Liam Vallon

Which musician has influenced you the most?It’s really hard to choose, but pianistically, I think I’d have to say Brad Mehldau. He has an incredible virtuosity, speed, independence, and technical mastery that let him play almost anything at lightning speed, yet it’s always engaging and musical. Above all, his touch and style are so personal and instantly recognizable. I feel like he has pushed the limits of what’s possible on the jazz piano, while still drawing inspiration from the greats before him and from classical music. What I love even more is that, as he’s grown older, he’s allowed himself to play less, sometimes extremely minimally, and those moments can be more powerful than a thousand notes. That, to me, is true artistry: having the ability to play more, but choosing to play only what really matters.

What can you teach me on your instrument better than any other teacher?
I can teach players of all levels how to connect improvisation and technique so it feels natural, and help them understand not just what to play, but why and how.

How did you learn to play your instrument?I started playing piano as a kid mostly by ear, figuring out songs I liked without reading sheet music. At first, my teacher, who had a purely classical background, really thought I was terrible when I had to sight-read a piece. She didn’t understand how I could play what I played, haha!

How do you go about writing a song or composing a piece yourself?
Sometimes I just compose at the piano, experimenting to find chords or a melody. Nowadays, I sometimes start on paper with rhythmic or harmonic concepts, or melodic patterns, to push myself in directions I wouldn’t have reached just by ear. It depends, but in the end there are no rules, and I always adjust and go beyond the initial concepts until it feels right.

What equipment do you play on today?
I often play on acoustic pianos at my school, but I also have a Nord Stage. I’m mainly an acoustic pianist, though I enjoy keyboards, and I’ve recently started experimenting a bit with prepared piano.

What personal trait helped you most while practicing?
My personal trait that helped me most while practicing is curiosity. It pushes me to go further and to explore and learn things on my own.

What does your instrument have that others don’t?
Huge range haha! Plus we can play chords, rhythm, and melody all at once!

Weak point: it's really heavy to carry

What do you pay particular attention to when teaching?
I pay attention to each student’s way of learning and adapt my approach to them. I focus on building their understanding, creativity, and confidence, making sure they feel supported while exploring the instrument. I also try to create a clear, logical progression between lessons and let each student learn at their own pace with a certain spontaneity but with a viable method.

How do you structure your music lessons?
In my lessons, I cover harmony, rhythm, technique, accompaniment, and improvisation, always applied to pieces so it stays practical. I build each lesson with a logical progression but stay flexible to the student’s needs and interests. If the student composes, I encourage them and offer exercises or ideas to develop their own creations. I can also suggest pieces to work on, include listening examples to show what’s out there, and sometimes play together to make it lively and inspiring.

How do you approach children?
My approach with children is to be patient, playful, and encouraging. I try to make lessons fun while keeping a clear structure, adapting the pace to each child. I also focus on sparking curiosity and letting them explore the instrument, sometimes through games, listening, or small improvisations

What has been your greatest experience as a musician so far?
My greatest experience was playing a concert with my mother in Yverdon. The music combined jazz, soul, and some modern pieces. She leans toward soul and I toward jazz. We had a few friends from Bern with us and rehearsed very little, performing in a small club. Many of my old friends and acquaintances came, people who normally would not listen to jazz. I played some of my own compositions and they really enjoyed them. The highlight was performing a piano and voice duo with my mother, which was absolutely incredible and very touching.

What was the biggest stage you played on?
The biggest stage I’ve played on was the quays in Vevey, sharing music with a really warm, lively crowd.

Which musician would you like to play with?
I’m really happy to meet and play with students at my school, and it would be amazing to play with professors like Patrice Moret or Jim Black or Lutz Hafner. I would have loved to attend a masterclass from Wayne Shorter, his playing is so interesting. I’d also love to play with Jorge Rossy and Larry Grenadier.

Which record would you take with you to a desert island?
Surprisingly, it wouldn’t even be a jazz album if I could only take one. I’d go with MTV Unplugged in New York by Nirvana. It’s raw, emotional, and has this mix of fragility and power that never gets old. There’s something very human in it, and I feel like on a desert island, that kind of honesty in music would really keep me grounded.

Which stage would you most like to play on or do you most like to play on?
The dream would be to play at the Village Vanguard one day, just because of the tradition and history of the place. But in a more realistic way I’d love to develop my quartet and get it ready to perform at Montreux Jazz soon, that would be incredible.

What else is important in your life besides music? 
Music’s a big part of my life, but I’m also curious about everything else! Science, history, politics, literature. Friends, family, meeting new people, that’s what really matters. And yeah, I can get pretty competitive at chess!