About Evan Swanson

Evan Swanson is a New York City based Pianist, Music Director and Composer. Upon moving to New York in 2019, Evan quickly established relationships with Rooftop Musical Society, The Berkeley Carroll Schools and Brilliance the Musical working as their primary music director. He has also served as music director for several churches (Metropolitan Community Church of New York and Fort Hamilton Chapel) facilitating everything from Catholic Mass to secular music services and everything in between. He currently spends his time coaching singers/actors around the city, music directing/orchestrating shows and performing in a variety of contexts. Active projects can be found on his collaborations tab.

 

Prior to 2019, Evan lived in Chicago where his work spanned a wide range of projects and jobs. As a leader, he helped form Tapestry Unraveled (Carole King tribute band), Rare Export (contemporary jazz quintet), and led music at Living Waters Lutheran Church. He also maintained a steady relationship with equity theater, Williams Street Repertory at Raue Center for the Arts from 2013-2019 where he began as substitute conductor and was later promoted to resident music director in 2017. As a support figure, Evan accompanied singers, choirs and ballet classes and was a part of many projects, notably; Heisenberg Uncertainty Players (eclectic jazz big band), Isaiah Collier and the Chosen Few (jazz quintet), Mehran Jalili (flamenco inspired fusion), Big Suit (Talking Heads tribute band) and Close to You (Carpenters tribute band).

 

Evan holds a degree in Jazz Piano from DePaul University where he studied primarily with pianist Ron Perrillo and spent significant time with Tom Matta, Bob Lark, Dana Hall, Bob Palmieri, Bradley Williams and Dennis Carroll. His studies at DePaul also included courses in piano pedagogy, collaborative piano, classical piano, choir, Alexander technique and baroque ensembles.