Welcome to the Mada & Hugh Piano Duo Podcast, where we dive into the beautiful fusion of Romanian and Korean cultures through music, life, and love. Today, we’re exploring an unusual yet exciting topic: dating tips for Romanians and Koreans. Whether you’re currently dating or married, these tips can help enhance your relationship, drawing from our …

Welcome back to the Mada & Hugh Piano Duo Podcast. In this episode, we conclude our in-depth interview series with the illustrious collaborative pianist and professor Lambert Orkis from Temple University. In this final part, we delve into Lambert’s transition from a solo career to collaborative piano, his long-standing partnership with violinist An…

Welcome back to the Mada & Hugh Piano Duo Podcast. In this episode, we continue our engaging interview with the illustrious collaborative pianist and professor Lambert Orkis from Temple University. This is the second part of a three-part series where we delve into Professor Orkis's experiences post-graduation from the Curtis Institute of Music, his…

Welcome to another episode of the Mada & Hugh Piano Duo Podcast. Today, we're thrilled to bring you the first part of our interview with the esteemed collaborative pianist and professor, Lambert Orkis from Temple University. This interview, originally conducted last year, delves into the early life, musical beginnings, and career of Professor Orkis…

In our latest podcast episode, we had the pleasure of hosting the extraordinary Trio Casals. This ensemble features violinist Timothy Schwarz, cellist Ovidiu Marinescu, and pianist Madalina Dallina. Join us as we dive into their fascinating journey, musical experiences, and the unique dynamics that make Trio Casals a compelling force in the classic…

Join Madalina Danila and Hugh Sung in a heartfelt and exhilarating new episode of the Mada & Hugh Piano Duo Podcast. 🎶💑 From tying the knot to gearing up for grand performances, they share a cascade of personal and professional updates. 🔔 In This Episode: A New Beginning: Madalina and Hugh reveal their recent marriage and plans for a future celebra…

The Mada & Hugh Piano Duo, a renowned musical pair known for their virtuosic piano performances, recently gave fans a peek into their Halloween festivities. The duo shared a video tour of their beautifully decorated home, which was transformed into a spooky wonderland for the occasion. As part of the tour, Mada and Hugh revealed their elaborate hom…

In the vast universe of classical music, there's a unique kind of magic that emerges when two pianists collaborate, bringing to life the harmonious blend of four hands and two souls. One such collaboration that has caught the attention of the global music community is the Mada & Hugh Piano Duo. This dynamic duo has not only been creating ripples wi…

There's a certain magic that unfurls when two pianists share a musical space. This magic is evident in the harmonious interplay between Mada & Hugh, a celebrated piano duo that has captivated audiences and listeners with their virtuosic performances and insightful commentaries. As the curtains rise on the second season of their weekly podcast serie…

In our duo concerts, we love to include solo piano works whenever possible. For our recent recital at St. Mark Lutheran Church in Clifton Heights, we had the opportunity to share works by Chinese composer Chen Xun Pei - “Autumn Moon Over Peaceful Lake” - and by Romanian composer Paul Constantinescu, "Dobrudjan Dance". "Autumn Moon Over Peaceful Lak…

On April 26, 7:30 pm, Madalina will be performing the entire set of Makrokosmos, Book 1 by George Crumb at Rock Hall, Temple University. In this episode, Madalina demonstrates 6 of the 12 pieces from the set, performed as part of her New York City debut at the Romanian Cultural Institute earlier this month. Makrokosmos Book 1 is a composition by Am…

In this episode, Mada & Hugh perform Mozart's Sonata in D major for Piano 4-hands, K. 381. This sonata is a stunning example of the composer's mastery in creating intricate and expressive music for the keyboard. Composed in 1772, this sonata is one of Mozart's earliest works for piano duos and reflects his love for opera. In fact, Mozart's operatic…

We recently took a short vacation to Montauk, NY, home of the first lighthouse in the USA built by George Washington around 1690, and the Easternmost point in the States. Why visit a cold beach in March? This was thanks to the recommendation of Madalina's teacher, Dr. Sara Davis Buechner, who loves this spot for its isolation and simplicity. When y…

In this video, Mada & Hugh recreate the iconic "La Vie en rose" by Édith Piaf, arranged for piano 4-hands by Kyunghoon Kim. This beautiful arrangement will have you shedding tears of joy as you listen to Mada & Hugh's stunning renditions of this beloved classic. If you're a fan of Édith Piaf, then you need to check out this piano duo's performance …

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone! We continue our exploration of romantic music for the month of February with a world premiere performance of "Four Hands, One Heart" by Gary Schocker. Gary is one of the world's most prolific and published composers - Hugh first got to know Gary from playing his works for flute at piano with students at Curtis, and t…

We continue our February podcast episodes dedicated to love with this performance of "Habanera" Op. 65 by Moritz Moszkowski. Moszkowski was a German-Jewish pianist and composer who lived from 1854 to 1925. He was born in Breslau, Prussia (now Wrocław, Poland) and is known for his virtuosic piano compositions, which often blend elements of Spanish a…

Love is in the air! For the month of February, we are going to celebrate Valentine's Day with romantic works for piano 4-hands. In this episode, we share works by two French female composers - Mel. Bonis and Cecile Chaminade. Born in 1857, Chaminade began composing at an early age and went on to have a successful career, with her music being perfor…

Happy New Year Everyone! We kick off our 2023 season with a fiery rendition of Tico-Tico No Fuba by Zequinha De Abreu, arranged for piano 4 hands by Amaral Vieira. We were inspired by piano videos using the Synthesia app to show notes falling down onto the keyboard (see YouTuber Rousseau for example), and thought we'd try our hand at making one of …

https://madahugh.com/podcast Vince Guaraldi's iconic Peanuts music is a staple of holiday classics everywhere, and now you can experience it just the way Mada & Hugh do – piano duet style! In this performance of Linus & Lucy, the duo takes on the iconic song with a fun, festive twist – playing it with 4-hands on one piano! This piano duo performanc…

https://madahugh.com/podcast As the holiday season approaches, there is nothing quite like the sound of the Mada & Hugh Piano Duo playing "Christmas Time is Here" by Vince Guaraldi from the classic TV special "A Charlie Brown Christmas." First aired on December 9, 1965, "A Charlie Brown Christmas" quickly became a holiday staple, with its heartwarm…

https://madahugh.com You can probably tell by now that we are really kids at heart! One of our favorite TV specials as kids growing up was "A Charlie Brown Christmas". Legendary jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi created the iconic music for the show, which first aired on CBS on December 9, 1965, and we thought it would be a fun project to arrange some of…

S01-E10 - We are so excited to start a 4-part series welcoming the holidays with special 4-hand piano musical selections! In this episode, we start with a delightful work by Italian composer Ottorino Respighi titled "Noël d'enfant" (A Child's Christmas). We then play 2 selections from Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's holiday ballet suite, "The Nutcracker…

S01-E09 - In this episode, we explore a rarely heard/performed 4-hand piano concerto by the 19th century Czech/Viennese pianist and composer Leopold Koželuch (1747 - 1818). Koželuch was 9 years older than Mozart, and enjoyed a very successful career that shadowed Mozart's own, with the exception that he was much more financially successful, eventua…

Greg DiStefano is the grandson of John DiStefano, who founded The Victor Cafe in Philadelphia, a famous Italian restaurant where the waitstaff all sing operatic arias during dinner. In part 2 of Madalina's interview with Greg, they talk about how Greg came back to the family business after a career in computers, and what his hopes and dreams are fo…

S01-E07 - Greg DiStefano is the grandson of John DiStefano, who founded The Victor Cafe in Philadelphia, a famous Italian restaurant where the waitstaff all sing operatic arias during dinner. Madalina interviews Greg and explores the rich history of this remarkable mecca for music lovers. https://victorcafe.com/ https://madahugh.com…

https://madahugh.com/podcast In South Philadelphia, there is a special restaurant called The Victor Cafe, where the waitstaff sing opera arias while patrons enjoy a wonderful Italian meal. The Victor Cafe saw some of the world's most prominent musicians pass through their doors, and the walls of the restaurant are covered with their portraits. Earl…

https://madahugh.com/podcast S01-E05 - Happy Halloween Everyone! In this episode, we play a spooky 4-hand piano version of Saint-Saëns' "Danse Macabre", arranged by Australian pianist & composer Wendy Hiscocks. This piece has been featured in pop culture and Disney cartoons and is a must-listen for the Halloween season. The Mada & Hugh Piano Duo Po…

https://madahugh.com/podcast S01-E04 - In this episode, we share our love for our favorite city in the world: New York. And what better artist to celebrate New York with than Billy Joel? We wrote a 4-hand piano arrangement of "Lullabye", written for his daughter who asked what happens after we die? We wanted to incorporate aspects of a lullaby in t…

https://madahugh.com/podcast S01-E03 - We continue our discussion about extended piano techniques with "Sabre Dance" by Aram Khatchaturian, fabulously arranged for piano 4-hands by Greg Anderson from the Anderson & Roe piano duo. We show various ways of playing "glissando", which is a technique for rapidly sliding on the piano. And since the piano …

S01-E02 - One of the best things about being a piano duo is exploring all the ways a piano can be played and the special tools that help us extend our musical capabilities. In this episode, we explore extended piano techniques with a mysterious piece by Turkish pianist/composer Fazil Say, "Winter Morning in Istanbul", where we use window squeegees …

https://madahugh.com S01-E01 - Mada & Hugh is a new piano duo comprised of Romanian-born pianist Madalina Danila and Curtis alumni Hugh Sung. In this premiere episode, we introduce ourselves and explore the question posed by the love theme from the 1978 movie "Superman", "Can You Read My Mind?" Piano duets are among the most challenging forms of mu…

Temple University’s Music Preparatory Division, or “Temple Music Prep” for short, is a program located in the heart of center city, Philadelphia, that provides high quality, non-credit music and dance instruction, and related activities to the Community on behalf of the Boyer College of Music and Dance, and Temple University at-large. World-renowne…

Jeff Russo was one of the two founding members of the rock band “Tonic”, perhaps best known for their number one hit in the 90s, “If You Could Only See”. Nowadays, Jeff is in demand as a TV and film composer, having scored music for hit shows like “Fargo”, “American Gothic”, and can currently be heard on the new FX Marvel series, “Legion”. Welcome …

David Hart is the developer of the G4 Guitar Method, a method based on his two decades of teaching and opening schools throughout Australia. David’s G4 method not only teaches students the 7 essential skills of guitar playing - it also teaches teachers how to become entrepreneurs and open their own schools, as evidenced by the 50 franchises of the …

Carol Jantsch became the first female tuba player to win a major symphony orchestra position while she was still a senior attending the University of Michigan back in 2006. In addition to her duties as principal tuba of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Carol has been active as a tuba soloist, appearing in recital and in concerto settings with orchestras…

Sara Davis Buechner has been hailed by The New York Times for her “intelligence, integrity and all-encompassing technical prowess”. As one of the leading keyboard artists of our time, Sara has an active repertoire of over 100 piano concertos and has appeared with prominent orchestras all over the world. Sara was recently appointed to the piano facu…

Sam Rao is a multi-discipline musician, entrepreneur, and developer of Practicia, an innovative app platform that helps students and teachers make practicing more fun and productive. As a musician, Sam studied composition and conducting at Oberlin Conservatory and the Aspen Festival. As an entrepreneur, he co-founded his own music school which grew…

Roger Ideishi is the Director of Occupational Therapy at Temple University in Philadelphia. He has worked to provide community access and opportunities for children with diverse sensory and cognitive abilities. Roger has worked with such arts organizations as the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Pittsburgh Symphony, the Philadelphia Ball…

Eleanor Sokoloff has been teaching piano at The Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia since 1936. At the ripe young age of 102, she shows no sign of slowing down. Some of her most esteemed students have included the likes of Keith Jarrett, Lambert Orkis, Susan Starr, Leon McCawley, Meng-Chieh Liu, and countless others. This year, Eleanor Sokolo…

Steven Hackman is one of the most exciting hybrid classical and pop artists on the scene today. Steve has worked extensively with the hit classical crossover group, Time for Three, writing several of their unique arrangements, and is currently the Creative Director of FUSE at the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Music Director of the 'Mash-Up' series…

Chad Seiter has composed and produced original music for several major Hollywood franchises such as Star Trek, Fringe, and Lost. He is also Composer, Music Director and Associate Executive Producer for Pokémon: Symphonic Evolutions and The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses touring concert series performing symphonic arrangements of classic…

At the age of 12, Mimi Stillman was the youngest wind player ever to be accepted for studies at The Curtis Institute of Music with the legendary flutist Julius Baker. Now, Mimi is not only a world renowned flute soloist, but she is also the founder and artistic director of the Dolce Suono chamber music ensemble, as well as an author, arranger, teac…

Joseph Conyers is a remarkable musician, educator, and civic leader. In 2007, Ebony magazine named him one of ‘30 Leaders 30 and under’. In addition to his position in the Philadelphia Orchestra, Joe is the Music Director for the School District of Philadelphia's All City music program, and founder of Project 440, an organization that provides high…

For 40 years, Tom Di Nardo has covered the Philadelphia arts scene through his articles in the Bulletin and the Philadelphia Daily News. Tom recently published two new books: “Listening To Musicians”, a compilation of interviews and reflections on the conductors, musicians and artists associated with The Philadelphia Orchestra, and “Performers Tell…

Alan Morrison is recognized as one of America's premier concert organists, performing in prestigious concert organ venues across the United States and in Canada, as well as in international festivals. Alan is currently the head of the organ department at The Curtis Institute of Music, and is a faculty member of Westminster Choir College and College…

Frederic Chiu is one of those renaissance polymath pianists for whom music is a prism for exploring life in its totality. From recording the entire oeuvre of Prokofiev’s piano literature to exploring the relationships between disparate cultures, interests in computer science and artificial intelligence, and even using the principles of cooking to e…

Pianists with small hands have to overcome considerable physical challenges in order to be able to play great literature for the piano. Oftentimes those challenges lead to muscle strain and even career-ending injuries. To address the unique needs of smaller hands, engineer and business owner David Steinbuhler collaborated with pianist Christopher D…

Kayhan Kalhor is one of the greatest living masters of the Kamancheh, a 3 or 4 stringed Persian spiked fiddle and ancient predecessor to the modern cello. Kayhan performs around the world extensively as a soloist and collaborator with a wide variety of musicians, including Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road ensemble. The kamancheh is an incredibly soulful,…

Hector Olivera was a child prodigy on the organ, having performed for the likes of Eva Perón, the first lady of Argentina, when he was only five. Hector has since become an international sensation, performing on all the great cathedral organs around the world, as well as embracing the possibilities of digital organs with his stunning live performan…

Seymour Lipkin was an esteemed faculty member of the Juilliard School and The Curtis Institute of Music. His understated persona coupled with a towering intellect resulted in a passionate fidelity to the composer’s intent on the score, as can be heard in his complete recordings of the Beethoven and Schubert piano sonatas. A longtime director of the…