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Joe Bongiorno, Page 2 |
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not the same with a full symphony, so I'm really glad I saw several of his early concerts.
JB: Yanni's "In My Time" CD was a big part of my move toward the acoustic piano. Since then, the most influential pianists for me have been Michael Gettel, Wayne Gratz, and Kevin Kern. Their music definitely fueled my passion for the piano!
KP: Wayne and Kevin both get my newsletter, so they'll be happy to read that! What inspired you to start composing your own music?
JB: I heard melodies in my head, and whenever I sat down to play music, my emotions would just pour out. It really was a relief to play! What pushed me toward solo piano was a visit to my second cousin, Joann Bongiorno, in Chicago about ten years ago. She's a classical virtuoso - an amazing player! I sat at her piano and started noodling around, and she really took to what I was doing. She gave me some pointers and somehow a spark was lit! When I went home, I spent most of my time on the piano, and fell in love with the instrument.
KP: About how many pieces have you composed so far? Have you recorded
most of them?
JB: I think I've composed more than fifty pieces, and most are recorded. I have a handful of tunes that were recorded, but didn't quite make the cut. I prefer to release shorter CD's with my best material rather than longer ones with songs that don't quite do it for me. I've gone back and reworked a few of the scratched tunes and released them later. The most notable example would be "Distant Memory" from my first CD, "At Peace." It's currently my #2 best-selling download at iTunes! This piece is based on one of the earliest melodies that I wrote, and was inspired by one of my earliest memories of the piano. When I was a child, my father used to play the piano right after dinner most nights. He would be down in the basement playing, and I could hear the music echoing through the vents in our large suburban Chicago home, all the way up to the second floor where I was usually doing my homework. To this day, my favorite time to play is right after dinner!
KP: Have you done any composing for films and TV?
JB: When I was doing electronic music, I did a couple jingles and an independent movie soundtrack called "The Martini Shot." I don't think I made a penny from any of it, but it sure was fun!
KP: What has been your most exciting musical moment or experience so far?
JB: That was quite recent. This past August, I released "Somewhere Within," and did an "in-home" performance for my best fans and closest friends. It was so wonderful to be able to perform on the piano that I used to record the CD - my own! There were about thirty people, so it was very intimate. I was so relaxed and felt connected with everyone. The music flowed effortlessly like never before, and the night ended with the most magnificent sunset viewed right above the piano!
KP: I was really sorry I had to miss that! Are there any specific pieces that you feel say the most about who you are as a person?
JB: "Forever More" from my first CD. I originally wrote it on synth in 1990, just after learning that I was about to become a father. The song represents my commitment to fatherhood, which I take great pride in. "Destined" from my second CD is another one. After composing that tune, I realized where my true inner passion and dreams lie - with my music. "Somewhere Within" from my newest CD paralleled a time when I rose out of darkness simply by choosing to do so. My favorites to actually play are "Precious Peace," which I wrote during the 9/11 tragedy; "Your Time," which I wrote as a love song for my wife at the time; and "Touched," the first piece I wrote after buying my dream piano, my Kawai RX-7.
KP: Is there a particular philosophy that you try to convey in your music?
JB: Emotion - whatever it may be. I'm not really good at putting emotions to words, but it comes so naturally to me via my music. I have no expectations when I compose and do not try to shape my music to be what I think a listener might want or expect. Embracing this concept really opened the doors to my creativity. If I like it, I play it, and if I remember it the next time I come back to the piano, then it's worth working on some more. It's that simple. If someone is looking for more complexity or something I'm not doing, that's totally cool. They'll find what they're looking for out there somewhere! My music is me, pure and simple.
KP: That's why "Somewhere Within" is so good. It is very candid and honest, and also obviously extremely personal. It takes courage to put all that out there.
JB: “Somewhere Within” represents a very introspective period in my life. Some may call it a "mid-life crisis"- if that’s what it is, then it's a beautiful thing!
KP: Do you have any favorite performers?
JB: My favorite performer is pianist Mike Strickland. He plays with such joy, passion,
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