Michael has already been featured in our Spotlight before as one of the most noticeable composers of MusicaNeo community. But today we would like to introduce you better to his creative work and explain why he is among world’s most downloaded pianists, with at least a million of streams and downloads daily.
Michael Silverman, American composer, arranger,
pianist and keyboard player, as well as teacher
and specialist in music therapy.
Taking into account the highly competitive sphere music industry has always been, it is always curious why people still choose to professionally connect their life with music. The question is even more pending when it comes to a composer’s career. So we asked Michael about the very start of his musical life path:
“I always played piano for as long as I can remember, but like most kids, it was just for fun and I never imagined it would be my profession. I began teaching piano at 17, mainly because it paid better than flipping burgers like my friends. But musical opportunities just kept coming, and no other line of work called to me like music, and here I am!”
Michael’s music varies in style, but the four main genres are Classical, Jazz, New Age and World Music. The band “Bach to the Future” where Michael is both composer and performer has already toured across the Unites States, performing the popular classical pieces, fugues and symphonies – by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven – in a curious mix of styles from jazz to rock, with folk motives admixed. The unique rendition of the famous classics paired with Michael’s original pieces and distinctive delivery style made this music attractive to a wide audience, to everyone, in fact.
Video: Bach to the Future: Minuet/Little Fugue
Where might this mix come from? What inspired the birth of such a music style? We are addressing Michael again:
“I grew up as the son of two classical musicians, and my father listened almost exclusively to orchestral music and chamber music, but my mother liked everything. She loved George Winston's album "December" when I was about 12 years old, and I never got that sound out of my head. I discovered the music of Chick Corea when I was about 17, and I still think of those two pianists as my pillars of piano playing, and reflect two very different sides of this versatile instrument.”
Michael’s also known for composing music for TV, films and radio. His music appears in “The Good Wife”, “Two and a Half Men”, “American Horror Story” and hundreds of other productions of the kind. But there are always difficulties in any activity, even in the one that makes one’s life passion. Michael speaks of the obstacles on his way as composer:
“My main obstacle to enjoying composing in the past was as a jingle writer. I enjoyed writing any style of music for TV commercials and films, but never liked the revision process that inevitably followed. The creative part was always a much smaller portion of the project, as producers and clients required so many changes. These days, when my music is included in a film or TV show, they place it as it is, so I never have to worry about revisions. It's much better this way!”
Every composer has a piece or a few that are especially important in his or her career for one reason or another. For Michael, that ‘special’ music work is “The Rain Variations” that was released by his own record label “Autumn Hill Records” (Michael is the co-founder) in 2015:
“I'm particularly happy with my latest collection of pieces, called "The Rain Variations". It is some of the simplest music I've ever written, but I think it has a timeless quality. I have been striving to find the simplest essence of what the piano can do, and this is the closest I've come to that goal.”
And of course, Michael Silverman is full of plans and ideas. Currently he lives in St. Louis, Missouri and works on a number of projects. We asked him to shade some light on the on-going work:
“Strange is this might sound, I'm working on a version of Franz Liszt's "Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2" which will be arranged for my group "Bach to the Future." The album will feature a lot of great artists, including Dweezil Zappa, Jennifer Batten (Michael Jackson), John Patitucci, Steve Smith (Journey), Jeff Lobber, David Benoit, Eric Marienthal and many others. It will be a really exciting album!”
We are thankful to Michael for sharing some of his thoughts with us. MusicaNeo wishes him best of luck in all the endeavors and endless inspiration for bringing great music into this world!
Video: Bella’s Lullaby by Michael Silverman, solo piano