Born in Hong Kong on 29 December 1996, pianist Tiffany Poon started lessons at the age of four and auditioned for Juilliard’s Pre-College when she was seven. After eight years on a full scholarship, she continued her education at Columbia University and Juilliard, studying with Emanuel Ax and Joseph Kalichstein. Poon made her concerto debut at the age of 10, and she participated in a long line of international piano competitions.
Tiffany Poon Plays Schumann’s Arabeske in C Major, Op. 18
New Paths
Tiffany Poon
Poon elected to study philosophy at Columbia University, taking a course on the relationship between humans and the arts and the impact of new technologies. As she recalled, “I felt like there was this dehumanising aspect of classical music because the people that wrote a lot of the core music are dead. So how do you connect with the music? With pop, pop artists are telling you what’s happening through the lyrics, and they’re there.”
Poon was looking for ways of using technology to enhance the human aspect in classical music since “Music is not about music, it’s about life.” By 2017 she was posting new videos on her YouTube channel on a weekly basis, and when she ran out of things to post, a viewer suggested vlogs. Since she had been watching a lot of vlogs during her junior and senior years, it all came very naturally.
Franz Joseph Haydn: Keyboard Sonata No. 62 in E-Flat Major, Hob.XVI: 52 (Tiffany Poon, piano)
Finding her Way
Poon admits that she was “definitely struggling at first, not knowing exactly what would be of interest to audiences.” Eventually, she decided to share insights of her life as a musician to essentially make classical music more human and approachable. “The super refinement of classical music always disengages people because it’s kind of scary. You have to be perfect,” she explained.
Eventually, Poon came up with a simple format where followers ask questions, and she responds. Viewers become part of her practice sessions, which include mistakes and daily struggles. And she adds remarks in a sidebar so people can follow her thoughts. There are also vlogs before recitals and concerts that take away all the glamour, and it invites people to identify with the performing artist. It’s a highly personal and spontaneous engagement, one that unfolds very naturally.
Tiffany Vlogs #128: Get Ready with Me!
Pandemic
The Covid-19 pandemic severely disrupted live performances, but Tiffany Poon turned this challenge into an opportunity. She embraced live-stream concerts and grew her YouTube following, which helped her maintain an income despite the lack of live bookings. She also used her platform for charitable causes, including fundraising for Doctors Without Borders and frontline workers. Her YouTube channel, Together with Classical, became a charitable organisation to support musicians in need.
As she explained in an interview with bachtrack.com, her social media success also came with challenges. During a Livestream, some zealous fans created controversy in the chat, leading to backlash from the classical music community, which values decorum. Poon acknowledges the tension between the classical world and the internet’s more boisterous culture. She certainly does not like being labelled an influencer but instead sees herself as a classical pianist.
Tiffany Poon Plays Chopin’s Barcarolle in F-sharp Major, Op. 60
Schumann and the Future
The pandemic also gave rise to her first solo album, focused solely on the music of Robert Schumann. For Poon, “Schumann’s music has had a deep personal connection, particularly during difficult and darker times.” She was drawn to Schumann’s expressive, ever-shifting moods and dualities, which resonated with her own experiences of growing up in Hong Kong and living in New York. “Choosing Schumann was a way to assert artistic identity and connect with audiences on a deeper level.”
Poon predicts an uncertain future of her success in classical music through social media, acknowledging that it’s unclear whether her online following will lead to a lasting interest in classical music or if her fans will eventually move on. Bringing passion and authenticity to her projects, Poon aims to revitalise classical music by engaging people through social media platforms. She strongly believes that technology will play a crucial role in the future of classical music, whether the industry embraces it or not.
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