We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Brian Woods a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Brian, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

I released my debut album “Wanderings” last year on the GRAMMY-winning Navona label, and I can safely say this project was the most meaningful of my career thus far. I was particularly inspired by the struggles of the outsider, motivated by the war in Ukraine but also the history of artists without a home in classical music. Frédéric Chopin is an easy example of a “homeless” composer, having fled his native Poland as a child and frequently writing that his greatest regret in life was his inability to return home. The bulk of the album was made up of Chopin’s Ballades, alongside works by women composers.

Recording the album meant a lot to me as an artist, not just through its extramusical associations, but in the act of recording itself. Recording is a very tough process, one that leaves many young classical musicians frustrated and jaded after years of auditions and competitions. Creating “Wanderings” was an act of liberation for me. I felt such freedom to work at my own pace and interpret these masterworks from my perspective, while staying true to the spirit of the composers.

The cherry on top of all this was that “Wanderings” was one of the label’s most successful releases last year, placing on top classical playlists on both Spotify and Apple Music, as well as being streamed all over the world by thousands of listeners.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a classical concert pianist, performing solo recitals, concertos (solos with orchestra), and chamber music (small groups of instruments). The repertoire I play can range anywhere from Beethoven and Rachmaninoff to new compositions by living composers and music by underrepresented artists. When on tour, I present programs of captivating solo piano music, often paired with educational components like pre-concert lectures and school visits.

My past seasons have included concerts in Los Angeles, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Toronto, and Dublin, Ireland. My 2024/25 Season also featured a debut as soloist with the North Carolina Symphony in Raleigh. I am proud of how my performance career is developing, and I look forward to bringing my music to as many listeners as possible in the future.

In St. Louis, I am Music Director for Classical Programming at the World Chess Hall of Fame, one of the premier institutions for chamber music in Missouri. We present monthly concerts of classical music at the highest caliber, including collaborations with musicians from the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. Concerts frequently sell out weeks in advance, and we have quickly become one of the hottest tickets in St. Louis for fans of classical music in an intimate setting.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I think the story of any solo pianist is a story of resilience. There is a lot of patience involved, as well as faith in your artistry and ability to connect with audiences in such a way that you can build a career around it. When I moved back to the States in 2021 from Canada, I really did not have a lot waiting for me in terms of performances, not to mention navigating what was left of the COVID-19 pandemic.

For whatever reason, I was very motivated to persist in my pursuit of a concert career, which meant managing myself for a while – creating promotional materials, writing newsletters, making recordings at home, reaching out to presenters, etc. I work with an agent based in New York now and I can safely say that things are progressing beautifully, but it took that year or so of persistence to make that happen. Artists must take their career into their own hands, and never rely on one agent or record label to make things happen for them. If you believe in your art, it just feels natural to spread the word.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I believe in the power of narrative – I was a bit of a theater kid growing up and have somehow merged that life into my work as a classical musician. I came to realize that the great thing about classical music is that there often is no definite story to a piece of instrumental music, there are no words and no specific set of emotions. Audiences can interpret the music however they like, and I am often amazed when listeners approach me after concerts to describe how a particular piece moved them in a unique way. These experiences drive a great deal of my mission, uniting audiences through the collective power of storytelling without any particular agenda.

I also believe that no one should feel dumb around classical music. While there is a lot of history behind this music, and there are certainly extra bits to appreciate when you know more about the composers or their world, I strive to present concerts that meet people where they are. Live concerts are an especially valuable human experience, because we all come from different backgrounds but find common ground in listening to music together. In today’s fragmented world, I find nothing more worthwhile.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.brianwoodspianist.com
• Instagram: @brianwoodspianist
• Facebook: @brianwoodspianist
• Twitter: @bwoodspiano
• Youtube: @brianwoodspianist