Welcome to Magazine Sixty, Francesco. You play the piano beautifully. Who taught you to play and how long have you been playing?
My pleasure. I’ve been playing the piano for about twenty years, starting when I was six by studying classical music and then contemporary and composition. I have had many teachers from which I learnt a lot about the universe of music.
Your new EP: Retrace is the first release on the new Impress Music label. Tell us about how your relationship with Impress Berlin happened, and about playing at their events?
I’m greatly enthusiastic in being the first artist chosen by “Impress Music” studio for their first release. My starting contact with “Impress Berlin” happened when I was living in Berlin back in 2014, through the acquaintance of Marco Effe and Weg, “Impress” co-founders. I asked them to listen to some of my original compositions, and they asked me back to collaborate and play with them in Impress events.
What is the story behind the title: Retrace? Where does inspiration come from when creating music, a single idea or form something you have observed?
I wanted to walk back through the strongest feelings I felt in my latest years. This EP is dedicated to my father and his memory. Inspiration flows naturally when we recall our nicest memories and beloved moments, and when you just do it for somebody really important, everything comes easier.
Can you tell us about how the process of how you record your music for release?
All my music and tracks are recorded in my professional studio, with the precious help of some colleagues.
What is your favourite piano? How would you describe the difference between the sound created by an actual piano and an electronic one?
My favourite piano is the Fazioli, I think it has a very elegant sound mark. The difference between a real piano and an electric one is the unicity of every single real piano, any of them owns a distinctive sound. By the way, with our contemporary technology, we can still reach to great sound results even with an electric piano.
You also play drums and are involved with the Hanguitar Project. Tell us more about that?
I also play the Handpan, a melodic percussion instrument. I got a side project named “Hanguitar” with the guitarist Francesco Luongo and the drummer Alessio Carnemolla. This project was born in Berlin, in which I could find new inspirations at every corner thanks to every single musician I could stumble upon. That town gave me a lot.
How do you see the effects of Covid-19 changing the way Clubs and Live performance works in the future?
The Covid effect has already changed the way music events are organized, but I am honestly positive because music always finds different paths to reach people, in any kind of situation.
Outside of music who/ what are your most important influences?
Outside of the music world, I love to travel into the wilderness. I believe that nature gave birth to everything our world has to offer, and we can learn a lot from it.
And finally, what plans do you have for moving into 2021?
I’m actually working with many new musicians. The 2021 will be a brand new professional year for me and a very positive one I hope 🙂
Francesco’s “Veiled†is out now on Impress Music
buy – https://www.beatport.com/release/retrace/3044597
https://impressmusic.bandcamp.com/releases
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