<description>&lt;p&gt;Get ready for our next episode of The Piano Pod: The Embodied Pianist with &lt;a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://elenariu.co.uk/"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Elena Riu&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; — pianist, groundbreaking recording artist, educator, and yoga/mindfulness teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In this episode, Elena and I talk about:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;✅ Her journey from Venezuela to the UK — and how navigating multiple identities shaped her artistry&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;✅ The creation of Salsa Nueva and the importance of commissioning new works&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;✅ What it means to challenge 19th-century biases about repertoire and artistic identity&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;✅ Her work as an embodied pianist and how somatics, breath, and movement transform playing&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;✅ Collaboration with dancers, visual artists, poets, and composers&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;✅ Why she opens taboo conversations like creativity and the menstrual cycle among biologically female performers&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;🎬 Set a reminder for the premiere tomorrow at 8 pm ET: &lt;a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://youtu.be/exIQxYGbQw8"&gt;https://youtu.be/exIQxYGbQw8 &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;🎧 Prefer audio? Listen to the audio episode (Spotify, Apple, Amazon &amp;amp; more) available tomorrow, November 18 at 8:00pm ET: &lt;a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://rss.com/podcasts/the-piano-pod/"&gt;https://rss.com/podcasts/the-piano-pod/ &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;📝 Read my full review of Elena’s groundbreaking album Salsa Nueva on &lt;a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://open.substack.com/pub/thepianopod/p/meet-our-guest-elena-riu-pianist?r=2q1iy3&amp;amp;utm_campaign=post&amp;amp;utm_medium=web&amp;amp;showWelcomeOnShare=true"&gt;Substack &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;#ThePianoPod&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;#Season6&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;#ElenaRiu&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;#EmbodiedPianist&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;#SalsaNueva&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;#LatinAmericanMusic&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;#NewMusic&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;#ContemporaryPiano&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;#SteinwayArtist&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;#WomenInMusic&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;#Somatics&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;#MusiciansHealth&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;#ClassicalMusicReimagined&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

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

Yukimi Song

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

NOV 17, 20251 MIN
The Piano Pod - a global hub for innovation, education, and connection in classical piano music

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

NOV 17, 20251 MIN

Description

<p>Get ready for our next episode of The Piano Pod: The Embodied Pianist with <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://elenariu.co.uk/"><strong>Elena Riu</strong></a> — pianist, groundbreaking recording artist, educator, and yoga/mindfulness teacher.</p><p>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.</p><p>In this episode, Elena and I talk about:</p><ul><li>✅ Her journey from Venezuela to the UK — and how navigating multiple identities shaped her artistry</li><li>✅ The creation of Salsa Nueva and the importance of commissioning new works</li><li>✅ What it means to challenge 19th-century biases about repertoire and artistic identity</li><li>✅ Her work as an embodied pianist and how somatics, breath, and movement transform playing</li><li>✅ Collaboration with dancers, visual artists, poets, and composers</li><li>✅ Why she opens taboo conversations like creativity and the menstrual cycle among biologically female performers</li></ul><p>🎬 Set a reminder for the premiere tomorrow at 8 pm ET: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://youtu.be/exIQxYGbQw8">https://youtu.be/exIQxYGbQw8 </a></p><p>🎧 Prefer audio? Listen to the audio episode (Spotify, Apple, Amazon &amp; more) available tomorrow, November 18 at 8:00pm ET: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://rss.com/podcasts/the-piano-pod/">https://rss.com/podcasts/the-piano-pod/ </a></p><p>📝 Read my full review of Elena’s groundbreaking album Salsa Nueva on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://open.substack.com/pub/thepianopod/p/meet-our-guest-elena-riu-pianist?r=2q1iy3&amp;utm_campaign=post&amp;utm_medium=web&amp;showWelcomeOnShare=true">Substack </a></p><p><strong>#ThePianoPod</strong> <strong>#Season6</strong> <strong>#ElenaRiu</strong> <strong>#EmbodiedPianist</strong> <strong>#SalsaNueva</strong> <strong>#LatinAmericanMusic</strong> <strong>#NewMusic</strong> <strong>#ContemporaryPiano</strong> <strong>#SteinwayArtist</strong> <strong>#WomenInMusic</strong> <strong>#Somatics</strong> <strong>#MusiciansHealth</strong> <strong>#ClassicalMusicReimagined</strong></p>