Gwendolyn Mok's guest appearances

Gwendolyn Mok

Wee Chats With Brilliant People | Sport Psychology | Mental Training

The 7th Avenue Project

Steven Pinker

Allyson Hobbs

Jon Mooallem

Robert Sapolsky

Wes Moore

David Harrington

Laura Kipnis

Rick Doblin

Orson Welles

John Hodgman

Richard Ford

Garry Shandling

Kumail Nanjiani

Nore Davis

Brian Greene

OwlTail

Gwendolyn Mok may have flunked her first Juilliard audition at the age of 5, but that was just a speed bump en route to a distinguished recording and concert career. Gwen sees herself as a kind of medium, doing her best to channel the spirit and intentions of composers such as Brahms, Mendelssohn, Saint-Saëns, and particularly Ravel. Her brand of originalism extends to playing historic pianos like those the composers themselves knew and wrote for, and Gwen demonstrated with some exquisite renditions on an 1868 Erard and 1871 Streicher as we talked about her life as a student, performer and teacher. Also discussed: her school days with Yo Yo Ma, apprenticing with Ravel's last living student, performing with Astor Piazzolla, driving the Silk Road in a 1940 Chevy, making mistakes in concert, and the best place to listen to a piano.

Gwendolyn Mok: Pianist and Musical Medium