What makes Robert Schumann so special? Tiffany Poon has thought a lot about that question. The 26-year old New York pianist has spent years studying the great German Romantic composer and in her opinion: he’s extraordinary. Robert Schumann (1810-1856) wasn’t only a great composer, pianist and conductor – he was also a writer, publisher and musical visionary. We met Tiffany Poon at her concert at the Dresden Music Festival 2023, where she performed works by Robert Schumann at the Grand Garden Palace, including Kinderszenen Op. 15, Davidsbündlertänze Op. 6 and Piano Sonata No. 2 in G minor, Op. 22.
In this video we accompany Tiffany Poon as she rehearses and show excerpts from the highly-acclaimed concert. But despite her star status, she still has her feet on the ground. She’s an approachable artist who’s always looking to connect with people. The evening before the concert she organized a pop-up event in a café in Dresden. And after the concert she chatted to her fans offstage, as always. Tiffany Poon talks about her relationship with Robert Schumann, his life and works. We also find out more about the young pianist, who – just like Robert Schumann – does a lot besides music. Tiffany Poon is also a philosopher, vlogger and founder of the non-profit organization “Together with Classical”. Her mission, above all, is to demystify classical music and inspire a wider audience. Tiffany Poon has just recorded an album with works by Robert Schumann: “Diaries: Schumann” will be available from 9 February 2024.
At a glance:
00:00 Schumann: Davidsbündlertänze, Op. 6, 1. Lebhaft (excerpt)
00:27 The beginning of Tiffany Poon’s interest in Schumann
01:00 Schumann: Davidsbündlertänze, Op. 6, 3. Etwas hahnbüchen (excerpt)
01:27 Schumann’s personality and his episodes of mania and depression
01:58 Schumann: Davidsbündlertänze, Op. 6, 5. Einfach
02:37 Schumann’s secret society “Davidsbündler” and his philosophical mission
03:20 Schumann: Davidsbündlertänze, Op. 6, 13. Wild und lustig
03:55 The characters Florestan and Eusebius – pseudonyms for Robert Schumann
04:53 Rehearsals before the concert at the Dresden Music Festival (part 1)
05:20 How Tiffany Poon approaches a work
06:12 Rehearsals (part 2)
06:52 How to de-mystify classical music
07:31 Pop-up event in a Dresden café
08:00 Tiffany Poon on her first pop-up event
08:14 Fans play a boogie-woogie on the piano
08:57 A fan plays Franz Schubert’s Impromptu in A flat major, Op. 90, No. 4 (excerpt)
09:26 Her goal of bringing people together with classical music
09:50 Tiffany’s debut concert at just 10 years of age
10:14 Tiffany Poon on her first keyboard instrument, when she was two years old
10:46 Early recordings of Tiffany playing Mozart’s Fantasy in D Minor
11:14 Tiffany Poon on the first steps in her career
12:14 Other early recordings
12:49 Tiffany Poon on her philosophy degree
13:20 Excerpts from Tiffany’s YouTube videos
13:51 How to show the human side of classical music on YouTube
14:34 Excerpts from Classical Chats for the charity Together with Classical
14:56 Tiffany Poon on the beginnings of Together with Classical
16:02 Schumann: Kinderszenen, Op. 15, 1. Von fremden Ländern und Menschen (excerpt)
16:32 A good idea outside a toy store at Heathrow Airport
16:46 Schumann: Kinderszenen, Op. 15, 3. Hasche-Mann (excerpt)
17:12 Tiffany reflecting on her childhood
17:55 Schumann: Kinderszenen, Op. 15, 7. Träumerei (excerpt)
18:30 How does Tiffany Poon see her future?
19:04 Schumann: Piano Sonata No. 2 in G minor, Op. 22, IV. Presto (excerpt)
19:37 Why Tiffany is never satisfied
20:04 Meet and greet after the concert
20:30 Tiffany Poon on the wonderful connection with her fans
20:53 Schumann: Waldszenen, Op. 82, 7. Vogel als Prophet (excerpt)
Tiffany Poon was born in Hong Kong in 1996. She started piano lessons when she was four. At age nine she moved to New York, where she attended the Juilliard School Pre-College program. Tiffany Poon made her concert debut at age 10. She graduated from high school in 2014 and continued her piano studies as part of the exchange program between Columbia University and The Juilliard School. She also studied philosophy and in 2018 graduated from Columbia with a Bachelor of Arts. Today she performs around the world, sometimes with an orchestra, sometimes solo. In 2017 she started a new project with the help of YouTube – to present her more human side, as well as her classical music. She has a great social media presence, with 320,000 followers on YouTube alone. And she also engages with the community. Tiffany Poon’s non-profit charity “Together with Classical” supports musicians in their training and brings together classical music lovers from all over the world.
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47 Responses
You are showing all of us a very broad spectrum of your personal growth, which is never ending, but fascinating to see developing. Best wishes on your path.
Thanks to Tiffany I’ve also found a connection to Mr Schumann, now I want to play all his pieces! She’s truly wonderful!
❤
Well done, Tiffany! That was the best piece I have seen done on you.
La mejor pianista del mundo… GRACIAS DW
""Property" has acquired an almost greater sacredness in our social conscience than religion: for offence against the latter there is lenience, for damage to the former no forgiveness. Since Property is deemed the base of all stability, the more's the pity that not all are owners, that in fact the greater proportion of Society comes disinherited into the world. Society is manifestly thus reduced by its own principle to such a perilous inquietude, that it is compelled to reckon all its laws for an impossible adjustment of this conflict; and protection of property — for which in its widest international sense the weaponed host is specially maintained — can truly mean no else than a defence of the possessors against the non-possessors. Many as are the earnest and sagacious brains that have applied themselves to this problem, its solution, such as that at last suggested of an equal division of all possessions, has not as yet been found amenable; and it seems as if the State's disposal of the apparently so simple idea of Property had driven a beam into the body of mankind that dooms it to a lingering death of agony."
Beautiful
I’ve literally been watching Tiffany since I was 7 and to see her featured on such a big platform has me grinning so hard. I hope she continues to work with DW as her career continues to flourish.
Brilliant
Great documentary. I love that mission of Tiffany to demystifie classical music. I myself have gotten into it a little more than a year ago, at 25, and it has changed my life already.
Her flowery shirt is the sweetest thing too.
From Practising Poon to Performing Poon!
YOOO you guys got Tiffany Poon to show up in a documentary!? I have been watching her YouTube channel for years!
Tiffany I live you so much ! You totally help me a lot with the piano study !!! You are so talented in so many areas and you are so important to us ! Thank you a lot infinitely !!!!!
Wonderful interview with her! Been a fan of hers for a number of years!
Tiffany is a fantastic ambassador for classical music and it is wonderful what she is doing with her foundation, bringing art music to new audiences and generations. Schumann is a very special composer – such warmth, passion, and humanity – and his music deserves to be better known. Would love to hear Tiffany playing more of his Lieder and chamber music too!
Love this interview! I’ve followed Tiffany Poon’s work for years and you’ve captured her humility, originality and genuine love for classical piano and her passion for sharing this with many. I am one of the individuals who was introduced to the heart of Schumann’s work by Tiffany. My piano teacher taught me what she loved—Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninoff and Bach. I always get inspired by her authenticity and enthusiasm. She is constantly innovating. I feel privileged to be able to follow her journey. This interview/program was brilliant!
A fan plays boogie-woogie, my buddah gets all debussy
米田定理，永远的神！
She is such a wonderful person. Elegant, beautiful, not showing off, but has a lot of talent and determination. Her piano sounds so much more connected.
Tiffany serves the music with her heart. I once listen to her practicing, while I could not hear any difference, she criticised her execution "this note too strong, that note a bit out of sync… Very demanding of herself, so her performance is a polished work, the music just carries into my heart.
She is one of my favourite pianists.
Well done Tiffany. Your work astounds us all.
Very brave to put yourself out there and show who you are and stand for, well done! You must've felt very exposed and nervous to do this, must not have been easy. I hope the community will embrace you as you've embraced music and the piano, charity and kindness.
the application of chemical company products onto and into human biological matter is now very well funded. to find ourselves shut off from the acknowledgement of such cruelties is a great example of our ineptitude and learned inability to face the reality of organised suffering. R. Schumann was fortunate enough to have a great skill. this he used to full effect. he put a musical voice to the misconduct he fell beneath the gaze of. are we strong enough to conduct our skills in a similar vein?
good luck with your imitation and love for a style only few can emulate.
She's such an inspiration <3
I like her playing ^_
Tiffany is amazing and I love her very much.
♥
🇩🇪 Tiffany Poon gehoert seit mehreren Jahren zu meinen bevorzugten Pianisten der jungen Generation. Ganz besonders bewundere ich ihre Faehigkeit, einen schoenen Ton zu erzielen, auch wenn das Klavier kein Spitzen- Konzertfluegel ist, wie z.B. hier –> 7:42 .
🇬🇧 🇺🇸 Tiffany Poon belongs to my top favorite pianists of the young generation since several years. Particularly I admire her skill to achieve a beautiful sound on the piano, even if the instrument is not a top of the line Concert Grand, like here -> 7:42 .
Tiffany is my favourite pianist – she makes it look and sound so effortless and her connection with the piano is unrivalled.
Naturally, this short film will touch long-time followers of Tiffany Poon's channel the most. Never mind the few wrong notes. What matters, intertwined with music, is her sparkling personality.
I love Tiffany Poon. I've been following her youtube channel and enjoy her very calm demeanor, sort of iike asmr. I really enjoy when she let's us in on her thought process when picking a piano fir her concert.
> just recorded an album with works by Robert Schumann: "Diaries: Schumann"
Who else thought this was inevitable? Congrats!!
I was there! Great concert! 🫶
Schumann is perfect for Tiffany. She is prone to huge mood swings and relates well to Schumann's fantasy characters.
Classical music is another word for finding lasting beauty amids a cacophony of sounds — but it is not limited to genre or time. I enjoyed this video. I love Schumann since early childhood. Keep going… ❤ 0:13
We love our Tiffany 🙌 🤟
Thank you for this excellent portrait of a wonderful pianist. I had the pleasure to listen to her concert in Dresden's Palais im Grossen Garten. This brings back some beautiful memories. I hope and am very much convinced that we will hear more of her immense talent in the future! ❤
NoIce
Loved the enterview, I've been following Tiffany since 2018 and started to explore more of Schumann music because of her.
Wonderful ❤👏👏👏👏👏bravo
Teilt es, Daumen hoch, Wundervoll an so einem regnerischen tag so überrascht zu werden. Frau Poon, Ich gratuliere zu dem youtube algorithmus, beziehungsweise auf die Ausrichtung der Filme. Sei es mit Titel, länge, Kommentare, Die Fangemeinde, Sofort poppt dies bei mir auf. Es ist immer wieder eine Freude Sie auf Ihrem Weg zu verfolgen. Da macht das künstlerische wandern Freude. Und auch wenn es mal kurz bergab geht, man steht wieder auf. Grüsse Aus Andermatt. P.S.
"But because I knew that I was going to make a record,…"
Spoiler?
a DW recording!? when!!? <edit> just read the description: Tiffany Poon has just recorded an album with works by Robert Schumann: "Diaries: Schumann" will be available from 9 February 2024.
congrats!!!
Tiffany brings such joy and love into the World 🌍! I’m a huge fan of her music and her abilities to ‘popularize’ classical music. God bless her.
👏
Nice. I am a big fan of Tiffany
Musicista straordinaria!
Vielen Dank 🙏
СПАСИБО ЗА ЗНАКОМСТВО С ТАЛАНТЛИВОЙ ПИАНИСТКОЙ!