🎹 Piano, finally – Episode 43: Artificial Meaning
G’day, everyone! In this week’s episode, I share a bit about live music, online rabbit holes, and thoughts on what makes music meaningful, even in the age of AI.

🎶 Sydney Symphony and Daniil Trifonov
I had the pleasure of hearing Daniil Trifonov perform Rachmaninov’s Fourth Piano Concerto at the Opera House. A magical evening that also featured Lyadov’s The Enchanted Lake—a piece by a lesser-known Russian composer. Learn more about Anatoly Lyadov and why he might have missed his big break.

🎹 YouTube Find: Andertons Music Co.
If you enjoy keyboard demos and a bit of fun, check out Andertons Keyboard Department. Hosted by Jack Duxbury and friends, this channel has blindfold challenges, gear reviews, and loads of musical insight. You can explore the full Andertons Music Co. YouTube channel here.

🤖 Essay: Artificial Meaning
After attending a Matthew Cawood masterclass and watching Rick Beato’s video Will these AI tools make songwriters irrelevant in 2025?, I’ve been pondering the role of human connection in music. AI tools like Mureka and Suno can now churn out tunes, but can they offer anything meaningful? Or are they just filling silence?

📘 Book Review: Playing the Piano for Pleasure by Charles Cooke
A recommendation from the Bill Hicks Discord group led me to this charming book from 1941. Cooke, a journalist and keen amateur pianist, offers timeless advice, personal stories, and repertoire suggestions. A few tips may feel dated (one hour of practice daily, anyone?), but the book remains a gem. You can grab a copy on Amazon.

📩 Stay in Touch
Got piano progress or practice stories to share? Drop me a line at [email protected] or visit www.pianofinally.show. You’ll also find audio-only versions of the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

🎧 This Week’s Practice Pieces:

• Fritz Spindler’s Canon
• Daniel Gottlob Türk’s Bagatelle in F
• Andrew Cragg’s Afternoon Snooze and Blackout Blues
  All recorded in one take using a Kawai NV10 with Pianoteq 8 and a Shigeru Kawai SK-EX model.

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All reviews of products, websites and services are unpaid, and no sponsorship has been received for any content on this podcast.