It was so inspiring to have this conversation with the multi-talented singer-songwriter and pianist Vienna Teng .

In this episode we’re featuring the band Few of a Kind’s new album, a beautiful collaboration with Vienna, Brandon Ridenour, Ben Russell, Yousif Sheronick, and Andrew Gutauskas. Vienna takes us inside their creative process with excerpts from each track. She also reflects on what truly makes a great song, how her identity evolved with parenthood, and how she has connected with audiences through her climate action workshops. Vienna also shared insights into two other brilliant recent projects, her unique album We’ve Got You and “The Riversitter” after Dave Eggers’ “The Museum of Rain”.

You’ll hear the charming story of how she actually found her stage name, some highlights including opening for Joan Baez, performing on the Late Show with David Letterman and especially what it felt like to return to touring and recording after a ten-year hiatus after working in environmental sustainability.

Full Show Notes for all the links: Vienna Teng's albums, website, Songwriter podcast, linked episodes with Gabriel Kahane, Jean Rohe, Ida Gillner, Fern Lindzon and Diane Nalini and my Newsletter, Merch store and how you can buy me a coffee to support this series!

photo: Sherwin Lainez

(00:00) Intro

(02:21) Stage name story, David Letterman and early fame, working at Cisco

(07:09) Few of a Kind band, with clip track 1 “Transcontinental 1:30 AM”

(11:49) life of a singer, Ben Russel with clip of track 4 Two Steps From the Blues

(18:31) creative process Few of a Kind, Octavian studios

(20:52) environmental sustainability, decision to go back to university

(28:07) Few of a Kind, clip of track 2 Alone, Brandon Ridenour

(31:32) crafting a life in music with social impact

(34:12) other linked episodes and ways to support this series

(35:02) what makes a great song, Asian American identity Alex Wong

(42:31) climate action workshops connected to concerts

(47:20) We’ve Got You with clips, how Comfort and Spark fit together

(54:33) writing “The River Sitter” after David Eggers “The Museum of Rain”

(01:00:36) Few of a Kind, with clip of track 3 Five’s Alive, Andrew Gutauskis, Yousif Sheronick

(01:07:40) touring, opening for Joan Baez

(01:12:03) coming back after 10 year hiatus

I was honoured to have this opportunity to talk to the pianist Christina Petrowska Quilico about her extraordinary life in music and the arts. She shared wonderful and moving stories about Ann Southam, Louis Quilico, Pierre Boulez, Jacques Isrealievitch, and her legendary teacher Rosina Lhévinne.

I was really struck by Christina’s open-minded attitude throughout her long career to learning new music, culminating in almost 70 brilliant and powerful albums so far; it’s amazing to learn that most of her recordings are recorded live, in one take. Christina also shared how meaningful it is to her to be a mother and grandmother, as well as respected academic; she’s Professor Emerita and Senior Scholar at York University in Toronto. Among many honours, she has been appointed to the Order of Canada, and the Royal Society of Canada.

Her curiosity and creative energy seem limitless; she’s a poet and visual artist, she’s studied Ancient Egyptian culture, and she lives her life spiked with humour and a down-to-earth attitude. We are also including excerpts from several of Christina’s albums and performances including music by Mozart, Art Tatum, Ann Southam, Meredith Monk and David Jaeger, all detailed in the timestamps, with links in the show notes.

The show notes will also bring you to: Christina's website, linked episodes you'll enjoy, my podcast newsletter for exclusive information about upcoming guests, podcast merch, the YouTube video, and all the albums featured on this podcast!

(00:00) Intro

(02:19) Ann Southam

(07:29) clip fo Ann Southam’s Glass Houses Revisited #5 from concert; video linked in show notes

(09:09) Ann Southam

(11:29) mindset for recording

(17:11) Jacques Israelievitch Mozart project with

(22:07) clip of Mozart Sonata no. 32 in B flat major, K. 454, 3rd movement Allegretto, album linked in show notes

(23:20) Louis Quilico, opera

(30:38) visual art, synesthesia

(35:32) Other linked episodes

(36:31) learning so much new music, Pierre Boulez stories

(45:55) first husband Michel-Georges Brégent, David Jaeger

(49:07) clip of Takemitsu Les Yeux Clos from Games of the Night Wind, album linked in show notes

(50:12) upcoming projects, career path, Rosina Lhévinne

(56:30) impact of sexism on her career

(0:01:13) audio clip Paris by Meredith Monk from Retro Americana, album linked in show notes

(01:02:24) Retro Americana album, with clip of I’ll Never Be the Same by Art Tatum

(01:05:22) Rzewski, clip of Winnsboro Cotton Mill Blues from Retro Americana

(01:06:28) David Jaeger, arts funding, CBC

(01:12:21) piano repertoire and technique, Jeaneane Dowis

(01:16:39) learning music, funny story, Vintage Americana album

(01:20:44) clip of Fantasy Pieces - Allegro Minacciando by David Del Tredici from Vintage Americana)

(01:21:36) living a creative life, mindset, studying Ancient Egypt

Conversations with Musicians with Leah Roseman is available wherever you listen to podcasts. The video and transcript are linked here on my website, where you can check out my episodes catalog and sign up for Sneak Peeks for upcoming guests: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/jeremy-mastrangelo

This week’s guest is violinist Jeremy Mastrangelo, who’s a wonderful colleague of mine in Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra. He’s known in our greenroom as a great storyteller, onstage as an excellent musician, and having heard him give brilliant masterclasses I can attest to his excellence as an educator as well. This episode is infused with Jeremy’s wit and wisdom as well as a couple of beautiful violin performances. We talk about violin shopping in Cremona, teenage life at Interlochen Academy, the difficulties and joys of a career as an orchestral musician, family, and the benefits of deepening our understanding of the composers we play. You will find that one of the wonderful stories in this episode reveals an unexpected discovery!

This independant podcast needs your support. Can you help with $3? https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman Thanks so much!

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(02:11) Jeremy’s brother Dave, his childhood starting violin

(10:31) Bach Aria from Goldberg Variations

(13:23) Dave Mastrangelo arrangements

(15:05) orchestra audition process

(19:11) working conditions, collective agreements, Syracuse orchestra experience, Sara Mastrangelo

(27:21) please support the podcast!

(28:00) different roles and chairs in the orchestra

(30:31) Interlochen

(34:13) intro to Piazzolla etude

(35:45) Piazzolla Tango Etude no. 3

(39:34) dealing with uncertainty, pandemic Syracuse then Ottawa with Pinchas Zukerman

(45:37) ideal orchestra experiences, role of conductor and players

(50:15) Cremona with wife Sara, Italian heritage, Vittorio Villa

(55:54) Jeremy’s violin teachers Rafail Sobolevsky, Bill Preucil, Hal Grossman, Paul Kantor

(01:03:26) Rafail Sobolevsky story

(01:10:13) Sally Thomas, James Ehnes

(01:14:12) cooking

(01:16:07) great books about composers and performers

(01:20:37) solo experiences, stress dreams, benefits of knowing more about the composers

(01:28:16) one final orchestra story