Giuseppe was one of the first persons to contact me about playlist placements a couple of months ago. We had a bit of a language barrier when making this interview and had to use Google Translate a lot, but I hope you understand most of it!
Where are you from? And where do you live?
I am Italian and I live in Sicily, in a small town. Where I live there are no great possibilities and today the cultural situation in Italy is really poor. The space dedicated to pianists and composers is reduced to almost nothing. If you do not have a manager behind an important record company, you do not do anything, especially if you are not chasing a standard but try to express yourself for a greater love THE MUSIC and also those who listen to you. I trust the possibilities of the network and I really say it. My music is heard in America, Australia, Spain, France, Mexico and even in Italy. And I hope to receive a bigger response and offer more and more, but not for a protagonism but to allow me to offer something important.
How long have you been playing the piano?
I started studying music at the age of 18, much later than many other pianists who started playing pretty early, but I always liked music and I wanted to become a jazz player. I was not a child prodigy, but I think I have guessed early enough that making music has to do with sounds and especially with the senses, with the exploration of what we have in a subtle communication that becomes a spiritual bridge with a deep peace. I firmly believe that music understood as an art has an effect on others. Stravinsky in his poem states: “The unity of the work has a resonance: which our soul perceives, it resounds little by little. […] music appears to us as an element of communion with neighbor, and with Being “.
Do you play other instruments as well?
No, I don’t play other instruments, but I am fascinated by almost every instrument and I’m trying to fulfill my desire when I write for orchestra, for chamber training, for solo instrument. It’s only the piano and only with this tool that I find an identity.
Tell us about how you started playing music.
The desire to hear sounds was too strong, I was not interested in anything else. I had to play.
How long have you been making piano music?
I am 42 years old, and have been playing for 22 years. My first concert was about 16 years ago, my first recording project about 12 years ago.
Tell us something about that moment you realized you could make songs yourself!
I started studying late and surely this puts you in front of so many difficulties. Writing and expressing myself with music has always been a need, not something I have chosen but something that I had to do. I do not know if there is something that has convinced me that I must write but I feel inside the conviction of doing it to try to make the sensation feel and to share my thoughts with others. I believe the concept of making music today is instrumental, commercial I would like to show between music not to do with all this but it is a more spiritual need.
Have you made music in other genres before?
I have not ventured into other genres apart from contemporary music, but in my music there’s some jazz! As a child I loved Jimi Hendrix very much, but it is difficult to play it on the piano.
What are your favorite artists in this “piano genre”?
Definitely Keith Jarrett is my point of reference and I deeply love Brad Mehldau, Maurizio Pollini, and Marta Argerich.
Is there one song which you play over and over again as soon as you sit down by a piano? Your own or someone else’s?
When I sit at the piano I like to improvise, but two songs that I like to play are L’arabesque No. 1 by Debussy and the Sonatina by Ravel.
What song inspires you the most when you’re making music? Can you name just ONE song/composition?
The album “Sun Bear Concert” by K. Jarrett.
Tell us something about your Recital album.
I cannot play the songs in this album, but recently I recorded an ambitious album at least as the “Sun Bear Concert” is called “Recital” and there are 5 improvisations from 50 minutes and performed in 5 different days. It is a very ambitious project because I created these pieces but starting from nothing without a starting motive, or something I had written before and every improvisation is completely different from one another. I would like to put this joy of mine to improvise!
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Anything else you want to share?
A wish! Play at Carnegie Hall!
Thank you Giuseppe!
You can find more info about him and his music on the following links:
Facebook / Facebook / Instagram
And of course on Spotify!