Stories from Under the Piano

Craig Addy
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Welcome to 'Stories from Under the Piano'. In each episode, a guest shares a personal story, and Craig responds with a spontaneous piano piece that evokes the emotions and mood of their story. I'm Craig Addy, your host. I'm the Musician Who Listens to the Listener. This podcast offers a glimpse into the world of 'Under the Piano', an immersive musical experience I've been providing since 2009. Over 1,000 people have discovered comfort, connection, and healing through these sessions, featuring several original compositions that capture the essence of their personal stories. My mission is to connect, comfort, and inspire through the universal language of music. Thank you for joining me on this journey.

  1. 02/28/2025

    Dancing with Porpoises – Stephen Paré's Story of Wonder on the Open Sea

    What happens when you find yourself on a boat in the middle of the foggy Pacific, searching for birds—but instead, you become the audience to an astonishing dance of nature? In this episode of Stories from Under the Piano, multidisciplinary artist Stephen Paré shares a breathtaking memory from his university days. As he sailed through Monterey Bay on an ornithology field trip, he expected to see rare birds. Instead, he witnessed something extraordinary—two Dall's porpoises playfully racing alongside the boat, performing a synchronized, awe-inspiring maneuver that left the entire crew speechless. We explore the emotional arc of Stephen's experience—starting with exhaustion and disinterest, moving into a moment of pure connection with nature, and ending in a collective sense of wonder. After the story, I transform it into an improvised piano composition, capturing the fog, the sun breaking through, and the joy of the porpoises' dance. Stephen also shares insights into his creative world, from his digital paintings to his upcoming VR and in-person art exhibitions. He discusses his passion for Venice, his work on a new book, and even his inspiring decision to apply for graduate school in music at age 70! Join us for a conversation filled with beauty, reflection, and artistic inspiration—and of course, a one-of-a-kind piano piece composed in the moment. Learn more about Stephen Paré Website: http://www.stephenpare.art Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/verbonnet/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephen.pare.9 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-paré-a305131b/ 🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/stories-from-under-the-piano/id1765817179 Craig's Websites: https://craigaddy.com https://www.UnderThePiano.ca

    31 min

  2. 02/11/2025

    Rebirth and Resilience: Steve Honyotski's Journey Through Trauma and Healing

    Life can change in an instant. For Steve Honyotski, a car accident turned into a 321-day battle for survival, involving multiple comas, 14 surgeries, and over 100 pints of blood. In this deeply moving episode, Steve shares his extraordinary journey of resilience, gratitude, and the profound realization that life's simplest moments—feeling the sun on your face, walking, eating—are gifts not to be taken for granted. Through his experience, Steve found a new purpose: advocating for blood donation, the very thing that saved his life. Now, as an organizer of multiple blood drives each year, he is dedicated to ensuring others receive the same life-saving gift he once did. Craig listens to Steve's incredible story and then creates a spontaneous, heartfelt piano composition capturing its emotional depth. From tragedy to transformation, this episode is a testament to the human spirit and the power of community. How to donate blood: Canada: https://www.blood.ca/en USA: Red Cross Blood Donation Listen or watch and be inspired: 🎥 Video: YouTube 🍎 Apple: Apple Podcasts 🎵 Spotify: Spotify Craig's Websites: 🌐 CraigAddy.com 🌐 UnderThePiano.ca

    55 min

  3. 01/28/2025

    Surviving the Invisible: Gabrielle Senza's Life-Changing Brush with Death

    In this episode of Stories from Under the Piano, Craig welcomes multidisciplinary artist, educator, and empowerment coach Gabrielle Senza. Gabrielle's award-winning work, featured in prestigious collections like MoMA and the Whitney Museum, highlights the transformative power of art to heal, inspire, and create meaningful change. Gabrielle shares a gripping and deeply personal story of survival—an unintentional brush with death caused by carbon monoxide poisoning during her teenage years. She reflects on how this pivotal moment transformed her perspective on life, inspiring her to embrace bold choices and live with purpose. The story is layered with curiosity, fear, determination, and a profound commitment to making every moment count. Through Gabrielle's emotional journey, we hear about her creative and activist pursuits, including her work empowering others through art, advocating for environmental and social justice, and fostering connection through her Invisibility Laband Terraluna projects. Following Gabrielle's story, Craig improvises a unique piano composition inspired by her experience—a musical translation of the emotions, transitions, and revelations she shares. Gabrielle also provides insight into her current projects, including a 23-part musical score and her environmental activism, encouraging listeners to take creative and meaningful action in their own lives. Learn more about Gabrielle Senza of Gabrielle Senza Studio: Instagram: @gabriellesenzastudio LinkedIn: Gabrielle Senza YouTube: The Thriving Creative Listen or watch and be inspired: 🎥 Video: https://www.youtube.com/@CraigAddy/podcasts 🍎 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/stories-from-under-the-piano/id1765817179 🎵 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2JUZptAtHFgMZlnbmpitbp?si=8efd4da9cd5b4083 Craig's Websites: https://craigaddy.com https://www.UnderThePiano.ca

    52 min

  4. 01/07/2025

    The Best Bad Thing That Ever Happened: Jill Arena's Story of Reinvention

    In this episode of Stories from Under the Piano, Jill Arena shares a deeply personal and transformative story about the unexpected turn that changed her life—and ultimately set her on a path to greater success and fulfillment. Jill, a dynamic healthcare executive, author, podcaster, and entrepreneur, takes us back to 2009 when she was fired from a business she co-founded—a cutting-edge primary care clinic designed to transform patient care. What began as a bold and innovative venture turned into an abrupt ending, leaving her reeling with shock, anger, and uncertainty. Through heartfelt reflections, Jill walks us through the emotions of loss, fear, and indignation—and how she ultimately channeled those feelings into building Health e Practices, a thriving consulting company. Jill now helps physicians master the business side of their practices while also empowering leaders through her nonprofit initiative, the Physician Leadership Project. Craig captures the essence of Jill's journey in a spontaneous piano composition that mirrors the arc of excitement, despair, resilience, and triumph. It's a story of personal growth and the unexpected gifts that emerge from life's challenges. Listen in for inspiration, and discover how setbacks can lead to breakthroughs. Learn more about Jill Arena of Health e Practices Website: https://healtheps.com Medical Money Matters podcast: https://healtheps.com/podcasts/ Listen or watch and be inspired: 🎥 Video: https://www.youtube.com/@CraigAddy/podcasts 🍎 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/stories-from-under-the-piano/id1765817179 🎵 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2JUZptAtHFgMZlnbmpitbp?si=8efd4da9cd5b4083 Craig's Websites: https://craigaddy.com https://www.UnderThePiano.ca

    31 min

  5. 12/10/2024

    A Story of Strength and Support: Peaches Udoma's Open-Heart Journey

    In this powerful episode of Stories from Under the Piano, Craig sits down with Peaches Udoma, a trailblazing academic writer, editor, communication strategist, and coach who has spent decades empowering others to achieve their dreams. Peaches shares a deeply personal story about her battle with severe aortic valve stenosis, a diagnosis that led her to open-heart surgery at the age of 61. Peaches takes us through her family's cardiac history, the fear of facing her own diagnosis, and how a major reframe turned her greatest anxiety—the ventilator—into her unexpected ally. She recounts her preparation for surgery, her gratitude for medical professionals, and the love and support of her friends and family. Peaches' courage, humor, and determination shine through as she reflects on her recovery and how this experience gave her a renewed sense of life, love, and purpose. Craig's spontaneous piano composition captures the essence of Peaches' journey, from the gravity of her diagnosis to the joy and resilience that carried her through. This musical tribute evoked memories of her healing process, bringing to life the determination she embodied in her months of preparation and her ultimate triumph over fear. Stick around after the story as Peaches talks about her passion for coaching and her work with the Wealth and Impact Bootcamp. You'll also hear her heartfelt endorsement of Craig's "Under the Piano" experience and how it has brought meaning to her life. Learn more about Peaches Udoma of Wealth and Impact Bootcamp: 🌐 Website 💼 LinkedIn Listen or watch and be inspired: 🎥 Video: https://www.youtube.com/@CraigAddy/podcasts 🍎 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/stories-from-under-the-piano/id1765817179 🎵 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2JUZptAtHFgMZlnbmpitbp?si=8efd4da9cd5b4083 Craig's Websites: https://craigaddy.com https://www.UnderThePiano.ca

    32 min

  6. 11/19/2024

    Connecting with Nature: A Journey of Love, Stewardship, and Letting Go with Susan Kaplan

    In this episode of Stories from Under the Piano, I sit down with the inspiring Susan Kaplan, founder of Sustainable Futures Consulting. Susan shares her deep connection to nature, cultivated from childhood through mossy forests and oceanic horizons, and how it evolved into a spiritual journey during her life on a 43-acre property in New Hampshire. We explore her touching story of stewardship, her bond with her beloved dog, Libby, and the bittersweet process of saying goodbye to the land she's nurtured. As always, I create a unique piano composition inspired by her journey, capturing emotions of wonder, love, joy, and the poignant experience of letting go. 🌿 Discover the importance of connecting with nature and the role of sustainability in our lives, as Susan shares insights from her work and her personal experiences. 🎧 Listen to the full episode and experience the magic of Susan's story and the music it inspired: Audio: https://bit.ly/Stories-from-Under-the-Piano-v2 YouTube Video: https://www.youtube.com/@CraigAddy/podcasts Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/stories-from-under-the-piano/id1765817179 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2JUZptAtHFgMZlnbmpitbp?si=8efd4da9cd5b4083 Connect with Susan Kaplan: Website: https://sfc-services.com LinkedIn (Personal): https://www.linkedin.com/in/sskaplan/ LinkedIn (Company): https://www.linkedin.com/company/sustainable-futures-consulting Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/susan.s.kaplan.75 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sustainablefuturesconsulting/

    40 min

  7. 11/05/2024

    Reclaiming the Dance of Life with Kristen Mangione, the Dance Alchemist

    In this inspiring episode of Stories from Under the Piano, I sit down with Kristen Mangione, also known as the Dance Alchemist. Kristen shares a powerful story from her childhood, where the innocence of dance met the harshness of judgment, leading her to abandon her true self-expression. Years later, she found the courage to embrace her passion once more, leading to a lifelong journey of helping others reconnect with the power of movement through her practice, Dance Alchemy for the Soul. Join us as Kristen recounts the impact of reclaiming her creative identity and the resilience it takes to overcome fear and rediscover joy. As a unique feature of this podcast, I create an original piano composition inspired by Kristen's journey—a musical reflection of her emotional journey from childhood to empowerment. This episode is a heartfelt exploration of healing, expression, and the art of transformation through dance. Mentioned in This Episode: Kristen's upcoming project, Chance to Dance, available online for all who wish to reconnect with movement. Visit givemedance.com to learn more. Follow Kristen on Instagram at @thedancealchemist for updates on her transformative workshops and classes. Key Takeaways: The importance of self-expression and reconnecting with childhood joy. Overcoming the fear of judgment to fully embrace one's creative self. The transformative power of Dance Alchemy as a form of inner healing and movement meditation.   Other places to listen or see Stories from Under the Piano Podcast Video: https://www.youtube.com/@CraigAddy/podcasts Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/stories-from-under-the-piano/id1765817179 Spotify Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/2JUZptAtHFgMZlnbmpitbp?si=8efd4da9cd5b4083

    27 min

  8. 10/15/2024

    Soaring Beyond Fear with Ruth Wishengrad

    In this episode of Stories from Under the Piano, Craig Addy is joined by Ruth Wishengrad, founder of Upbeats Media and Get Reel Videos. With over 30 years of experience in education and video production, Ruth shares how she helps entrepreneurs create engaging content that truly connects with their audiences. She also reveals her passion for working with children and parents to build confidence from the inside out using music and movement. Ruth takes us on an emotional journey, sharing a powerful story about overcoming fear during an Outward Bound experience and how, years later, a chance encounter with a top hang glider pilot helped her rewrite that fearful memory with a sense of freedom and exhilaration. Ruth's tale of soaring—both literally and figuratively—reminds us how we can release past fears and embrace new perspectives on life. Following the story, Craig composes a spontaneous piano piece that captures the emotional highs and lows of Ruth's adventure, transforming her story into music. Connect with Ruth: Ruth is passionate about helping both adults and children gain confidence through creativity. Learn more about her work and the services she offers by visiting her websites below: Upbeats Media: https://upbeatsmedia.com Get Reel Videos: https://getreelvideos.com   Learn more about Craig Addy's work and Under the Piano: Craig's Websites   https://craigaddy.com   https://www.underthepiano.ca Social Media & Everything Else   https://direct.me/craigaddy   Stories from Under the Piano Podcast Video: https://www.youtube.com/@CraigAddy/podcasts

    22 min
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About

Welcome to 'Stories from Under the Piano'. In each episode, a guest shares a personal story, and Craig responds with a spontaneous piano piece that evokes the emotions and mood of their story. I'm Craig Addy, your host. I'm the Musician Who Listens to the Listener. This podcast offers a glimpse into the world of 'Under the Piano', an immersive musical experience I've been providing since 2009. Over 1,000 people have discovered comfort, connection, and healing through these sessions, featuring several original compositions that capture the essence of their personal stories. My mission is to connect, comfort, and inspire through the universal language of music. Thank you for joining me on this journey.

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