salon, more than huge in space, but of people who would go to Pauline Viardot's salon in Baden-Baden. And, you know, there were this kind of sort of Schubertiads, as we say, or small reunions of people, and there were concerts there. So it's really exciting to bring all that back to Brahms' house. And it's beautiful. Again, I had the chance of playing at Mendelssohn House too, and it's— they're always— or Villa Viardot. So these places have, you know, a special component to it, and especially playing the pieces of these composers. Of course, there are several presentations. There's a lot of presentation coming up, Lisbon. So several presentations for Kaleidoscope. And as I said, the idea is I'm closing all these concerts, is to perform it as much as possible during next year. And also some orchestral performances coming up. So there's a, there's a good mix in there, but the main focus of course now is Kaleidoscope as a soloist and presenting this, this CD, this work.

Wonderful. So now how do you see your future work continuing to merge music and advocacy, particularly in the areas of women's rights and gender equality?

You know, I think it's, it's interesting because a lot of times they ask me about how do you see yourself in 15 years? How do you see yourself? Well, if I ask 20-year-old Isabel about how she looks herself in 12 years, I don't, I'm not sure if I would be able to imagine the great things that have happened. Also, there were not so great things. That's life, how it is. But there were a lot of great things and that I couldn't dreamt of. So my goal is to keep doing this work, to keep exploring these pieces, to keep promoting women's voices in music through programming and research. Where exactly that would lead me, hopefully maybe a Kaleidoscope 2, Kaleidoscope 3, Kaleidoscope 4. That would be amazing. To do a series on that, but, um, or focusing on specific composers, like what I did with Bierdo, right? That was so beautiful. I think they're, they're complementary, but they're like very different, um, projects, right? So one is about many composers coming together. The other one is just focusing on one and trying to get as many pieces as possible. Right. So, um, either way, but I'm sure that I will keep this advocacy and keep researching and discovering these amazing treasures.

So for our listeners, please go to isabeldobaro.com to learn more about Isabel's solo and chamber concert updates and check out her new album Kaleidoscope wherever you listen to the music. And you can also follow her on Instagram @isabeldobaropianist. All the links are listed in the show notes. So, Isabel, this has been a really fun and inspiring and educational conversation. And, uh, but before I let you go, we have one more thing to do. It's called The Piano Pod Rapid Fire Questions, and this is the part of the show where I get to ask fun questions to each guest. However, as silly as these questions may sound, your answers may reveal who you truly are. So, ready or not, so please answer them with the shortest shortest responses as possible. No explanation is necessary.

Let's do it.

Yes, let's do it. So, level 1. What is your comfort food?

Pizza. Pizza.

Yes.

All right. How do you like your coffee in the morning?

Very big one and with milk, latte, and a big one for the day. I love coffee.

Yes. Yes. Amen to that. Now, cats or dogs?

Dogs.

Sunrise or sunset?

Sunset.

Summer or winter?

Summer. Summer.

Now, level 2, next level.

Okay.

What skill have you always wanted to learn but haven't had the chance to?

Sing well.

Sing well?

I would love to be a singer. That's my frustration. This is to be a singer. That's why I sing with The Piano Pod, right? I really sing horribly. So I really want to, I really want to, I mean, of course I pass my exams, but I really want to sing well. That would be a dream.

All right. Maybe that's your next 10-year goal. What is your word or words to live by?

You know, I think it's, Well, this is not always 100% true, but I think that a character, and I think the Cicero, uh, citation is the characters of man is its destiny or something like that. I know that destiny depends on many things, but I think the character and how you face things and how you face failure and how you face success and how you work on that every day, um, truly it's your destiny, at least at the personal level. Then there are a lot of factors that what can happen, but at least on your own satisfaction.

Yes. What is the most important quality you look for in other people?

Loyalty, um, that they're good people, like they're, um, honesty, honesty and loyalty for me, it's super important.

Now, next one is a little difficult. Name 3 people, 3 people who inspire you, whether living or dead?

Well, let's say family is one person, so the whole family, one. Now, the second one would be— it's difficult. I'm going to say Alicia La Rocha, but it's up there, Alicia La Rocha/Marta Argerich, but I'm going to go with Alicia for one reason, just because she's Spanish, no, but because she really did a lot for the Spanish repertoire. But she was amazing also in so many works and so many styles, and she was— she had such an artistic honesty worth playing. So I think Alicia will be there. And Vladimir Horowitz, I think, you know, I remember MSM's class with David Duval, and he said, you know, there should be a class only of Horowitz recordings. And at the time I was like, you know, sure. Now that I listen to so many of his recordings, every time, you know, each time more I say, wow, yes, definitely each recording of Vladimir Horowitz is a lesson. And every time you listen to his playing, it's, you know, so striking, so, so, um, you know, full of energy and such a power and it's— and also brilliant in the way of his originality, you know, and his personality playing. So I adore his playing. I mean, that would be Hoffman, Rubinstein, Teresa Carreño. You can name it, like, there are a thousand of them, but let's pick these two for now. Okay. For today.

Yes, for today. Yes, sounds good. All right, so two more to go. So Name one piece in your current playlist.

Well, I'm in a Rachmaninoff mood right now. So, um, besides Kaleidoscope, that should be in every playlist. I'm in a Rachmaninoff, um, Opus 23 in my phone.

Now, last question. Fill in the blank. Music is blank.

My life.

Your life. Amazing. Thank you. So that wraps up this episode of The Piano Pod with Yukimi Song with Dr. Isabel DeBarro. Thank you, Isabel, for joining us today and sharing your stories, insights, expertise. And once again, to our wonderful audience, you can learn more about Dr. Isabel DeBarro and her amazing work through her website at isabeldebarro.com. And thank you to our faithful fans and listeners for joining in. If you If you enjoyed today's episode, please rate and review it on your go-to podcast platform. Please remember to hit the thumbs up button and to subscribe to my YouTube channel if you're watching this episode on YouTube. Follow The Piano Pod on social media to get the latest piano news via Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn. I will see you for the next episode of Piano Pod. Bye everyone, and thank you once again, Sibel.

Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you.