The Euterpean Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

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 found themselves on a journey to find more comfort, freedom, and expression at the piano.

Where to find Jordan:
https://pianowithoutpain.com
https://www.wellbalancedpianist.com/who-we-are/#jc

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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 Approach or composition, please email zacharydaviesmusic (at) gmail (dot) com or find me on X and Instagram @zdaviesmusic
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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.dariusbrubeck.com/

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 Approach or composition, please email zacharydaviesmusic (at) gmail (dot) com or find me on X and Instagram @zdaviesmusic
Thank you!

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.”

For more information about the podcast or to enquire about lessons in the Taubman Approach or composition, please email zacharydaviesmusic (at) gmail (dot) com or find me on X and Instagram @zdaviesmusic
Thank you!

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 the good friendship that they shared too. We discuss this music, its nature, its instrumental flexibility, as well as the composer’s approach to writing it. Not only have I been allowed to include some of John’s records (by the pianist), I’ve also been given access to a recording of a conversation that the two musicians had over dinner in Duisburg, Germany, 1994, which until this episode had never been shared publicly. I learnt a lot from this conversation: from Dave Brubeck’s music to jazz in general. 
EDIT: I have decided it is best not to include the recordings of the Brubeck compositions - legally, it was just too grey for me to be comfortable. However, the extracts of Dave and John's conversation will remain. Thank for your understanding.

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 Approach or composition, please email zacharydaviesmusic (at) gmail (dot) com or find me on X and Instagram @zdaviesmusic
Thank you!

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, 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 Approach or composition, please email zacharydaviesmusic (at) gmail (dot) com or find me on X and Instagram @zdaviesmusic
Thank you!

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 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 Approach or composition, please email zacharydaviesmusic (at) gmail (dot) com or find me on X and Instagram @zdaviesmusic
Thank you!

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 Approach or composition, please email zacharydaviesmusic (at) gmail (dot) com or find me on X and Instagram @zdaviesmusic
Thank you!

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 conversation that could last a lifetime; there’s so much to talk about. Nevertheless, I feel we covered much ground and I certainly learned a lot. I would also like to say that this is the first podcast episode I’ve done that has a video element; to view our conversation, check it out on YouTube.

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 Approach or composition, please email zacharydaviesmusic (at) gmail (dot) com or find me on X and Instagram @zdaviesmusic
Thank you!

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 attached a link below.

Recorded in July 2021

Mattia Aisemberg YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpY9ie_NHmROGwVVBXfjZUQ

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 Approach or composition, please email zacharydaviesmusic (at) gmail (dot) com or find me on X and Instagram @zdaviesmusic
Thank you!

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 enjoyed having it. 

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 Approach or composition, please email zacharydaviesmusic (at) gmail (dot) com or find me on X and Instagram @zdaviesmusic
Thank you!