Tiffany Poon’s new album, “Nature,” comes out November 7 via PENTATONE. It’s a collection of French works she selected herself, including pieces by Ravel, Debussy, Rameau, and Daquin. The recording took place at Miraval Studios in Provence with producer Damien Quintard, a studio that has also hosted artists like Pink Floyd and Sade. This session is built around exploring the textures and emotions that nature conveys and how French composers relay these impressions back to us.
What happens when a pianist chooses not just what to play, but how to frame the listening? The upcoming “Nature” follows her debut, “Diaries: Schumann,” which reached number one on Apple Music Classical and Billboard’s Traditional Classical Albums chart. That release brought in over nine million streams and found unexpected reach through a playlist for dogs. “Nature” moves in a different direction. It’s shaped by structure and tone rather than scale.
Three singles are already out: Daquin’s “Pièces de clavecin, Troisième Suite: I. Le Coucou,” Debussy’s “Deux arabesques, L. 66: Arabesque No. 1,” and, more recently, Saint-Saëns’ “Le Carnaval des animaux: XIII. Le Cygne (Arr. for Piano by Lucien Garban).”
“Le Cygne” (The Swan) is the 13th and penultimate movement of The Carnival of the Animals. The piece serves to highlight the ethereal, almost mythical beauty of the majestic bird it depicts, making it unsurprising that Tiffanychose it for this collection. It’s somewhat brief and often played for its lyrical charm, but Tiffany keeps it steady. Her phrasing is measured, transitions are smooth, and the weight stays centered and gives the swan the protagonism it deserves and has earned over the centuries.
Saint-Saëns reportedly feared The Carnival of the Animals would damage his reputation as a serious composer, so he restricted its public performance until after his death. “Le Cygne,” however, was the only movement he allowed to be published during his lifetime, perhaps recognizing its distinct character and enduring appeal, and as we see today, he was not wrong.
Tiffany’s audience includes listeners as well as a large online community. Her YouTube vlog has 330,000 subscribers, and her Instagram account reaches over 100,000 followers. She shares her process and thoughts without turning them into a performance in motion, transforming the intimate work of an avowed musician into a freely accessible journalistic endeavor of immeasurable value to music lovers and fellow musicians alike.
Tiffany was born in Hong Kong and moved to the United States as a child. Her mother, a flight attendant, supported her early training. Tiffany entered Juilliard’s pre-college program at age eight and studied with Emanuel Ax and Joseph Kalichstein. She has since performed internationally and built a reputation for precision and restraint.
She also founded Together with Classical, a nonprofit that supports music education and community engagement. The organization provides grants, interviews, and educational resources to help people connect with classical music in ways that are personal and sustainable.
Keep up with Tiffany Poon on Instagram and find tickets to her next concerts.
