Continuăm seria interviurilor neoclasice, cu pianistul și compozitorul italian Nico Pistolesi.
În pofida lipsei de ”libertate” pe care artiștii din întreaga lume o resimt acut, mulți dintre ei nu s-au lăsat influențați negativ de această perioadă dificilă și au continuat să creeze.
Unul dintre aceste exemple este și compozitorul Nico Pistolesi, care în luna decembrie a anului trecut și-a lansat cel de-al doilea album, denumit ”Home”.
Mai multe despre acest album și procesul creativ al pianistului, regăsiți în interviul pe care l-am pregătit pentru această ediție NeoclasicVești.
Lectură plăcută! ?
Hy, Nico! Thank you for taking the time to do this interview with us. We hope you and your family are safe during this time.
Before we get into your new album, ”Home”, can you tell us how have you perceived this unusual time?
N: These are the days of our life! I am not a big fan of The Queen, but obviously these words are perfect for this answer.
In Italy, on march 2020, we were completely lost, but I live in a little city called Follonica and this helped me go on without too much fear of the moment. Less Covd-19 cases than in the big cities, the sun shined since the first days of lockdown. This helped me be creative and embrace the pandemic time.
? Which was your first encounter with music and which was the moment you decided that you will follow this artistic path?
N: My whole life has been an approach to the music. I remember listening to cassettes with Italian and international famous singers and bands.
The little me tried to sing and memorize the lyrics and suddenly I was playing my first casio keyboard.
My mother’s grandfather bought me a Bechstein piano as a gift for my birthday…
? Which was your first encounter with neoclassical music and why did you choose to follow this genre?
N: For me, neoclassical music is a process to find my way into the music. I prefer melodies against all the music possibilities. I didn’t choose a genre, but a way to express my voice.
In 2012, I have released “6 milioni di domande”, my first solo piano album (modern classical wasn’t as famous as them!).
? Which is the process you go through in the moment you decide to work on a new album?
N: The pandemic helped me develop new ideas and a few singles have been released with good results and they were appreciated by the listeners. Then, Antonio Cortesi, the A&R of Believe Music, offered me a contract for a new album. I had a few songs ready and I wrote some new, trying to follow a file rouge around my ideas.
? Tell us more about your recent album entitled “Home’’. What inspired you to compose this album or better said, what made you adventure yourself within this musical journey?
N: “Home” is a safe place. A place to grow as a child and as an adult. I believe in an idea of home as a life story in continuous research, primarily as an artist.
Through the compositions, it is easy to see titles that refer to the various moments of life, both as an introspective path and as emotions that intertwine and create an inner security, the determination that pursues everyday life.
? Which do you think are the phases a musician in the initial stages should go through in order to compose?
N: When you decide to be creative, there is only one thing that you can follow: your background.
I studied jazz music for 20 years and I always listen to every kind of music. This makes me creative in my way.
You must record yourself, listen to the notes, be accurate, write the music and then bring your music to a new step: listen to the ideas without filter, without thinking that it’s you.
This period of time is not perfect for saying “ go out and play” but this is the real advice I can give to all the musicians. I have made more than thousand concerts around Europe and Italy of course, playing with pop bands, jazz trio, neo classical concerts, toy piano performances. Everything you can do musically is making you an artist.
? What advice could you pass on to the young pianists?
N: Be you. Open your ears and spread the joy of music with everybody. Play your music without preconceptions.
?: In recent years, the neoclassical music began gaining prestige. How did this help you get recognized and release two albums?
N: At the times of “6 Milioni di Domande”, I have played a promotional tour and a lot of piano concerts, thanks to my perseverance.
“Home” has been a different process, but also the singles released before “Home” (spotify and apple editorial playlists has supported me a lot). The digital era is a new point of view and we, as musicians, must be open to the news. 2020 will be remembered as the year of digital music, where all the digital music news has been discovered more than the years before.
? Do you have a clear vision about what you would like an album to sound like before starting to compose, or do the vision and sound find you?
N: No. I can only play and see what happens. I prepare all the songs and then play.
Few songs from “Home” have been finished during the recording sessions.. .It’s more beautiful when something like this happens. It’s life. It’s reality.
? Who influences you musically?
N: I have few musicians that have always inspired me: Herbie Hancock, Yann Tiersen, the 30’/40’ jazz era, Chet Baker…
Over the last years, I have discovered Joep Beving and Hauschka (incredibles composers), with other “modern classical” pianists who get me closer to the idea of being good on what I compose.
?What is the best advice you have received in terms of creating music?
N: Be yourself!
? At the moment, do you work on other projects?
N: I moved to a new house and I have the privilege (It’s true!) to have a small studio inside of it. I will set up the studio and record new ideas soon.
Summertime has always been a “playing time” for me. Follonica is a Sea City, so we are lucky and we can work a lot during the sunny times. I hope to play solo piano concerts and soul/jazz music in my latest years.
? How can people listen/buy your albums?
N: My music is available on Spotify, Apple music and all the digital stores.
I recently printed a limited CD version of “Home”. I will be very happy to send it to everyone who likes my music. You can preorder it here: pistolesinico@gmail.com