In this cozy pre-Thanksgiving episode, Pokie and Walter catch up on life, gigs, and the weird in-between feeling after big projects wrap up. Walter’s fresh from hot yoga in “the hot room,” Pokie’s recovering from playing for hundreds of kids and getting a parking ticket in NYC, and both of them are trying to remember what day it is as December chaos approaches.

They talk about juggling too many hats as musicians and teachers, the emotional crash after concerts. In BarTech, Pokie shares a practical trick to make ChatGPT more like a tough-love friend than a people-pleaser, and Walter battles a fake “virus detected” pop-up on Safari. There are also side quests into nonprofit perks, eggnog, age compliments, orphans in musicals, Frankenstein, Ratatouille, and a legendary Bolivian folk band.

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Hosts: Pokie & Walter • Produced by phMediaStudio, LLC

In this lighthearted episode of BarTalk, Pokie and Walter start with a chaotic laugh about karma and end up diving into everything from house robots and laundry routines to concert updates and pet peeves. Walter shares highlights from the first Project Pacha concert celebrating Bolivian composers, while Pokie talks about the whirlwind of preparing for the Annie musical. The duo swap stories about NYC life, discuss scams targeting music teachers, and discover Spanish pop sensation Rosalía for the first time — all in true BarTalk style: unscripted, witty, and full of tangents.

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Hosts: Pokie & Walter • Produced by phMediaStudio, LLC

It’s hoodie season at Bar Talk! ☕ Pokie and Walter catch up over morning coffee, talk favorite mugs and bagel orders, and discover the hidden mysteries of Instagram emoji games. In this week’s BarTech segment, they dive into the world of QR codes, Canva hacks, and why AI might be translating your tarot readings. A cozy, chaotic, caffeine-fueled episode to start your day.

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Hosts: Pokie & Walter • Produced by phMediaStudio, LLC

We caffeinate irresponsibly, recap our wild week performing in 11,000 Strings at Park Avenue Armory (50 pianos + chamber ensemble = goosebumps), trade spooky-season movie takes (Chucky ≠ scary), complain about bars with cringey cocktail names, and drop a left-field listening rec: Mozart’s “Coronation” Concerto… with a modern twist.

Concerto for Piano No. 26 in D Major, K. 537 "Coronation"

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Hosts: Pokie & Walter • Produced by phMediaStudio, LLC

Pokie and Walter go full stream-of-consciousness this week—starting with “why do we all answer phones with the left ear?” and spiraling delightfully into awkward instrument postures, violin hickeys, super-glued fingertips, and a true story of a concerto round that ended with a blood-spattered keyboard. Updates include Walter’s DC concert in a cathedral-like acoustic, Pokie’s UN-week transit survival guide, and a big announcement: both hosts are performing in 11,000 Strings at the Park Avenue Armory—a massive sound-installation for 50 micro-tuned pianos plus chamber orchestra (hello, Klangforum Wien). BarTech brings a quick AI freebie tip, and we wrap with a pet-peeve PSA: please retire “another trip around the sun.”

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Hosts: Pokie & Walter • Produced by phMediaStudio, LLC

It’s Pajama Party: Morning Edition and the coffee is doing the heavy lifting. Pokie and Walter wander from dishwasher-safe mugs to ancient iPods, then somehow end up at the World Cup of Breakfasts (Bolivia, we believed!). There’s a side quest into Apple Music vs. Spotify, a confession about marching-band clarinet glory, and a BarTech detour on why template sites (hi Squarespace/Wix) feel great—until you want, you know, actual features. We wrap with a 45-second lightning storm of pet peeves (including Chopin trills that sound like doorbells) and a heads-up: Walter plays the Epiphany Tuesday series in DC on the 23rd—bring lunch, not pillows. Leave us a review (honest chaos welcome), and tell us: Team Spotify or Team Apple?

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Hosts: Pokie & Walter • Produced by phMediaStudio, LLC

A chaotic, cozy, late-night do-over! Pokie and Walter re-record an episode after realizing the mics weren’t on the first time (whoops). Cue pajama party vibes, instant ramen energy, and lots of musician life: iPad shopping and a microscopic (but pricey) quesadilla, why NYC pianist gigs feel like mini-reunions, and memories of performing on a hundred toy pianos. Walter shares an upcoming short set at the Guggenheim, Pokie spotlights a new 5-day online Sight-Reading Techniques course by Rose Lockman, and the duo dives into BarTech: why newsletters still matter, how to be consistent, and the tiny tweaks that boost opens and clicks. Plus: Cardi B trial giggles, listener reviews, a trending-audio pet peeve, ringtone nostalgia, and a passionate debate about wrap orders at Toast Uptown.

👉 SightReadingTechniques.com

👉 Pianists Not Practicing podcast

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Hosts: Pokie & Walter • Produced by phMediaStudio, LLC

In this episode of BarTalk, Pokie and Walter are back with stories, laughter, and a little bit of chaos. We start with baklava (homemade only, please), move into NYC apartment-hopping memories, and somehow end up with Ross yelling “Pivot!” from Friends.

But that’s just the warm-up. The big highlight? We relive the Bolivian Bicentennial Challenge, a global three-night music festival that brought together performers from 29 cities and 8 countries, representing 23 composers with everything from solo piano to full orchestra. We talk stats, favorite performances, and why this event felt like a true international summit of music.

We also get personal: Pokie shares a heartfelt update about saying goodbye to a beloved pug, Dexter, and Walter reveals his nerdy joy in scheduling (with a full Top 10 list of fall prep tips that ranges from calendars to closet clean-outs).

And of course, it wouldn’t be BarTalk without:

• BarTech – Why outsourcing and delegating might be the secret to surviving as a musician with a portfolio career.
• Pet Peeves – Espresso (not expresso, thank you very much) and other language crimes.
• Deep Dive – Does music theory really make you a better pianist, or does intuition win?

From funny moving-day disasters to reflections on balance, creativity, and community, Episode 7 proves that this podcast is here to stay (we’ve made it past the dreaded “episode seven drop-off”!).

👉 Watch the Bolivian Bicentennial Challenge performances on YouTube

🎧 Listen now and tell us how you’re pivoting this fall.

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Welcome back to Bar Talk – the podcast where classical music meets chaos (and apparently... the Macarena).

In this laugh-out-loud episode, Pokie and Walter reunite in NYC and spiral into stories involving mysterious Mahler rehearsals, jet lag recovery, and martinis gone wild. You’ll hear about:

• A hilariously random rehearsal encounter via text surveillance

• Walter’s 15-minute hourglass practice method vs. Pokie’s Schubert practice notebook madness

• Why ChatGPT is our new therapist (and brand strategist)

• An update on the Bolivian Bicentennial Challenge 🎉 (YouTube Premiere on Aug 6 @ 7PM EST!)

• Listener reviews that left us blushing (and slicing diamonds)

• Pet peeves: NYC subway etiquette + confusing clothing sizes

• A bonus therapy-inspired ChatGPT game you’ll want to try too

🎧 Whether you're a classical music nerd, a fan of unsolicited tangents, or just here for the laughs, this episode has something for everyone.

📝 Mentioned in this episode:

• Bolivian Bicentennial Challenge YouTube Premiere: Aug 6, 7PM EST

• ChatGPT prompts you can try (we’ll post them on IG @BartalkPod)

• Our unsolicited but very real fashion crisis 🧵

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📩 DM us your ChatGPT therapy results… or just say hi.

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In this delightfully chaotic and cross-continental episode, Walter calls in from Tokyo, where he’s adjudicating a piano festival, eating eel jelly, avoiding horse carpaccio, and discovering hidden bar pianos in the backstreets of Japan. Meanwhile, Pokie shares his experience performing rare tree-themed piano music at a local church (hello, Sibelius fans), prepping for a Mahler summer concert, and navigating the pet peeve minefield of slurping and leg-shaking.

Together, they dive into:

• What it’s like to hear 200 students perform over 10 days in Japan
• Why Latin American piano repertoire is having a moment overseas
• How Japanese bathrooms are more elegant than your apartment
• Pokie’s BarTech tips on building a musician website—why something is better than nothing and how to get started without perfectionism holding you back
• Their favorite vending machine snacks (and the ones to avoid)
• The top 10-second pet peeves from their group chat (you’ve been warned)

🎹 Whether you're a musician, traveler, or curious foodie, this episode offers laughs, insights, and just the right amount of musical geekery.

Follow BarTalk:

📩 Follow us @bartalkpod | @jurassicpugs | @wfaparicio

🎧 Produced by phMediaStudio, LLC | @phMediaStudio

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#BarTalkPodcast #MusiciansWhoTravel #ClassicalMusicLife #MusicTeacherLife #TokyoDiaries #WebsiteTips #MusicianBranding #PianoLife #BarTech #PetPeeves #PodcastSEO

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