Anthony Sylvestre

What does music mean to you personally?

Music is one of the more important joys in my life. Without music, the world would be so sad! Music can express the full range of emotions of the human beings. Music can make me laugh and music can make me cry. It's the power of the music: to play with the emotions of listeners and to interact with them. For me, composing music is a way to express myself and to be fulfilled in what a love to do.

Do you agree that music is all about fantasy?

Music is a good way for dreaming, it has the power to reach our mind to a higher place. Also, it has this concrete aspect that often impress us when we see the musician offer to us the result of his work.

If you were not a professional musician, what would you have been?

I would have loved to be an entomologist, climbing in the amazonian canopy to discover new insects species!

The classical music audience is getting old, are you worried about your future?

If it is about attending classical music concerts, yes it's a reality that most of the people are not so young. For me, listening to classical music is not a question of age. It's a question of education. Children's ears must be educated and it's the task of the parents to teach their children to listen to classical music among the huge diversity of music styles. I think it is more affordable for young people now to attend classical concerts, discounted rates are made for them and it's a very good thing. If young people are used to listen to classical music, they are most likely to attend concerts or to buy a CD of this music style. From my composer's point of view, I'm most worried about the way the people consume music. Music is so easy to hack.

What do you envision the role of classical music to be in the 21 century? Do you see that there is a transformation of this role?

I think classical music will never disappear. As far as orchestras and conductors will exist and will play it, it will not disappear. We are the guardians of the excellent past and are responsible to pass it on to the next generations. Also, I think the concert programmers should program more living composers music in addition to the secular and very respected classical composers. It's a good way to show new 21st century music to the audience.

When I say that classical music is searching for new ways or that the classical music is getting a new face, what would come to your mind?

Classical masterpieces can't be changed regarding to the music, I think that the only way to add something is the visual aspect. The ballet music, or operas are perfect for revisiting the music visually.

Do you think that the classical musician today needs to be more creative? Whats the role of creativity in the musical process for you?

My creativity results from the amount of music I have listened in my whole life. My music is certainly a kind of hybrid between all that I have listened before, and obviously with my soul in it. The risk when composing is not to realize that the music you have just found is from another composer, Haha !! It happened to me years ago and what a disappointment when I realized that this amazing new theme wasn't from me ! When I compose, my main fear is that a listener could be bored when listening to my music. So, I try to be inventive. I think that we can feel the heart of a composer in her/his music. Personally, I think that I unveil a part of myself in my music. I like to say that my music speaks better than myself. So, if you want to better know me, I invite you to listen to what I do.

Do you think we musicians can do something to attract young generation into the classical music concerts? How will you proceed?

We see numerous humorist classical music videos on the internet. I think all the ways are good to draw the attention of the young generation. The way to reach them is where they are: on the social networks. Share videos on these platforms. Using classical music in the movies is the best way to make it appreciated too. After that they may want to attend classical concerts.

Tell us about your creative process. Do you have your favorite piece (written by you) How did you start working on it?

My compositions often start when I try to play something on my keyboard. Many times, I wondered if it was worth it to record a musical idea that I've just found. Happily, I do the good choice to record anyway and sometimes it becomes the start point of a very interesting composition. Other times, and it is rarer: I wake up in the morning with a music directly in my head. When it happens, I take my cellphone to record in order not to lose anything of what I have received in my dream ! I composed the piece 'World of Life' in 2012, I tried something on my keyboard and found the first melody. The whole framework of a piece isn't found in one moment. There are some steps. When the inspiration stops, I often need to leave the piece, and to go back to it the next day or later to have my ideas clearer and find a development. When I found the 'chorus', I knew that adding an orchestra will emphasis the piano part. So, the piece 'World of Life' was completed in its final form. I remember that I said, after having just completed my piano solo piece 'Le Piano Suspendu', that I didn't thought to make another piano piece because of the difficulty I had to complete it. But finally, inspiration have come back and since this piece, 4 other piano works have been released : Berceuse, World of Life and Prélude N°1 and Prélude N°2 (08/2017).

We, Moving Classics TV, love the combination of classical music with different disciplines: music and painting, music and cinematography, music and digital art, music and poetry. What do you think about these combinations?

Sometimes, several kind of arts can coexist in one single life : see the very gifted Paul Barton who admirably plays the piano and also paints so realistic portraits. Regarding to your videos Anna, it's very pleasant to watch them. I love your pianist skills as well as your actress ones. So original !!;)

Can you give some advice for young people who want to discover classical music for themselves?

Listen to the whole music of Chopin but especially its two piano concertos, Elgar's Enigma variations, Rachmaninov's piano concertos, Puccini and Verdi's choir works, Mahler's 2nd Symphony "Resurrection, and so many more.

Do you have expectations what regards your listeners, your audience?

To get more audience to my music, I know that I need to be more prolific in my music works. A lot of time is needed to promote my music to the interested persons, share onto the forums, etc. This is asking a lot of time and we never get enough!

What projects are coming up? Do you experiment in your projects?

One of my choral works untitled 'Psaume 42' should be sung in Oklahoma soon for its premiere. It is dedicated to my grandmother, she's getting old now, so, I hope she can listen to her piece during her lifetime. I also plan to release very soon the orchestra version score of my 'Libera Me' and also a new piece for soprano, choir and orchestra 'Agnus Dei' (by the way written in a very classical style). It will be available on my digital sheet music website : ASTURIA MUSIC. I have three pieces : Libera Me, Agnus Dei and Lacrimosa. I would dream to compose a requiem. I think it's a good start ! I have a lot of piano compositions to complete too.