Music Genre
Firas Matar – Sunrise Sunset Blend (Spotify)
Firas Matar – Sunrise Sunset Blend (Spotify)
Bringing tunes from the east and the west together in a perfect harmony.
Blending the two together, creating a great musical smoothie.
Virginio Aiello – Sunrise of a New Day (Spotify)
Virginio Aiello – Sunrise of a New Day (Spotify)
Virginio Aiello graduated in Piano and Jazz Music at the Conservatory "S. Giacomantonio" of Cosenza (Italy) and in 2007 he followed with honors the MA Degree in Jazz composition majors. He has won numerous competitions including the first prize at the Piano Competition "City of Castellaneta" and the second prize in the piano competitions "AMA Calabria" and "Città di Terzo". He is a professor of piano at the Secondary Schools, First Degree (Music). He is still a most varied guest in television and radio broadcasts such as Rai Radio 3, Radio Velours Tango in Paris, Radio Swiss Jazz (Switzerland). He has worked on many musical projects, ranging from classical to contemporary, from jazz to tango, performing in Italy with various musicians. In 2015 he published “El Barrio” with the Sertango Quartet, a recording made of original classical “Tango Nuevo” tracks, which achieved a great feedback both from audience and critics and that was even mentioned by the periodical “Musica Jazz” as one of the best recordings of 2015. In 2019 Virginio Aiello released "Piano Songs For Children", a project linked to the book "55 Pezzi Facilissimi per Pianoforte" an educational book of easy piano songs for children. He has published the following books: Metodo Pratico Di Pianoforte Jazz Complementare; The Jazz Accordion Complete Book; Piano Works Vol. 1; Tecnica Moderna Per Pianoforte (Pop & Jazz); The Modern Accordion Technique; Il Pianista Accompagnatore; 55 Pezzi Facilissimi Per Pianoforte.
Kirsten Agresta Copely Interview on Nagamag.com
Kirsten Agresta Copely
Interview
Nagamag:
What are the genres that describe better your music style?
Kirsten Agresta Copely:
New Age, Ambient, Neoclassical
Nagamag:
Few words about your musical background and career?
Kirsten Agresta Copely:
KIRSTEN AGRESTA COPELY is a harpist, composer, and arranger that has made music in four continents for heads of state, in blockbuster movie soundtracks, alongside Billboard 100 artists, on late night television, with the most recognized symphony orchestras in the world. Her first album as composer, Around the Sun, will be released in January 2020. Steeped in rigorous classical training, Copely’s performance career began at an early age: by fourteen, she performed a full solo tour of the British Isles, and continued to gain attention in the classical world by winning Bronze Medal in the 1st USA International Harp Competition, debuting as concerto soloist at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center soon after. While she maintains a heavy classical schedule—she serves as Principal Harpist with the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra at Lincoln Center —Copely has also garnered a reputation as the pop industry’s go-to harpist, culminating with a performance alongside Beyoncé at the second official White House State Dinner for President Barack Obama. Other live engagements include appearances on Saturday Night Live, Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and the MET Gala; in studio, she has recorded with greats like Lionel Richie and has performed in numerous video game, television, and movie soundtracks.
Nagamag:
Do you remember your first connection of love to music that was the right impact to be a music artist now?
Kirsten Agresta Copely:
Music has been an integral part of my life since I was a child; I began playing the harp when I was five years old. I have always made my living as a musician which is something I'm very proud of.
Nagamag:
How did you get started playing with so many iconic pop artists?
Kirsten Agresta Copely:
I was hand picked to play with Kanye West at Live 8 which led to many more performances with Jay Z, John Legend, Enya, Evanescence and more. Ultimately the performances grew increasingly illustrious, and culminated in a performance with Beyoncé at the second official White House State Dinner for President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and Mexican President Felipe Calderón - a true "gig of life."
Nagamag:
'Around the Sun' is billed as an album of new age and ambient music. What was your inspiration for wanting to write and record music in this genre?
Kirsten Agresta Copely:
A lot of the compositions I was writing were naturally minimalistic in style and led easily into being more defined by ambient soundscapes. It was a perfect opportunity to collaborate with my husband, Marc, who has lots of experience playing ambient guitar on TV/film soundtracks. We both love the work of Brian Eno and Harold Budd (pioneers of the ambient genre) so he creatively designed the supporting complimentary layers. There isn’t a single keyboard effect on the album; just solo harp recorded in a classical style with sonic treatments.
Nagamag:
Most artists have a favorite song from a different music genre than the one they are producing music for... Which is yours?
Kirsten Agresta Copely:
Queen "Hammer to Fall"
Nagamag:
Of Course Nagamag would love to listen also which track from a similar artist you admire?
Kirsten Agresta Copely:
Brian Eno & Harold Budd "Late October"
Joram Van Duijn – Motif No. 1 (Spotify)
Joram Van Duijn – Motif No. 1 (Spotify)
Joram van Duijn’s Motif No. 1 is a meandering and introspective solo piano piece with just a hint of decorative sound design. Performed on a felted upright Yamaha, the piece is muted and textured, creating an intimate experience for the listener—everything from the opening creaks of the piano bench to the sound of the hammers has been beautifully harnessed, resulting in a very personal and cherished sound. The preparation lends a thoroughly modern-classical approach to the work, and the fleeting whispers of the sound design nudge a nostalgic and old-soul piano work into the 21st century. The pairing of the older classical waltz style with these new approaches grants the piece something of a subtle progressive edge.
Motif No. 1 is a rumination on the central routine of your life, the word “motif” itself often referring to a pattern, structure, or design. The piece begs the question, “why do you get up in the morning?”, and musically ponders the idea of finding meaning in the time that we are all alive. This first question leads to a greater “why”, letting the listener travel down an infinite path on their own introspective journey. The music itself feels like a clock: time winds down, the music plays away, pausing, running out, and eventually fading out into eternity.
The Aquaerials – Nightmare for the Bold (Spotify)
The Aquaerials – Nightmare for the Bold (Spotify)
Nightmare for the Bold is a haunting, atmospheric, Neoclassical piano piece inspired by the 1959 Anti-Drinking and Driving film of the same name. As an instrumental piece, it's open to interpretation, but ultimately, it's about loss and regret. The Aquaerials is Mark Swanson, an instrumental musician who writes, produces and self-releases records from his basement in Grand Rapids, Michigan. His minimalist songs combine elements of folk, post-rock, neoclassical and electronic music. The Aquaerials sound is largely piano-based, backed by mellow instrumentation, rhythmic and melodic piano, orchestral strings, synthesizer and rock beats.
Rick Gallagher Project – Wait (Spotify)
Rick Gallagher Project – Wait (Spotify)
The 2nd single released from an upcoming 12 song felted solo piano project. Inspiring, hopeful, relaxing track. Perfect for study, relax, chill playlists. Rick Gallagher Project is the cross-genre music platform of Pittsburgh based composer/pianist/producer Rick Gallagher
Afenginn, Danish String Quartet, Teitur – Skapanin (Spotify)
Afenginn, Danish String Quartet, Teitur – Skapanin (Spotify)
Composer and musician Kim Rafael Nyberg aka Afenginn’s 7th album “Klingra” - a post-classical piece with roots in the Faroe Islands. With a sound palette of two pianos (played by Faroese Teitur and Dánjal), a string quartet (The Danish String Quartet), pedal steel guitar, synth bass and two drummers the track starts in an ambient atmosphere with small sparkling particles of dust and hope floating in the air. These are mixed with a distant Morricone-like whistling from Teitur, which gradually brings out a simple melody in the piano. The musical layers are solidified by the determined drumming and through a grounding maelstrom builds up to a climactic release.
Ken Smith – Cloud Drifting (Spotify)
Ken Smith – Cloud Drifting (Spotify)
Cloud Dreaming is a soft piano solo, simply about the feeling of drifting with the clouds. It is music to relax, meditate, and chill out with.
Logan Nelson – Glaciers (Spotify)
Logan Nelson – Glaciers (Spotify)
"Satellites, In Orbit" gets Logan Nelson out of his orchestral confines and into adventurous territory, melding warm rhythmic electronics into a broader perspective that gives a hint to the future.
Aatraus – Haven (Spotify)
Aatraus – Haven (Spotify)
This orchestral instrumental is inspired by loss and acceptance. In the story arc of an expedition-inspired album it will come to inhabit, Haven is one of the last songs, stopping us to dwell in a gloomy sense of acceptance of loss before we head towards Transcendence, its natural follower in the album.