The Euterpean Podcast

Jordan Christianson is a pianist and teacher living and working in Chicago, IL. He primarily performs in the jazz idiom, but enjoys playing and teaching in a variety of styles. Since 2016 he has been a member of The Well-Balanced Pianist community. He began Taubman Approach studies with Anna Reiser, and continues to study and apprentice with Teresa Dybvig. He enjoys helping those who have also fou...

For this episode I had the very special honour of talking with jazz pianist and composer, Darius Brubeck. We discuss myriad topics including Darius' musical upbringing, his time in South Africa, how he improvises and thinks about jazz, his current projects, as well as the current situation in Ukraine and its cultural similarities with the Cold War. Darius' website: https://www.dariusbrub...

For this episode I had the honour of welcoming back Professor John Salmon. John was one of my first guests on the podcast, so it’s such a pleasure to have him on again. This time, our conversation is all about improvisation. We explore jazz and classical improv, harmony, modes, melody, the difference between composing, improvising and inventing, and everything in between. This is of course a conve...

Welcome to the Euterpean Podcast, this is your host Zachary Davies. For this episode, I welcome Mattia Aisemberg, a music student from Berlin. It was really great to meet him, to talk about his interests in music, from Schoenberg to Jazz, as well as his experience as a student today in Germany. Mattia also has an impressive YouTube channel, which explores musical topics in incredible depth. I’ve a...

Welcome to the Euterpean Podcast, this is your host Zachary Davies. I’m delighted to welcome for the first episode of this season, pianist Zsolt Bognár. It was such a pleasure to have this conversation with him. We explore a range of topics from Schubert and Liszt, to piano playing and injury, to his award-winning show “Living the Classical Life.” I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I en...

Welcome to the Euterpean Podcast, this is your host Zachary Davies. For this episode I welcome pianist, writer, and professor at Trinity Laban Penelope Roskell. Her most recent book, The Complete Pianist, is a must-read for piano students everywhere; for me, to quote a Chopin student, it has made what was once insurmountable, natural and easy. Our conversation covers healthy technique and natural...

Welcome to the Euterpean Podcast, this is your host Zachary Davies. For this episode, I had the privilege of speaking to a remarkable guest – conductor, teacher, and founder of both the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra and the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra – Mr. Benjamin Zander. When writing this introduction, it was really hard to know where to start because Ben’s influence on my own music-mak...

In this episode, I had the great pleasure of welcoming Tiffany Poon, an exceptionally talented concert pianist based in New York, with well over a quarter of a million subscribers on YouTube. Our conversation explores her introduction to classical music and her journey studying the piano – from a toy instrument to the Juilliard School. We touch upon other topics too, such as the music of Robert Sc...

In this episode, I had the privilege of welcoming Wigmore Hall's executive and artistic director, John Gilhooly. We discuss the importance of live music, the digitisation of the concert hall, the impact of Brexit and the coronavirus pandemic on the performing arts, as well as how he chooses concert programmes and commissions works by contemporary composers. Certainly a wide-ranging conversati...

In this episode, I welcome pianist and singer-songwriter, the 4X winner of Hawaii's Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award, Maggie Herron. Maggie and I met in 2019, at the jazz-club Lewers Lounge in Hawaii, where she’s a resident musician. From the moment I entered the musical sanctuary, I was deeply impressed by the musicianship and artistry of all the players. And of course, being the jazzophile I am, I wa...

In this episode, I welcome King's College London lecturer and critic at the Guardian, Flora Willson. We discuss what it means to be a critic, its responsibilities, and the contrasts between criticism and academia: above all, with regard to aesthetic judgement. Support the show If you would like to support this podcast, consider becoming a patron on Patreon: simply click “support the show.”  F...

In this episode, I had the immense joy of welcoming UNC piano professor John Salmon. John is recognised globally as one of the foremost authorities on the classical music of Dave Brubeck. This is due not only to his brilliant recordings of Brubeck’s pieces, but to his decades-long professional relationship with the jazz legend: acting as editor, arranger, musical confidant of sorts, not to mention...

In this episode, I welcome award-winning composer, oboist and educator, Samuel Andreyev. We dissect each part of the title: from his experience as a composer living in France, to posting educational videos on YouTube. Our conversation is followed by Jana Luksts performance of SA's hypnotic Piano Piece No. IV. Hope you enjoy! Zach Support the show If you would like to support this podcast, con...

In this episode, I am joined by award-winning composer and pianist Kristina Arakelyan. We discuss Kristina’s experience in academia - as well as her current PhD thesis - and her philosophy behind composition. Our conversation is followed by Srdan Bulat's performance of her 'Fantasia', a piece for solo classical guitar. I hope you enjoy! Zach Support the show If you would like to sup...

In this episode, I am joined by Jessica Peng, an English Literature student from UCL, to discuss a vast list of issues and topics in both Literature and Music. I hope you enjoy! Zach Support the show If you would like to support this podcast, consider becoming a patron on Patreon: simply click “support the show.”  For more information about the podcast or to enquire about lessons in the Taubman Ap...