To celebrate the latest episode of the Piano Inspires Podcast featuring Annie Jeng, we are sharing an excerpted transcript of her conversation with Craig Sale. Want to learn more about Jeng? Check out the latest installment of the Piano Inspires Podcast. To learn more, visit pianoinspires.com. Listen to our latest episode with Jeng on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or our website!
Annie Jeng: When I started the project [A Seat at the Piano], it was difficult because I was born in America, I’m Asian American, but I didn’t know if I was the right person to be doing this work, which sounds weird.
Craig Sale: Yeah, tell me about that.
AJ: Within the music and piano community, I don’t think I’m necessarily a minority. There’s a lot of students and pianists who are Asian, and I knew that I wanted to lift up the voices of a lot of my BIPOC peers and friends. I just wanted to make sure that I was doing it thoughtfully, that I wasn’t mishandling a lot of information, and [that I was] presenting it in a way that was respectful.
I remember, actually, I called up Leah Claiborne when I started doing all of this. I was like, “I’m working on this project. Do you think this is okay? Am I an okay person to be doing [it]?” She’s like, “Well, yeah, I think this is important work.” And I mean, I’m not gonna try and quote her because this was many, many years ago, but just to have that comfort [that] this work needs to be done and this work needs to be shared. I think the fact that I was even thinking about that, hopefully, that by itself, was showing that I really do care about this, and I want it to be done in the right way.
CS: Yeah. With this subject and when you’re dealing with issues of diversity and trying to bring people in who haven’t been invited in, it’s important to recognize them, give them their own space in place. And it sounds like you didn’t want [to], you were afraid of perhaps intruding on that a bit.
AJ: Yeah.
CS: All I can say is, you know, all one can do is, first of all, embrace the cause because it’s that’s pure and good, but then seek help and advice. You did that when you reached out to Leah, and then you have these other people that joined you. I think that takes some of the pressure off when you have other voices around you. It’s an interesting situation to be in when you’re trying to do good, but you also don’t want to be offensive.
AJ: Exactly. I think that what you just said is totally right. And it felt really good to not have to have all that pressure once I started to ask for advice and to ask for help and to build our team. Expanding the team was so wonderful because my team members also then brought in their perspectives and their thoughts and their expertise. Just within personalities, we were able to complement each other really well.
CS: And the end product is… Well, it’s not an end. It is continuing.
AJ: Oh yeah, it’s forever going. [Laugh] I had someone today ask me, “Well, what about four-hand and duo music?” And I said, “Hopefully one day!”
CS: It’s right. When you’re uncovering a whole new world, it’s a whole new world, not just little pieces. There’s a lot to do there. But you know, I think that the result where you are now is just a tremendous asset for us, and it’s a big step forward in our profession, and it’s a wonderful resource.
AJ: Thank you, and it’s really inspiring to see that this is [a] lasting change. Yeah, we’ve gone over the fact that this is not a phase, this is here to stay, and it’s only going to get bigger and more impactful from here.
If you enjoyed this excerpt from Piano Inspires Podcast’s latest episode, listen to the entire episode with Annie Jeng on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or our website!
MORE ON ANNIE JENG
- WEBINAR: Piano Inspires… Innovation: Innovation in Organizations with Connor Chee, Rachel Fritz, Annie Jeng, Alex McDonald, and Patricio Molina with Jennifer Snow, moderator
- WEBINAR: “Cortège” from Trois Morceaux (Boulanger) and Le sommeil de l’enfant, Op. 35 (Carreño) with Annie Jeng and Lynn Worcester Jones
- WEBINAR: Hidden Gems: Four Centuries of Piano Music by Women Composers with Annie Jeng, Brendan Jacklin, and Susan Yang
- ONLINE COURSE: Hidden Gems: Four Centuries of Piano Music by Women Composers
- MICROCOURSE: Baroque Era Music by Women Composers (from Hidden Gems: Four Centuries of Piano Music by Women Composers)
- MICROCOURSE: Classical Era Music by Women Composers (from Hidden Gems: Four Centuries of Piano Music by Women Composers)
