S01:E41 ViviTalks w. Merel Brusselers aka Joanne Bird: Dutch singer-songwriter and educator

11/13/24 • 41 min

In this episode Listen to a conversation between your host Vivienne Aerts and Dutch singer-songwriter and educator Merel Brusselers aka Joanne Bird as we talk about her 5 month travels through the US, bringing her new American band to the Netherlands, and her approach to education. About Merel Brusselers aka Joanne Bird Merel Brusselers is a singer, teacher, and entrepreneur from the Netherlands. After earning her Bachelor's degree in Music Education at Fontys Conservatory and a Master’s in Musical Leadership at the Conservatory of Amsterdam, she discovered her passion for songwriting and created her alter ego, Joanne Bird. Under this name, she crafts indie and Americana folk music with a touch of jazz, drawing much of her inspiration from her travels to the United States, which is vividly reflected in her work. In addition to performing, Merel teaches courses such as Songwriting and Cultural Entrepreneurship at her alma mater, Fontys Academy of the Arts in Tilburg, Netherlands. ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠Website⁠ About ViviTalks - Interviews with the Women Behind Typuhthâng. Introducing ViviTalks, a podcast hosted by Dutch New York-based musician Vivienne Aerts. Join us as we celebrate 100 talented female musicians from Vivienne's latest album "Typuhthâng," with a mission to empower female cacao farmers in the Virunga State Park of Congo and contribute to rainforest restoration. We delve into the musical journeys, creative processes, and unique perspectives of these talented women, seeking to bring greater balance to the music industry. It's a safe space for honest and authentic conversations with artists and trailblazers. Let's amplify the voices of remarkable women in music and stay tuned for inspiring stories and meaningful dialogues on ViviTalks. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Stream⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ the Album Buy it on Bandcamp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and get the chocolate! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More about Vivienne here Follow the podcast on your favorite platform

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S01:E40 ViviTalks w. Tomoko Omura: Brooklyn based composer, violinist and educator from Japan

In this episode Listen to a conversation between your host Vivienne Aerts and Brooklyn based composer, violinist and educator from Japan Tomoko Omura as we talk about how she discovered playing Jazz on the violin, the way she finds inspiration for her composition, and balancing her art's life and motherhood. About Tomoko Omura Tomoko Omura is a composer, violinist and educator. Named #1 Rising Star Violinist by Downbeat Magazine’s Critics Poll in 2021, she has released six albums as a leader.“Branches Vol. 2” (2021) was named Bandcamp’s “Best Jazz of 2021”. She has been featured on major publications, including Grammy.com, WBGO Jazz United and The Pulse, Strings magazine, Jazz Sessions, AllAboutJazz. Originally from Shizuoka, Japan, she started violin under her mother's instruction. Almost quitting the violin in her teens, she discovered jazz when her brother was listening to "Kind Of Blue" by Miles Davis and fell in love with it. She moved to the U.S. to study at Berklee College of Music and relocated to New York after to pursue her dream of jazz violin. She became a mother in 2020 and is living in Brooklyn with her son, her partner and a pianist, Glenn Zaleski and her cat. She is a faculty member at Jazz House KiDS, leading the new String program. ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠Website⁠ About ViviTalks - Interviews with the Women Behind Typuhthâng. Introducing ViviTalks, a podcast hosted by Dutch New York-based musician Vivienne Aerts. Join us as we celebrate 100 talented female musicians from Vivienne's latest album "Typuhthâng," with a mission to empower female cacao farmers in the Virunga State Park of Congo and contribute to rainforest restoration. We delve into the musical journeys, creative processes, and unique perspectives of these talented women, seeking to bring greater balance to the music industry. It's a safe space for honest and authentic conversations with artists and trailblazers. Let's amplify the voices of remarkable women in music and stay tuned for inspiring stories and meaningful dialogues on ViviTalks. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Stream⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ the Album Buy it on Bandcamp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and get the chocolate! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More about Vivienne here Follow the podcast on your favorite platform

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S01:E42 ViviTalks with Aubrey Situmorang: Indonesian bass player living in Los Angeles, California.

In this episode Listen to a conversation between your host Vivienne Aerts and Aubrey Situmorang - Indonesian bass player living in Los Angeles, California - as we talk about her life in LA, being on tour for weeks at a time while sleeping in a bus ... and her passion for jazz. About Aubrey Situmorang Aubrey Situmorang is an Indonesian bass player currently residing in Los Angeles, California. Aubrey has played for notable artists from a diverse array of genres, listing the Grammy winning pianist and composer Billy Childs, double-platinum artist Bipolar Sunshine, and singer/producer SASAMI. Aubrey’s recent performances include selling out two nights at Los Angeles’ legendary Baked Potato with Billy Childs in June 2024, opening for Yeah Yeah Yeahs at the Huntington Bank Pavilion in Chicago, Illinois, and for Soccer Mommy at Outside Lands Festival in San Francisco, California both in the summer of 2023. Beyond her live performances, Aubrey also released her album “One Point One” which received a nomination for Best Jazz Album at Indonesia’s highest music awards Anugerah Musik Indonesia 2022. ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠Website⁠

About ViviTalks - Interviews with the Women Behind Typuhthâng. Introducing ViviTalks, a podcast hosted by Dutch New York-based musician Vivienne Aerts. Join us as we celebrate 100 talented female musicians from Vivienne's latest album "Typuhthâng," with a mission to empower female cacao farmers in the Virunga State Park of Congo and contribute to rainforest restoration. We delve into the musical journeys, creative processes, and unique perspectives of these talented women, seeking to bring greater balance to the music industry. It's a safe space for honest and authentic conversations with artists and trailblazers. Let's amplify the voices of remarkable women in music and stay tuned for inspiring stories and meaningful dialogues on ViviTalks. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Stream⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ the Album Buy it on Bandcamp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and get the chocolate! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More about Vivienne here Follow the podcast on your favorite platform