Vivienne Aerts on "Current", Mindfulness, Jazz and Psychology
Conversations with Musicians, with Leah Roseman
05/23/26
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Vivienne Aerts is a NYC-based Dutch Singer, Educator, and Psychologist, for many years on the faculty of the Berklee College of Music. I’ve been following her inspiring creative practice for a couple of years and I’m excited to tell you that for this episode you’ll be hearing clips from her beautiful upcoming album Current, produced on a tiny 1951 Dutch sailboat, blending jazz, electronics, and vocal loops with water-inspired soundscapes. Her husband, the renowned pastry chef Ted Steinebach also made a documentary film about the journey, which features several other wonderful musicians who hopped on the boat to record.
I found it uplifting to get to know Vivienne’s interdisciplinary approach, rooted in mindfulness and how she got started as a student creating interesting opportunities for artists. You’ll also be hearing clips from a couple of her previous projects including the award-winning Typuhthâng featuring 100 female musicians which supports Congolese female cacao farmers through a partnership with Original Beans.
In this age of AI, I’m inspired by Vivienne's trust and hopefulness in the need for us to engage all of our senses and the power of mobilizing micro-communities to support meaningful creative work.
You can also watch this video on my YouTube; I’ve also linked the transcript, Vivienne's website, other suggested episodes, podcast newsletter sign-up, podcast merch, and how you can buy me a coffee to support this independent podcast! Everything linked here in the complete show notes: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/vivienne-aerts
photo: Ted Steinebach
(00:00) Intro
(02:48) album Current and film with excerpt of track 1
(08:30) collaborations with husband chef Ted Steinebach
(12:54) Current, mindfulness, the film, excerpt of track 5
(17:33) creative process Current, excerpt strack 5 and 11
(22:08) songwriting, South Korea
(27:49) Current, clip of track 8 Closer, living on the boat
(35:26) other linked episodes
(36:23) creative process album Polaroid with clip of Streetlamps
(39:16) Susanne Alt with clip of track 11
(43:31) Typuhthâng album with clips track 9, 4, 1, 6, Original Beans chocolate
(50:17) Vivi Talks podcast, teaching, Berklee, entrepreneurship
(55:16) her educational path, railway festival, micro-communities
(01:04:51) album launch concerts on boats
(01:08:12) career path with psychology and music, Dutch culture
(01:12:15) Effortless Mastery Kenny Werner, different approach to teaching mindfulness with self compassion
Previous Episode
I was so honoured and delighted to have this opportunity to have this conversation with Nancy Shear, whose diverse career in classical music will fascinate you. I loved reading her memoir “I knew a man who knew Brahms” which is very much a book about appreciation for great music making as well as the importance of reflecting on the legacies our elders. You’ll hear about insights gleaned from her close releationships with many luminaries including Leopold Stokowski and Mstislav Rostropovich. Nancy was a troubled teenager when she began working as part of the Philadelphia orchestra library staff, and her brave determination, sensitivity and brilliance have led her to many unexpected opportunities. Whether or not you are currently a fan of classical music, I’m sure Nancy’s wisdom and storytelling will inspire you. We’re also including Nancy’s suggested listening links in the show notes, as well as other episodes you’ll enjoy.
Complete show notes take you to: video, transcript, Nancy's website and listening suggestions, other episodes you'll enjoy, podcast newsletter sign-up, podcast merch store, podcast support page to buy this independent podcaster a coffee, and more! SHOW NOTES with ALL links!
(00:00) Intro
(01:38) memoir “I Knew a Man Who Knew Brahms”
(12:01) Leopold Stokowski and her memoir
(38:14) William R. Smith
(43:25) Eugene Ormandy
(52:48) other suggested episodes
(53:47) Stokowski, excerpt from the book
(56:50) Stravinsky Rite of Spring, Stokowski, Mahler
(01:00:35) Rostropovich
(01:08:49) Nancy’s career and independence
(01:17:35) Stokowski’s fascination with technology
(01:20:32) great concerts, Byron Janis, Jacqueline du Pré, Ormandy
(01:24:22) Curtis
(01:27:41) growth mind-set, healthy tech boundaries, writing
(01:36:45) final excerpt from “I Knew a Man Who Knew Brahms” about Stokowski, Saul Caston, music appreciation
(01:40:14) who was the man who knew Brahms, importance of legacy
photo of Nancy: David Teubner
Next Episode
I was fascinated to meet PJ Adzima, and learn about his path from his childhood on a farm to his career as a Broadway performer in the Book of Mormon. A chance encounter with a legendary composer changed his life forever and now as the CEO of the production company Stage Time, he’s paying that forward by discovering and curating talent across genres through many projects. He talked about how embracing vulnerability and studying drag has been transformative and helped him take up space, challenge norms, and create with purpose.
A joyful and deep appreciation for the performing arts certainly has driven his excellence and helped him transform his side project into his full-time business, and I’m sure you’ll find PJ’s energy infectious.
Like all my episodes, you can also watch this on my YouTube channel or listen to the podcast on many podcast platforms, and I’ve also linked the transcript. It's a joy to bring these inspiring episodes to you every week, and I do all the many jobs of research, production and publicity. Have a look at the show notes of this episode, where you’ll find all the links, including different ways to support this podcast, and other suggested episodes: Show Notes
(00:00) Intro
(01:55) Book of Mormon
(06:37) Stage Time
(11:23) power of drag
(16:59) Masquerade nighclub curation Phantom of the Opera
(21:00) The Stuppets
(25:20) history of Vaudeville, dealing with racism, minstrelsy and history of Broadway
(29:43) acting career
(30:10) linked episodes and how to support this series
(31:11) from childhood on a farm to Broadway, his big break
(39:44) comedy, Louis C.K. story
(43:10) curating new shows, Slam Frank
(51:42) challenges and joys entrepreneurship
Photo: Shawn Salley
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