Dennis Korn: Composing Emotion, One Piano Piece at a Time
We are delighted to announce that Dennis Korn will be joining us for Piano Revenge Vienna this October, gracing our stage as one of this year’s featured participants. With his deeply emotional and introspective piano compositions, Dennis brings a rare sincerity to contemporary piano music – one that resonates far beyond the concert hall.
Born near Frankfurt am Main, Dennis Korn is a German pianist, composer, and producer whose ambition is simple yet powerful: that anyone, anywhere in the world, associates the name “Dennis Korn” with piano music. After completing his musical education, he embarked on a career as a composer and producer, exploring a wide range of genres. A talented multi-instrumentalist, he has performed as both a pianist and guitarist on numerous stages, while also directing several pop and gospel choirs – sharing his passion for music with diverse audiences.
In 2020, Dennis began releasing his own piano compositions, and his neo-classical and neo-romantic pieces quickly found a global audience. Through his piano videos, he built a warm and dedicated community across social media – a space where listeners from around the world connect through his music. To date, he has released multiple albums, both on his own label and in collaboration with renowned piano labels. In 2024, he unveiled his most ambitious project yet: The Year, a cycle of 36 neo-classical works spread across 12 months, accompanied by original artwork that adds a visual dimension to the musical journey.
In the interview below, he shares his musical journey, his inspirations, and what it means to him to perform in a city with such a rich musical heritage. We are proud to welcome him to Piano Revenge Vienna and look forward to the unforgettable atmosphere he will create on our stage.
PRM: “Every pianist has a unique story of how they first fell in love with the instrument. Could you share a bit about your musical journey? What first drew you to the piano, and who or what has been the most significant influence on your development as an artist?”
Music has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I started playing the piano as a child, and from the very beginning, I felt a special connection to the instrument. My grandmother played an important role in introducing me to music and encouraging me to take piano lessons. Looking back, I am deeply grateful for that, because the piano became much more than just an instrument – it became a space where I could express emotions that words often couldn’t capture.
As a child, I spent countless hours immersed in classical music, and I realized very early on that music would always be a part of my life. Whenever I sat at the piano, I could completely lose myself in the sound. It felt almost healing – and that feeling has never truly left me. Over the years, I have worked as a musician, teacher, choir director, producer, and songwriter, exploring many different musical styles before eventually focusing on my own piano compositions.
In terms of artistic influences, Johann Sebastian Bach had a profound impact on me. His music accompanied me throughout my childhood and taught me so much about structure, expression, and beauty. Later, contemporary composers such as Ludovico Einaudi, Nils Frahm, Ólafur Arnalds, Yann Tiersen, and Philip Glass deeply inspired me. What I admire about these artists is their ability to create emotional worlds with relatively simple musical language. That idea has influenced my own music tremendously.
Today, when I compose, I don’t start with theory or concepts – I start with feelings. My music is rooted in emotions, memories, nature, and the small moments that make life meaningful. If listeners tell me that a piece has touched them, comforted them, or helped them through a difficult time, then I feel I have achieved what music is truly about.
PRM: “Your work as a pianist and composer is deeply personal. Could you tell us about the artistic journey behind the pieces you will be performing at Piano Revenge Days? What emotions or stories are you hoping to share with the audience through your piano art?”
The pieces I will be performing at Piano Revenge Days are very personal to me because they reflect different chapters of my life, emotions, and experiences. I rarely compose with a specific story in mind. Instead, my music usually begins with a feeling – a moment of reflection, a memory, a sense of longing, hope, gratitude, or even uncertainty. I sit at the piano and allow those emotions to guide me, and the music develops naturally from there.
Many of my compositions are inspired by nature, human connection, and the quieter moments of life that often go unnoticed. I think we live in a very fast-paced world, and through my music I try to create a space where people can slow down, breathe, and reconnect with themselves. The piano has always been a place of honesty for me, and I hope that honesty can be felt by the audience.
What I love most about instrumental music is that it leaves room for personal interpretation. Even though every piece comes from my own emotional world, listeners often discover their own stories within the music. Someone may hear a piece as hopeful, while another person may experience nostalgia or comfort. I think that’s one of the most beautiful aspects of piano music – it creates a connection without needing words.
For Piano Revenge Days, I hope to take the audience on an emotional journey that moves between stillness and intensity, between introspection and optimism. My goal is not only to perform notes but to create an atmosphere where people can feel something genuine. If someone leaves the concert feeling inspired, comforted, or simply more connected to their own emotions, then the performance has achieved exactly what I hope music can do.
Ultimately, my music is an invitation to pause for a moment and remember that even in our busiest lives, there is beauty in silence, emotion, and human connection. That’s the story I hope to share through my piano art.
PRM: “Piano Revenge Festival is a unique, hundred percent independent event that brings together artists and audiences in intimate, rare and beautiful settings. What drew you to this project? What do you find special about being part of a festival where the focus is purely on art, community, and the love of piano music?”
For me, it was already a wonderful experience last time to meet all the international pianists in person – people I had previously known mainly through social media. Being able not only to perform my own concert, but also to listen to the music of the other artists, sit together afterwards, have meaningful conversations, and perhaps even build new friendships, is one of the most beautiful aspects beyond the concerts themselves.
I think that’s what makes this festival so special. It’s not only about the performances on stage, but also about the community that forms around them. The opportunity to exchange ideas with fellow musicians from different countries, share experiences, and simply spend time together creates memories that go far beyond the music itself.
I believe I will stay for all days of the festival again this time, because I don’t want to miss any of those moments. For me, being part of Piano Revenge is not just about performing – it’s about being part of a unique community brought together by a shared love of piano music.
PRM: “Vienna is a city with an unparalleled musical legacy – from Mozart and Beethoven to the modern avant-garde. What does performing in the heart of the Innere Stadt, just steps from the Hofburg Palace, mean to you personally? How does the spirit of Vienna influence your music or your approach to this performance?”
I have only been to Vienna once before as a tourist, and I have always dreamed of performing a concert there. As a pianist, it is especially exciting because of the city’s extraordinary musical history. So many important influences originated there, and Vienna has shaped the development of classical music like few other places in the world.
What I find particularly fascinating is that many musical elements that emerged in Vienna continue to influence music today. For example, some of my own compositions still contain traces of the Viennese waltz rhythm. It’s remarkable that a musical style with roots going back centuries can still resonate with modern audiences and even become popular on platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
For me, performing in Vienna feels like connecting the past with the present. It’s a chance to bring my own contemporary piano music to a city that has inspired generations of composers and musicians, and that makes the experience even more meaningful.
PRM: “Looking beyond this October, what are the dreams or projects that are currently inspiring you? Is there a particular composition you hope to complete, a collaboration you are dreaming of, or a musical boundary you are eager to explore next?”
At the moment, I am continuing to release new and contemporary piano music. Of course, I am very grateful that my music is being listened to so widely around the world. But what I would love to encourage even more is for people to actually play my music themselves.
Knowing that pianists across the globe are sitting at their pianos with my sheet music in front of them is something that truly fills my heart. For me as a composer, that may be an even greater feeling than simply knowing that my music is being streamed or heard. It means that people are engaging with the music on a deeper level and making it part of their own musical journey.
In fact, that was one of the reasons I started publishing my piano music in the first place. Before focusing on my own compositions, I worked as a piano teacher, and I noticed that students almost always wanted to play the same four or five well-known pieces. At some point I thought to myself: why not create music that offers a similar emotional connection and accessibility, but with a fresh and contemporary voice?
Since then, I have been passionate about writing pieces that people not only enjoy listening to, but also genuinely enjoy playing. For me, music becomes something truly special when it leaves the recording and finds its way onto the piano stands of musicians around the world.
Welcome to VIA – Piano & Arts Center, the stage where Piano Revenge Days Vienna 2026 begins its next chapter.
Vienna | 16-17 October 2026 🎟️ Tickets & Info: https://pianorevengedaysvienna.rsvpify.com/
