Music, a fundamental and universal component of the human experience, is one of the fundamental foundations of the cultural life of a country that wants to define itself as civil. It offers a favorable "space" for socialization processes, for the acquisition of knowledge tools, for the enhancement of creativity and participation, for the development of a sense of belonging to a community and, for the universality of its language, for interaction and integration between different cultures.
Living music and making it live is the first passion of the MaestroPaul Fanzaga, composer, pianist, Director and Teacher of theMusic Academy di Treviglio.
In many years of career, the passion and the desire to know have led him to experiment and range in the vastness of the musical language composing music for the cinema, for Orchestra e vocal music.
In the last 10 years he has been dedicating himself exclusively to piano music which he loves to offer in concert with different ensembles: with a string group, with the cello, in a "band" formation with drums, bass and guitar, and more recently with harps.
He is strongly convinced that "playing together" is a value in "making music". And this is one of the objectives he tirelessly pursues in the Music Academy he directs.
It is precisely the teaching and the particular relationship with the students that feed his enthusiasm and his desire to transmit his passion, to educate to Beauty.
M. Gavezzotti: M ° Fanzaga, how and when was your passion for music born?
P. Fanzaga: "From the first moments in which I met and experienced her, the passion for Music arose, especially around the age of 10, after watching a film about the birth and history of a famous band: Beatles. The driving cause of this falling in love was my experience and not a genetic factor: I have never had musicians in my family. Thus a strong bond was established between me and her, but also the desire to be able to make her my future life partner. This desire has come true ”.
MG: Why did you choose the piano as a musical instrument?
M ° PF “The versatility: this is the feature that differentiates this instrument from any other, it presents more possibilities to transform emotions into sound, you are independent from any other person. I have also dealt with studies of clarinetto e cello and it is for this reason that I do not consider myself a pianist in all respects, but composer. I also believe that each instrument corresponds to a specific personal character: whoever plays the piano, most of the time, is a person who seeks tranquility, order and harmony between body and mind ”.
MG: What is your favorite musical genre and repertoire?
M ° PF: “I don't have a preference scale. Each genre has the dignity of being listened to and appreciated: there is Beauty in everything. Still citing the Beatles movie, I began my musical experience listening to rock music, only after I became passionate about classical music, I listened and still listen to its composers and exponents who have given life to real masterpieces, pillars of our culture.
As for my repertoire ... not everything can be played and interpreted to perfection, so you have to make a choice: the best move to make is to move towards what we consider original, brilliant and personal.
However, as a teacher, certain pieces are almost considered compulsory: for example, the compositions of J.S.Bach which in addition to being absolute masterpieces, are excellent exercises for the independence of the hands and for their intertwining of melodies which is simple despite its complexity. After all Bach, born in 1685 (Baroque), is still very relevant today as it inspires many jazz musicians ”.
MG: When did you realize that you would have this passion all your life?
M ° PF : “Well, - the Director replies ironically - I am still alive and also in time to change my choices. The possibility of working with music for me is only a privilege and I strongly feel the predisposition. At the beginning it is not an easy task to be able to realize one's dreams. I started giving my first lations at the age of 18-19: immediately the interest to continue was born in me and still today I teach with the same passion I had when I was still a beginner ".
MG: Why did you choose to teach music?
M ° PF: “Although I teach, I also learn a lot from my students. Teaching allows you to meet people who share your same passion and I can say that most of my friends are musicians ”.
MG: How does it feel to know that one of your students has reached high professional levels?
M ° PF: “This matters relatively to me because in life you don't always get everything and therefore my purpose, not entirely simple, is to make people passionate: to appreciate music is to be a better person. Many studies claim that music increases brain activity, but above all it allows you to love what is truly beautiful ”.
MG: In your opinion, is music education given little consideration today?
M ° PF: “Definitely. Even the statistical data prove it: Italy ranks in the80° place in the general ranking on music education, even the level of countries like Vietnam far exceeds the Italian one. Musical education has always been underestimated despite the fact that our country was the birthplace of great composers of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries who created music today famous all over the world. To give an example, just look at the number of spectators and their age at a classical music concert: here in Italy the average age is between 60 e . Abroad, the opposite situation arises: even entire stadiums are filled ”.
MG: Do you have new ambitions?
M ° PF: “Continue to do this work by transmitting the passion.
MG: If he could go back, would he change course?
M ° PF: “Absolutely no, music has given me emotions and will continue to give them to me”.
MG: How do you live your role as director of the music academy?
M ° PF: “Being a teacher means giving individual lessons; being a Director, on the other hand, means coordinating a collective work and merging the various energies that are created with the organization of concerts and essays. The role is relative, the important thing is to be good musicians: you need passion and not virtuosity. Being excessively good can involve the risk of not understanding the difficulties of the students ”.
To listen to his music:
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www.youtube.com/user/paolofanzaga
Thank you for your availability Maestro Paul Fanzaga which made this interview possible.
