Ratoi Catalin
113 plays
4,356 views
4,356 views
Ratoi Catalin is a pianist from Mangalia, Romania covering a mixed style called progressive new age piano. The base of this style is new age piano and progressive rock creating an original combination which worth to be listened. Catalin is going to release soon his first album "Pictures of life". The goal of this album together with this site is according to the artist mission, spreading the musical harmony among the other people. More information you may find on www.pianoprog.comBand/artist history
I was born in a Romanian town called Baia Mare, on the north-west of the country. I was guided by my parents to the primary music school where I studied the classical piano. On the primary school I had some good results but on the high school, I switched to composition and music theory. For some reasons I didnt joined the Music University and I switched again my carrier to the Economic University. While I studied on the University, I had a very strong musical activity with a lot of rock bands and pop music bands. I was suddenly in love with the progressive rock which became my main influence. It comes into my mind one of my dearest bands, actually my first progressive metal band called Michelangelo. You can hear this band on www.isound.com/michelangelo_ro .
After finishing the University I tried to act as a studio musician for 2 years. I had a wonderful cooperation with a lot of Romanian artists, rock bands and blues bands. I even produced some club/dancing albums. After 2 years, it happened the last big switch of my carrier when I left the studio and I joined the biggest Romanian shipyard as an economist. With the help of God Ive accomplished great things with my family, and now I have 2 beautiful daughters. I was promoted after 3 years as assistant manager and now Im a team leader of "Procurement Department" on Daewoo Mangalia Heavy Industries shipyard. However I didnt left my musical site apart and I continued to play the piano. I gathered a lot of new and old ideas and I produced a piano album called "Pictures of life". I also tried to approach an original style which I liked to call "progressive new age piano". I hope you will enjoy it.Have you performed in front of an audience?Yes, sometimes on the stage, sometimes for my friends, piano is one of my best friends
Your musical influences
When I was 5 years old, my father bought the first vinyl with The Wall of Pink Floyd. From that age I was astonished by the progressive current. During school Ive played a lot of classical piano, I didnt have any favorite, Ive liked them all from Bach to Rachmaninoff, from Haendel to Enescu, Beethoven, Mozart and many others.
At the age of 13, Ive discovered the heavy metal so I acted accordingly as a huge fan of Metallica, Scorpions, Nirvana, Paradise Lost and other top heavy metal bands. Also at the age of 13, Ive started to compose my first songs, actually the track Where are you father from the CD Pictures of life is from that time.
During university Ive discovered a mixture between my 2 great musical influences Progressive + Metal. I dont have to say that Dream Theatre was the band that marked me for so many years. It was the time also when I discovered the currents of jazz rock, fusion jazz and the great keyboard or guitar masters: Chick Corea, Steve Vai, Keith Emerson. I played also with great pleasure the songs of Richard Clayderman and smooth jazz songs. All these influences had big impact on approaching my style of progressive new age piano with a little bit of everything.What equipment do you use?
I have to say that I gave a lot of thinking to my decision when I bought an SP250 Korg piano. Ive listened to a lot of samples of all the top makers, Yamaha, Kawai, Roland, Kurzweil and Korg.
I also performed tests on all Korg pianos and finally I decided for an SP250. You can check the astonishing demos at KORG sp250. The emulation is close to perfection, the sound is clear and the sustain pedal is dynamic.
I also use a simple Korg X5D synth for pads and strings also a great keyboard for its price. The Korg X5D is ideal for film music and new age music, the sounds are fat and clear.Anything else?
Playing the piano is one experience that I wish for everybody to enjoy. You can express your feelings and share it with the others in the universal musical language
Harmony doesnt mean a song on major scale with shiny chords and easy melody. Harmony can be any song that expresses a mood, and make you feel that mood like its your own. Harmony makes you vibe and feel the artist soul weather its said, happy, complicated, passionate. In my opinion progressive new age piano is the style that definetly can achieve this.
One great man, very dear to me, and much closer to God than me, said: "Culture is harmony". That is why I bring you my songs to give harmony to your souls.
Enjoy.
113 plays
4,356 views
4,356 views
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