(509) Pianists of Vail Dance Festival: Michael Scales, Derek Wang, Tony Yun, Joel Wenhardt

This episode was recorded live from the Vail Dance Festival on August 9th, 2026.

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In the final episode of our Vail Dance Festival series, Michael Sean Breeden is joined by guest co-host Kate Penner for a rare conversation with the festival's pianists: Michael Scales, Derek Wang, Tony Yun, Joel Wenhardt. Together they pull back the curtain on what most audiences never see: the musicians who make dance possible. They talk about how each of them found music in the first place, what it's actually like to collaborate with choreographers and dancers in the room, the tiny details that can make or break a piece, and some of their favorite moments from years of playing at Vail.

Conversations on Dance was the recipient of the 2024 Clive Barnes Award for Journalism and Media Achievement.

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