Welcome to another amazing month of music from the incredible musicians that make up the Sonicbids.com community. We have got ten amazing musicians that will be speaking directly to the Skope readers. As always we encourage readers to dig deeper and check out their EPK’s.
Justin Taylor
www.sonicbids.com/JustinTaylor3
The Wiley One
www.sonicbids.com/TheWileyOne
Once Blind
www.sonicbids.com/OnceBlind
Skope: How does it feel to be chosen as an A2W artist on Skopemag.com?
OB: It’s an honor! We’re humbled by this, and hope others enjoy our music and message!
Skope: What have you been working on and promoting recently?
OB: Mostly lately each of us has done his own thing. A lot of work in our own church congregations. Ted has released some solo music that you can find on itunes (You can find it here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/ted-hajnasiewicz/id341838862), and Alex is working on a new release of solo material. You can hear some of his stuff at http://myspace.com/callingseptember. There will be new OB stuff coming in the next year too!
Skope: What about your music do you feel sets it apart?
OB: Honestly, we’re NOT ultra different. We wonder about those that say they are. We do like to have fun, and we like to lift up God and provide a positive message. We’re not the first, or last, to do that. We feel blessed to be able to use the talents God gave us to share with others.
Skope: How did you start creating music and what are your long term plans with your band?
OB: Each of us has spent the majority of our lives writing and performing music in some way or another. We came together out of a shared desire to grow deeper in our faith and “rawk out”! Long term, we hope to continue to grow as brothers, and we hope our friends will come along for the ride.
Skope: When you are creating music what do you use as inspiration for lyrics & instrumentals?
OB: Jesus Christ is our first inspiration. He gives us life, and we never forget that. The adventures and trials we face daily are always an inspiration as well. Musically, we have influences that span from Switchfoot to Bach, from Elvis to Britney. Well, maybe not Britney….
Skope: What is the most exciting aspect of being a musician in the digital age?
OB: No limits! We can easily get our music to anyone in the world, in the snap of a finger. And as an artist, we have much more freedom to call the shots. That is something we love.
Skope: What can we look forward to that our readers should know about?
OB: We’re hoping to put together some great shows this spring and summer, and we hope to see you there! Beyond that – be sure to check out our tunes and send us a note!
7th Cycle
www.sonicbids.com/7thCycle
Amael Piano Trio
www.sonicbids.com/AmaelPianoTrio
Skope: How does it feel to be chosen as an A2W artist on Skopemag.com?
Amael Piano Trio:This is very nice surprize.
We feel really honored to be chosen as A2W artists on Skopemag.com, especially because it is the second time for Amael Piano Trio ( we were chosen also in December 2008). Great!!!
Skope: What have you been working on and promoting recently?
Amael Piano Trio: Recent activity from October 2009 on…
It is important to mention that we perfrom music from Mozart, Haydn and Bethoven on … to very modern – avantgarde compositions.
In October we had a concert in famous Gasteig in Munich, Germany, where we celebrated 10th Aniversary of ensemble, performing Alfred Schnittke and Beethoven: http://www.muenchenticket.de/guide/tickets/bfjg/Trio+Amael.html
In the meantime our Cellist performed Dvorak Cello Concerto with National Opera Orchestra in Ljubljana, Slovenia(the end of October);
Tatjana recorded as a soloist with Slovenian Philharmony: Concertino for Piano and Orchestra written by Slovenian composr Igor Stuhec;
Volodja performed Brahms Concerto with Cheltenham Symhony in England, as well recital performances in London — The Red Hedgehog Celebrity Concert Series. He has been also awarded with his 5th Music Award in the past three yearsd: Tha Hollywood Music in Media Award — Best Classical (Nov 19 2009):
Now in January we are working on some new compositions written for us (like Trio by Slovenian composer Igor Krivokapic), and working on additional program for performances in2010: in March in USA at SXSW Festival, in April in Munich, in June in San Marino, in July in Bergen, Norway, in October in Rome, Italy and Belgrade, Serbia. See more fix performances also in 2011 under Calendar at http://www.sonicbids.com/AmaelPianoTrio
In March is planned our new album release »Amael Trio Live From Spectrum Festival « with works by Schnittke, Piazzollla, Brahms and Skerjanc.
We are invited for showcase at SXSW in March (March 20), which will feature only first performances — premiers) in USA: three Slovenian composers (Skerjanc, Lazar, Krivokapic) and two Amarican composers (Steven Mento and Hugh Levick).
Skope: What about your music do you feel sets it apart?
Amael Piano Trio: As we already mentioned, we perform music from Mozart, Haydn and Bethoven on… to very modern – avantgarde compositions.
We don’t perform our own works. Our mission is to create music as interperts. We feel very excited to discover great new works, especially works written by composers of today from the whole world.
We work closely together with many composers in various countries, to study and perform their compositions.
We regularly perform at various international festivals of modern music: in 2009 at Forfest in Kromeriz, Czech Republik, in 2010 at Mask Fest in San Marino and Festival Nuovi Spazi Musicali in Rome.
So long the music is only written in scores is “dead music”. To perform it, means in the first line to bring music to live. There are unlimited ways how to do this.
For us is the most important to bring the music to the audience in concert — live. After our opinion there is no studio recording, which can replace live concert atmosphere. Being on the stage and to feel contact with the audience makes strong inspiration and also a place for improvising, even if the music is written.
That’s why we prefer to publish live recordings. This is our specialty.
Of course, if you are technically better prepared, for what it is necessary to practice a lot, individual and having many rehearsals as ensemble, more you feel free on the stage during performance and you are more creative and you are able to express your feelings more intensive.
Skope: How did you start creating music and what are your long term plans with your band?
Amael Piano Trio: We are all classicallly trained musicians. Tatjana finished Music Universities in Ljubljana in Slovenia and in Vienna in Austria as a pianist, Damir finnished his studies as a cellist in former Soviet Union in Kazan and than at the famous Gnesin Institute in Moscou, Volodja finished his studies as a violinist at the Music Universities in Cologne in Germany, in Moscou at the famous Moscow P.I. Tchaikovsky Conservatory and at the Music University in Vienna.
All three we perform also as a soloists and members of some other chamber music ensembles.
Our long term plans are to continue to perform at various festivals all over the world and to expand our program for piano trio, especially with new compositions written now in 21st century and of course to introduce this music to the audiance in various countries and to make recordings digitally available also online.
Skope: When you are creating music what do you use as inspiration for lyrics & instrumentals?
Amael Piano Trio: Regarding our profile, it is difficult to answer on this question. Compositions we perform as a trio are only instrumental from classical on … to contemporary.
The process of studiing new composition has many steps.
First to read right the scores, than to learn technically perfect your score, than to work with »partitura « to learn the whole relations between all intruments and to learn the architekture of the whole composition and so on.
Real inspiration of interpretation comes in the second step of study period during rehearsals of the whole ensemble.
If we perform classical works, for example Beethoven, it helps for inspiration also to listen to other works written by Beethoven.
Stronger inspiration for each composition comes after we are able to play technically on the professional level, some compositions are very complicated and that’s why very difficult to perform, some very virtuosic. In this cases it needs some time to be able to perform good.
Real inspiration comes in concert and what is the most excited, every concert is different, and that’s why also inspiration, and you never know in advance how it will be. We are always looking forward to follow our idea to play at every performance inspired and intensive as this is our last live performance.
Skope: What is the most exciting aspect of being a musician in the digital age?
Amael Piano Trio: In the digital age our recordings can be listened by thousents and thousents of listeners. For example: in less than two years, our recording at My Space have reached more than 260 000 plays, Volodja’s MysSace page reached even more than 590 000 plays. This are for classical genre artists fantastic results.
And what is the best of all? We meet more and more people in the audience of our concerts, they came to listen us live, because they listened first our recordings online on various music portals like Reverbnation, iLike, MySpace, Facebook etc.
Skope: What can we look forward to that our readers should know about?
Amael Piano Trio: We all love music and love being musicians. Music is also our way of live, it is our job, at the same time our greatest hobby. All three of us also teach and enjoy very much to try to help and transfer our experience to younger musicians.
To know more about us, we are invitings the readers of Skope Magazine to check out our web pages online and to follow our news and updates and to listen to our music online:
www.amaeltrio.com
www.myspace.com/amaelpianotriomusic
www.facebook.com/amaelpianotrio
www.reverbnation.com/amaeltrio
Arek Religa
www.sonicbids.com/ArekReliga2
Skope: How does it feel to be chosen as an A2W artist on Skopemag.com?
A.R. I feel very happy and lucky. I was selected from many other, great artists and bands, what else can I say, but thank you Skope:-)
Skope: What have you been working on and promoting recently?
A.R. I have been working on TV and radio commercials and in the near future I plan to work as a film composer (which is really exciting). Also, I have been focusing a bit more on polishing my skills as a recording engineer, mixer, and producer. I want to get publishing deal, so my “product” must be very good, and not only on the music side, but also on the quality of recording. Just recently, I have invested in some new software and I am learning to use it in order to improve my work.
Skope: What about your music do you feel sets it apart?
A.R. I’m not really sure if I should be the one answering this question :) One of my friends told me, (very wisely), that “if what you do is not honest, people will sense it immediately”. I completely agree with this, and that’s why I never tried to copy anything from anyone else. What I do, what I create, just flows out of me, and even if my music may not be considered “modern” or “today’s music”, it is mine. Of course, at times, it may sound familiar, but you know…. I learned from the best.
Skope: How did you start creating music and what are your long term plans with your band?
A.R. Music is my passion and ever since I was a young boy, (about 15 years old), I knew that’s what I wanted to do with my life. Ever since then, I’ve been working in that direction, even when it got tough. I don’t give up that easily. No matter what, I believe, that some day all of my dreams will come true. Some of those dreams have already become reality. I am happy where I’m at. I have many friends and my family who support me.
Skope: When you are creating music what do you use as inspiration for lyrics & instrumentals?
A.R. I have no rules, it happens at different times and different ways. There have been times where I have had an idea or ideas for a long time, but could not see the “whole picture”, or it just did not fit, so I waited and put it aside, until I had the clear vision for my song. And sometimes I record a song within a few hours from the beginning to the end. I’m guitarist, so, most of my songs start taking shape when I just start playing. It’s difficult to explain, I hate to sound cliche, but it really comes from within, once I start playing and hearing it, I know “this is it”.
Skope: What is the most exciting aspect of being a musician in the digital age?
A.R. Well, it’s that independent musicians, artists, bands, etc., are able to achieve all they want without any record label. Of course it’s a lot of work, and you have to invest a lot of your own time, creativity, and energy, not to mention your own finances. You have to have a studio or working space, you have to do your own promoting, recording, managing, networking, & submission, etc. It’s all up to you, you are basically your own boss. All of the benefits, as well as losses, are yours. In this day when you can record, mix and master your music by yourself, you can release your album by yourself, you can promote your band by yourself, all is really up to you, your imagination, and your creativity.
Skope: What can we look forward to that our readers should know about?
A.R. I’m working on my next albums. I said albums, because I’m hoping to record two maybe three CD’s this very year. Each of them is going to be different from the others. On one hand, I want to play more guitar, and on the other hand, I love “New Age”, “Ambient”, and that type of music, and film music, so, I have to wait and see. I want to experiment more this time.
primeridian
www.sonicbids.com/primeridian
Skope: How does it feel to be chosen as an A2W artist on Skopemag.com?
The Primeridian: It is an honor and lets me know that things are on the right track.. It also encourages me to keep pushing forward with the creative envelope pushing music that is good for the soul…
Skope: What have you been working on and promoting recently?
The Primeridian: We are finishing up an album with Chicago-based producer Tall Black Guy (TBG) called “darling lure…” it will expand on our released album “Da Mornin Afta” with some remixes and new guest appearances such as Cap D and ADaD as well as Shev Rock. It also features some new songs and re-workings. It will be released later this spring on All Natural Inc.
We are also working on a mixtape with the Hip Hop Project which already has features from Buff 1, Decay and production from Rashid Hadee, Jay Vega, Twilite Tone, Tall Black Guy and The Produktionix..
In addtion to that we are working on another Project with TBG that already has features from Peter Hadar and J Ivy…
A project with legendary House producer Ron Trent.
Working on an EP with Twilite Tone (Y -Not)
An EP with Black Spade and with Adlib outta Germany..
A project with DJ Steady outta France..
Collabs with Pugs Atomz
I am also doing production work for Uncle Imani and the Pharcyde, Shev Rock and Koku Gonza…
Skope: What about your music do you feel sets it apart?
The Primeridian: I am encompassing all elements of sound, and fusing hypnotic melodies and rhythm so that the outcome is “beautifully melodic soulfully hypnotic funked out for your listening pleasure…” Lyrically we are also coming from the heart, not preachy just healing through our experiences and having a great time in this life..
Skope: How did you start creating music and what are your long term plans with your band?
The Primeridian: Since I can remember… early childhood memories of my father showing how to play the trumpet @ 3 and my Grandmother showing me how to play the piano… and mastering my yamahah pss 100 8 second sampling keyboard that wasn’t even MIDI in 7th grade… Race (from the primeridian) was the first person I saw rap in Chicago when i was in 6th grade so that was also definitely an influence…
Long term, I see world travel, healing through the music, and living a great and abundant life off of making great music with many many classics under our belt…
Skope: When you are creating music what do you use as inspiration for lyrics & instrumentals?
The Primeridian: Life experience, pleasure, pain, joy, happiness, sorrow, adversity..
Skope: What is the most exciting aspect of being a musician in the digital age?
The Primeridian: That I can connect with anyone from any part of the world with an internet connection and collaborate… that I can be privy to music from countries i have never been too.. that I can market and promote in regions I would have ever known even possible… that i can at my fingertips gain information about inspirational artists, labels, movements, etc for my own study…
Skope: What can we look forward to that our readers should know about?
The Primeridian: The Primeridian + Tall Black Guy “darlin lure” on All Natural Inc…
“Da Crackadawn” mixtape, with The Primeridian and The Hip Hop Project…
More “darling lure” with TBG and many more collaborations, with The Primeridian as well as production from Simeon Viltz of The Primeridian…
The Dirty Sunshine
www.sonicbids.com/TheDirtySunshine
Detox Retox
www.sonicbids.com/DetoxRetox
Call the City
www.sonicbids.com/CalltheCity
Skope: How does it feel to be chosen as an A2W artist on Skopemag.com?
Call the City: It’s feels great! It’s an honour to be selected – it means a lot to us that you guys like our music, and that we’ll be reaching new ears and gaining new fans out there!
Skope: What have you been working on and promoting recently?
Call the City: We are in the middle of recording our first full length album. We’re doing the tracking ourselves, which has been an interesting experience – at times super fun, and at times totally crazy. Once the record’s done, we’re going to tour down the coast to LA. We’ve played some great gigs locally and are excited to get on the road. Also, we’re getting ready to play a show during the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
Skope: What about your music do you feel sets it apart?
Call the City: Our music is catchy but with intelligent, sincere song writing. At first the songs may seem simple, but when you really listen there is so much more behind it. We have an eighties, new-wave feel but everyone in the band has different creative influences, and that definitely comes out in the music. You can hear Bauhaus in the guitar, Blondie in Vanessa’s vocals and everything from the Police to Duran Duran in the rhythm section.
Skope: How did you start creating music and what are your long term plans with your band?
Call the City: Some of us went to music school and art school. We’ve known each other forever & we’ve played together in other bands before. Our long term plans are what you might expect: bring our music to people, get a chance to tour internationally and expand and evolve our sound in the studio and on stage.
Skope: When you are creating music what do you use as inspiration for lyrics & instrumentals?
Call the City: BBC radiophonic workshop plastic dr. who taikonauts american psycho martin heidegger voltage controlled oscillators devo nice kitties tintin & milou bleak landscapes eazy-e time bandits le corbusier blur loneliness professor calculus barry lyndon mies van der rohe odb plato’s symposium pixels stop motion super 8 tony millionaire britten and bream iannis xenakis alice in wonderland francis rattenbury police cars haircuts syd barrett omni magazine knut hamsun
Skope: What is the most exciting aspect of being a musician in the digital age?
Call the City: Instant international distribution, and the possibility of collaboration inside and outside the band. It’s also really leveled the playing field and opened doors, creatively speaking. The cost of making unique high quality videos and recordings is reasonable. It’s empowering, as long as you’re hardworking and talented.
Skope: What can we look forward to that our readers should know about?
Call the City: Our new single, “Bridge & Tunnel” will be available for download soon, and our first video and full-length album are in the works. We are also adding a synth player — Vanessa will no longer be the only girl in the band!
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