“Fearless Vision” Asiya Korepanova on Extreme Repertoire, Interdisciplinary Creation, and Artistic Risk
<p>In this episode of <strong>The Piano Pod</strong>, host <strong>Yukimi Song</strong> sits down with pianist, composer, visual artist, and poet <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.asiyakorepanova.com/"><strong>Asiya Korepanova</strong></a> for a wide-ranging conversation on extreme repertoire, transcription as a creative act, long-form artistic commitment, and what it means to think at scale as a musician today.</p><p>Born into a deeply musical family in Izhevsk, Russia, and now based in the United States, Asiya’s career is defined by projects many would consider “impossible”: performing the complete solo piano works of Rachmaninoff during the composer’s 150th-anniversary year, Liszt’s 24 Études, and Bach’s complete <em>Well-Tempered Clavier</em>. In this conversation, Asiya reflects on what draws her to repertoire that unfolds over years rather than hours, and how long-form thinking shapes her artistic identity.</p><p>A central focus of the episode is Asiya’s work as a transcriber. She speaks candidly about transcription as a form of composition—an act she once described as “taming a wild animal”—and how her deep understanding of orchestral, vocal, and chamber music informs the way she reimagines works for solo piano. We hear excerpts from her transcriptions of Mussorgsky’s <em>Songs and Dances of Death</em> and Bach’s <em>Christmas Oratorio</em>, alongside reflections on craft, risk, and responsibility.</p><p>The conversation also explores Asiya’s work beyond performance: her compositions, her multidisciplinary projects that integrate visual art and poetry, her commitment to education and access through her nonprofit Music for Minds, and her curatorial leadership at <strong>Festival Baltimore</strong> and <strong>Festival Flatiron NYC</strong>.</p><p>This episode offers a rare, unfiltered look into the inner life of an artist whose work is driven not by spectacle, but by depth, rigor, and fearless vision.</p><p></p><p><strong>🔗 LINKS & RESOURCES</strong></p><ul><li><strong>Asiya Korepanova — </strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.asiyakorepanova.com/"><strong>Official Website </strong></a></li><li><strong>Asiya's Merch on </strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/firebirdmeetsunicorn"><strong>Etsy</strong></a></li><li><strong>Sounds of Inspiration — </strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeBrJAY2RQ_uqBAHXTkMwM4nISe9vxvDa&si=rKHCdil3kQ1fMaWn"><strong>Piano Works from Season 6</strong></a><strong> </strong>(Music mentioned in this episode) </li><li><strong>Read the accompanying blog on </strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://open.substack.com/pub/thepianopod/p/meet-our-guest-asiya-korepanova-fearless?r=2q1iy3&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true"><strong>Substack</strong></a></li></ul><p></p><p>🎧 <strong>THE PIANO POD</strong></p><ul><li>💖 Become a VIP Member / <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://thepianopod.substack.com">Unlock exclusive content </a></li><li>📫 Join <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://thepianopod.substack.com/subscribe/">our newsletter</a></li><li>🌐 Website:<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://thepianopod.com"> https://thepianopod.com</a></li><li>Follow Us on Social Media:<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://linktr.ee/thepianopod"> https://linktr.ee/thepianopod</a></li></ul>
