Christian Frederickson is a composer, violist, and sound designer whose career has bridged the worlds of classical music, experimental performance, and theater. In this episode, we talk about his transition from conservatory-trained musician to co-founder of the influential instrumental group Rachel’s, and his later work composing and designing sound for stage and dance productions. In this conversation, he shares the origins of Rachel's, how he supported himself when he moved to New York City, composing for theater & dance, and how he made the decision to start working at MIT.

Christian's question for Tim: how are you making your coffee these days?

Key takeaways:

1. Christian trained as a classical violist at Juilliard before shifting his creative focus toward contemporary composition and performance.
2. He was a founding member of the instrumental group Rachel’s, which blended classical and rock influences, offering a formative space for collaboration and exploration.
3. Christian also composes for theater and dance, including sound design.
4. He discusses the challenge of making a living through creative work and shares how freelance work requires both flexibility and resilience.
5. He reflects on how curiosity and collaboration have driven big career decisions throughout his life.

Links
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Christian's website
Rachel's on Touch And Go's website
SITI Company
Palissimo
The coffee roaster I use (now discontinued): FreshRoast SR 500
Sweet Maria's, a great source for green coffee beans