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The Piano Pod Season 2 Episode 16: Donna Weng Friedman–Award-winning pianist, Chamber Musician, Producer & Educator

Also avaiable in video format

Season 2, The Piano Pod
February 29, 2024

To celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, we invited Donna Weng Friedman— Award-winning pianist, chamber musician, producer, and educator — for this upcoming episode. 

Clara & Yukimi had a wonderful conversation with Donna this morning. She is such a great storyteller–we all got choked up during the show hearing her incredible stories! During the interview, we covered topics such as: 

  • Donna’s upbringing/training at Princeton and Juilliard, and with Nadia Boulanger.
  • Her international performance career
  • Her Heritage and Harmony programs
  • Her creation of “The Music Bee Club” — interactive classical music apps for children.

 

[Donna Weng Friedman] 

Ms. Friedman created the Heritage and Harmony programs – including the video series in collaboration with WQXR, and the education program Heritage and Harmony: Her Art, Her Voice in collaboration with the National Women’s History Museum – with the aim of promoting empathy, understanding, and tolerance among people of all backgrounds. 

Ms. Friedman has performed in concert halls as a soloist with major symphony orchestras internationally and as a chamber musician, collaborating with world-renowned musicians. As a recording artist, she released an EP during the pandemic, named Heritage and Harmony: Silver Linings, which was recently honored with two silver medals at the 2022 Global Music Awards. 

Ms. Friedman currently serves as a faculty member at the Mannes School of Music while conducting master classes worldwide including at the Shanghai and Beijing Conservatories. She is also the creator/developer of “The Music Bee Club”—an interactive classical music app for children, which was produced by multiple Grammy-Award winner, David Frost. 

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