Austin Farwell

Composer

Author

About

My music has strong ties to minimalism and neoclassical influencers, with comparison to Chopin, Erik Satie, and Yann Tiersen. Drawn to more melancholy, insightful, thought-provoking melodies that are more elegant than over complex intense styles. I'm the most streamed pianist in the world under 30 (I'm 24), fastest growing in 2021, mainly driven from viral piano audios on Instagram and TikTok. Worked with all of the top influencers in the world and brands like the Olympics, Science Channel, Discovery Channel for piano music they needed on social media.

Sheets

Interview

What does music mean to you personally?

Music is about connection, the shared human experience. The fact that I can have an experience, write it out on the piano, and through vibrating air communicate the same feeling to millions of people is mind-blowing.

Do you agree that music is all about fantasy?

Fantasy in the sense, it can be an idealized version of reality. You can take something simple, a moment, and turn it into a world people can step into. Virtual reality music is a really interesting space I hope grows in the future.

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

I went to college for applied mathematics with a physics focus. I considered being an astronaut for a second, but was drawn to business, particularly marketing. With ties directly into being a musician. In a lot of ways music is a marketing competition not a music competition.

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

I see classical music making a strong comeback and I see signs of growth on social media with instrumentals. If anything, more video content is being posted now than ever which will all be powered by music, classical music being a big part of that trend.

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

I see music becoming a more experience outside of just audio. A tactile, visual experience. Stepping into an artist’s world. I also see more artists starting from humble means without the need for record labels.

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

Musicians now have to be great marketers and brand themselves on social media. Creative, in the sense, needing to make content in addition to the music process. Creativity is a finite source. There is a constant battle every musician goes through to stay original and find storylines that are compelling in new ways for their audience. I try to listen to as much classical music as possible for inspiration.

Do you think we as musicians can do something to attract the younger generation to music concerts? How would you do this?

Giving more opportunities to growing musicians, smaller artists that have a growth potential. Some of the best musicians I’ve met don’t have a following yet.

Tell us about your creative process. What is your favorite piece (written by you) and how did you start working on it?

One of my favorite songs, " stars in catalina", came from a very authentic place. I got asked to write something that captured the moment and I found the most romantic chords I could find, toyed with the melody over and over to get it right. I wasn’t trying to be perfect, but perfect for the moment.

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

Finding a song that is really compelling to you and learning it front to back. Then expanding on the song as if you were going to write the next few measures. When you start to write your own music, you build an entire perspective and connection to classical music.

Do you think about the audience when composing?

I try to think about the common threads tying people together. What will resonate, what storylines will be compelling.

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

I’m venturing out into film composing more and more, besides that I’ll always be posting music once or twice a month. I have a music video coming out that I am very excited about on YouTube.