005: Turning Big Ideas Into Small Steps with ZACH VARNELL

In today's episode we talk with Zach Varnell who has been recording since he was 13 years old. I have had the joy and pleasure of working with Zach in some previous music projects. He's worked with everything from a 2-track reel-to-reel in his parents basement in Denver to places like London Bridge and Bear Creek Studios in Seattle, WA. 

My personal favorite studio: a 19th century English mansion in Renton, WA owned by Howard Leese the guitarist of the band Heart and Bad Company. Zach and 2 other friends transformed this gorgeous place into a destination boutique studio appropriately called "The Castle." 

Zach's worked with bands like Pink Martini, Brandi Carlile, Damien Jurado, Pickwick, Allen Stone, John Vanderslice, The Head and the Heart, and Drew Grow. 

In 2013, Zach helped to start Lively, a music technology company recording live concerts and became the VP of audio engineering and show production. Zach then joined CreativeLive as the head of curriculum for their music and audio channel. 

All that is fascinating but today we get to talk about something brand new. Zach Varnell is part of a team of heroes who are starting a high school - and not just any high school. It might be the coolest high school I've ever heard of - and that says a lot - because Tacoma, WA (where I currently live) already has the beloved Tacoma School of the Arts. In 2016 Zach got back into education as the co-director of a brand new innovative public high school called IDEA, an acronym representing the school's innovative curriculum which centers around industrial design, engineering and the arts. 

When we've got big dreams, taking the next step towards that dream can be anything but easy. However, Zach's experience in the music industry and in education has built a strength in him (and therefore his students too.) He's really great at breaking down really big ideas into small tangible steps. 

Take a listen to today's episode to get a glimpse at this process...

Keep in Touch with Zach Varnell

IDEA school: http://www.ideatacoma.org
Website : http://www.zachv.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/zachvarnell 
Instagram: http://instagram.com/zvarnell

Keep in Touch with Emily Ann Peterson

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