BIO

Brian Batchelor-Glader

Brian Batchelor-Glader began studying the piano at the age of nine and quickly developed a strong foundation in classical music appreciation and understanding, which has led him along a rich and diverse musical path.

Brian’s love of music and performance in his early years also prompted him to try out for and star in musical productions such as “Little Shop of Horrors” and “Guys and Dolls” at Ellet High School in Akron, Ohio, where he honed his singing and acting abilities—graduating with honors in 2001.

During this time, he furthered his education at the Birch Creek Summer Performance Center studying with faculty from the Eastman School of Music, and classical music with Cleveland State professor of piano, Dan Barber.

However, Jazz music became Brian’s discipline of choice and he quickly began performing regularly and professionally in the genre by the age of 15 at local Akron venues. Some of his major Jazz influences are Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Oscar Peterson, Joe Zawinul, and Stevie Wonder.

To further his development in this area, Brian studied Jazz music under Cleveland legend Dan Wall, and more recently with renowned Cincinnati-Jazz musician Phil DeGreg who says, “Brian is one of the most stylistically versatile pianists in the area. His musicianship is strong and he is always learning and developing his skills. He is one of the graduates of the CCM Jazz program and I am proud to list him among my former students.”

Brian has won numerous performance competitions along his musical journey such as multiple first-place Jazz pianist awards at the Akron Jazz Fest, the Capital University Jazz Fest, the Findlay Jazz Fest, and the Lakeland Jazz Fest, as well as entry into the prestigious high school and collegiate OMEA All-State Jazz Bands.

He also has performed classical pieces with the Blue Ash Symphony and the Little Miami Symphony.

In 2005, Brian earned his bachelors of music degree in Jazz piano performance and composition from the renowned University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM). And, after years of playing gigs as a working musician, was welcomed as an adjunct faculty member at Xavier University where he teaches and mentors college-level musicians.

In his spare time, Brian instructs students at the Cincinnati Music Academy.

Outside of teaching music, Brian plays the keyboard in many different bands around Cincinnati, which has allowed him the opportunity to tour the nation and the world playing the music he loves for countless fans. The musical projects he is involved with includes: Old Green Eyes & BBG, Kelsey Mira, Tropicoso, Just Strange Brothers, The Philip Myers Band, BBG & Company, and, of course, Eclipse Movement, a groundbreaking Cincinnati-based Hip-Hop/Jazz/Funk/Rock group who have won multiple Cincinnati Entertainment Awards that Brian co-founded in 2005, as well as helping to write and produce many of the band’s hit songs.

Brian is also a producer and electronic music composer with Mission Control Records. He has co-produced seven albums to date covering Eclipse Movement – Eclipse, Jahson – The Battle Within, Subterrain – Subterrain, Mood – Live Again, BBG & Company – Live at the Blue Wisp, and CityBeat magazine’s award for best album of 2011, Eclipse Movement’s second-studio release, Around the World. His most recent release was Eclipse Movement’s third album, Blind.

Brian has performed with a wide variety of well-known musicians throughout his career such as Othello Molineaux (Jaco Pastorious), Bobby Kimball (Toto), Alex Ligertwood (Santana/Jeff Beck/Brian Auger), Kim Wilson (Fabulous Thuderbirds), and Jim Keller (Tommy Tutone).

He even filmed a TV pilot once with former Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Dhani Jones for a talk show project called, “In the Zone with Dhani Jones.”