"Sapiens: A Human History at the Piano" feat. Sean Hickey, Composer
About this episode
Composer Sean Hickey discusses his piano cycle inspired by Yuval Noah Harari’s book, exploring themes of humanity and music in a changing world.
Composer Sean Hickey joins The Piano Pod to discuss Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind — his monumental piano cycle inspired by Yuval Noah Harari’s bestselling book. From imagined orders and human cooperation to empire, biology, AI, and the future of artistic sustainability, this episode explores what it means to create — and remain human — in a rapidly changing world. Performed by pianist Vladimir Rumyantsev, Sapiens translates big philosophical questions into sound, structure, and silence. This conversation moves from macro-history to the deeply personal — from Detroit and electric guitar to leading major recording labels — and ultimately asks: What allows music to endure? 📺 Watch the 2/1/24 premiere of A Brief History of Humankind at Klavierhaus, NYC (Vladimir Rumyantsev) HERE 🎧 Listen to Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind for Solo Piano 📺 Watch the Trailer for Recorder Concerto “A Pacifying Weapon” (Recorder: Michala Petri | Royal Danish Academy of Music Concert Band | Jean Thorel) 📚 Read “Release Rationale, Why and Why Now” From Harari’s sweeping vision of human history to the realities of AI in today’s music industry, this episode centers on one enduring question…
People in this episode
Host: Yukimi Song
Guest: Sean Hickey
Topics covered
- human history
- piano music
- artistic sustainability
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Klavierhaus, Royal Danish Academy of Music
Books & works: Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, Recorder Concerto “A Pacifying Weapon”
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