Suzanne Ciani
// composer & pianistSUZANNE CIANI is a classical and electronic music composer and pianist based in Mill Valley, California. “Seven Waves” (1982), “The Velocity Of Love” (1985), “Neverland” (1988), “History Of My Heart” (1989), “Pianissimo” (1990), “Hotel Luna” (1991), “The Private Music Of” (1992), “Dream Suite” (1994), “Pianissimo II” (1996), “A Very Green Christmas” (1997), “Suzanne Ciani And The Wave Live! [DVD]” (1997), “Turning” (1999), “Pianissimo III” (2001), “Meditations For Dreams, Relaxation, And Sleep” (2002), “Pure Romance” (2003), “Silver Ship” (2005), “Natura Poetica [DVD Re-Released]” (2008), and “Galapagos: A Musical Odyssey [DVD]” (2008) are all available from Seventh Wave Productions. Suzanne Ciani’s many recognitions include five Grammy nominations for Best New Age Album, three Indie nominations and one award for Best New Age Album, and Keyboard Magazine’s “New Age Keyboardist of the Year”. She has scored television commercials for AT&T, Coca-Cola, General Electric, composed the jingle themes for Columbia Pictures and Columbia Pictures Television, and even created the electronic sound effects for Meco’s disco version of the Star Wars soundtrack. Suzanne Ciani has also published four books of original piano music: “Suzanne Ciani: New Age Piano”, “Suzanne Ciani: Dream Songs”, “Suzanne Ciani: Turning”, “The Best Of Suzanne Ciani” all available from the Hal Leonard Corporation.
Website: www.suzanneciani.com
Photo: Suzanne Ciani / Seventh Wave Productions
Interview:
Music exists in a spiritual world, a universe parallel to the nuts and bolts practicalities of “reality”. It is intangible, emotional and transporting, allowing us to escape our earthly pinnings for a moment and explore the limitless landscapes of heart and soul. Music is divine in its origins, often “channeled” into being, although good music benefits from skillful production as well. Once used to facilitate the memorization of sacred scriptures, usually it has no didactic purpose at all and frees us to just “be”, with no practical end other than offering the possibility of suspension in beauty and emotion. We experience the direct infusion of the music’s energy. When I was young, my mother brought home a stack of LPs from a fire sale, the romantic music of Grieg, Rachmaninoff, and Chopin. I was never the same again after being infused with emotions I could hardly contain. And likewise, a pop song of the day would make time stop, and with each repeated hearing, I would be lifted to feelings I had never felt before. Music is enveloping, vibrating our inner ears and whole body. I find it such a rich experience, like eating whipped cream, that I need to limit my indulgence in it.
“Music exists in a spiritual world, a universe parallel to the nuts and bolts practicalities of “reality”.”
– Suzanne Ciani, composer and pianist
