If you haven’t been to Artown’s Monday Night Music Series in the past, this year might just be what changes your routine. Pianist William Joseph, with his genre-defying “classical pop,” opens the series July 6 with a performance Artown fans won’t soon forget. It’s part of his first solo tour in support of “Beyond,” his latest album that earned a spot on Spectrum Culture’s “Best CDs of 2008” list. And be sure to stay through to the end for the dramatic “Kashmir,” a reworking of the Led Zeppelin classic that has become William’s signature live show-stopper.
About Performing Live:
“I absolutely love playing in front of an audience,” William says. “Not only do I want to take people on a musical journey, but I want to connect with them and hear what they think, which is why I love meeting people after the shows. The fans are as much a part of this as everything else and I take that connection with them very seriously. In the end, I just want to bring as many people along with me on this adventure as possible.”
Since the release of his 2004 “Within,” Joseph has been in-demand for a number of high-profile musical events around the world including support tours with Il Divo, Josh Groban and Clay Aiken, and appearing with such artists as Barbra Streisand, Alicia Keys, Natalie Cole, and John Mayer. His epic “Heroes,” was in consideration to be played during the opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympic Summer Games.
William’s Writing and Recording Evolution:
“’Within’ was a great learning process for me,” William says. “At that point, I had never played with an orchestra before, I had only written for piano. After “Within,” I saw the possibilities of working with orchestrators and programmers and my whole creative world opened up. I wrote the songs on “Beyond” knowing that I would have the instrumentation I love. Plus, I’ve grown a lot in the last four years, and I really feel like I’ve figured out what my sound is, and how to take what’s in my head and put it on the album.”
Watch an interview and performance of “Within” from William’s recent appearance on Iowa Public Television.
The Early Years:
It all began for William as he pounded out the theme from “Fraggle Rock” on his toy piano after watching the show on TV. Lessons with a Russian piano master began after that, with studies focused on Chopin and Rachmaninoff. In his late teens he got a job playing organ for his local National Hockey League team, and even wrote their theme song! After a break to travel through Australia, he returned home to Phoenix, Ariz. and took up mall duty. He’d fill one seat by his piano with a passerby and play a song just for them, drawing a mob of listeners in the process. Truly, William’s personality combined with his stellar technique are the keys to his success.
The Monday Night Music Series is sponsored by Charles Schwab Bank, Terra West Property Management, Washoe County and Robert Z. Hawkins Foundation.
For more information on William Joseph visit www.william-joseph.com.
