Giusto Di Lallo, pianist

Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in music and who or what have been the most important influences on your musical life and career?

Well, it’s a bit of a long story, but I’ll try to summarize it as best as I can. When I was about 4 years old, a dear aunt of mine gave me a melodica as a gift. I still remember the fascination this little instrument had on me, and I recall the incredible feeling of producing sounds with it—it seemed like a kind of magic, and I felt like some sort of wizard. I still have this melodica to this day, and playing it still gives me the same feeling. My father, who isn’t a musician, noticed my attraction to music and took the opportunity to teach me the basic principles of music theory, which he knew thanks to his youthful passion for music.

When I was 6, I learned to play the recorder at school, and that’s when I performed in public for the first time. By the time I was 7, my father, encouraged by my growing passion for music, decided it was time for me to have a ‘proper’ instrument. He asked me which one I wanted to play, and I confidently said ‘the piano’—probably not the answer he was hoping for! I imagine he was expecting something a bit more budget-friendly, like a guitar or a trumpet. But he went ahead and bought me my first piano, making significant sacrifices to do so. That’s when I began private lessons. In the following three or four years, my first teacher (who, incidentally, was an opera singer and not a pianist) convinced my father that I had talent. He encouraged me to study seriously and to prepare for the conservatory entrance exam.

I was admitted to the conservatory “Lorenzo Perosi” in Campobasso at the age of 13, and from that point on, I never had to think about what I wanted to do with my life—I already knew, without a doubt, that I would become a musician. So, I believe my father sparked the fire, and then music worked its magic on me.

Now as an adult, it amuses me to think that, despite making so many sacrifices to give me a high-level musical education, my father has admitted multiple times that he never intended for me to become a professional musician. In fact, he jokes that he regrets pushing me to start!

About my musical influences, as a child, they were quite random and unconscious. I would listen to whatever happened to be around—mostly through the radio or the music my parents played at home or in the car, which was predominantly pop from those years—the 1980s—and light rock from the 1960s and 1970s.

My first real conscious musical influences started to take shape when I was around 14. It was at that time that music became the most important thing in my life, and I began to feel that it was no longer just an interest, but my true calling. This shift happened largely because of the overwhelming and intense emotions music evoked in me during my teenage years, and consequentely, the clear revelation of its incredible and limitless power.

My answer might seem unusual, considering I’m a pianist and composer who went through a long academic journey in a very conservative and traditional environment, like the Italian conservatories in that period. But most of my truly significant musical influences weren’t just classical.

The blood in my veins boiled, and I felt the boundless power of music through The Doors, early Metallica, Rage Against The Machine, and, due to my age (I was born in 1981), the first wave of nu-metal in the mid-1990s, especially bands like Korn and System Of A Down. During those years, Italy also had a really interesting and vibrant alternative scene that greatly influenced me with bands like Marlene Kuntz, Afterhours, and 99 Posse.

That said, I’ve always been deeply connected to and influenced by classical music too, particularly Bach, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Satie, Bartók, and Shostakovich.

I would like to add, without going into too much detail, that cinema and literature have also played a crucial role in my artistic path, just as much as music. But it would take a separate interview to talk about this as well…so I’ll just say that over the years, I have collected several thousand films and books spanning all genres.

What have been the greatest challenges of your career so far?

Moving to London from Italy in 2013 was by far the greatest challenge of my career. I didn’t know English, had less than £1000 in my pocket, no work contacts, no friends, and I was thousands of miles away from everyone I held dear. I had absolutely no idea how I was going to survive. It wasn’t easy, but music was always by my side, every single minute of every single day. My unconditional love and loyalty to it have never wavered…and here I am, 12 year later, still in London, with music playing louder than ever.

Which performances/recordings are you most proud of?

I am quite proud of my latest album (Philip Glass – Selected Piano Etudes – 10th Anniversary Special Edition), both because it’s my first solo album and because, in addition to performing on it, I personally curated the recording, post-production, and mastering on my own. I put a lot of effort into it and I did my best. I believe I have created a beautiful album and I hope the audience feels the same way.

Which particular works/composers do you think you perform best?

Bach, Mozart, Chopin, Satie, Glass, Part, Hovhaness…and Ray Manzarek.

How do you make your repertoire choices from season to season?

Essentially, I choose what resonates most with my soul and what I need the most at a given time—not only as a performer but also, and perhaps most importantly, as a listener. In this sense, considering myself not just a musician but also a listener at my own concerts, I place great importance on analyzing the reality around me to understand what emotions people (myself included) need during a specific period. I consider this both from a historical and social perspective, as well as from a broader metaphysical and spiritual point of view. Although in the past three to four years I have mainly focused on late 20th-century and contemporary music in general, I do not disregard, and I really enjoy performing more classical repertoire as well, from the Baroque to Impressionism.

Do you have a favourite concert venue to perform in and why?

I don’t have a favorite venue; I enjoy performing anywhere and in any context. Whether there is just one listener or thousands, whether it’s a famous concert hall or the basement of a shabby club, for me, playing live is always a sacred ritual and the only real need I have in my life. Performing in public is an act of magic, an act of love, and at the same time, also a great responsibility toward the audience.

What do you do off stage that provides inspiration on stage?

I live. Every experience, emotion, and interaction, whether it comes from art, nature, or other human beings, feeds my music and my performances.

What is your most memorable concert experience?

After over 1.800 live performances, it’s quite difficult for me to answer this question from the perspective of myself as the musician on stage, so I’ll answer it from the perspective of myself as part of the audience. One of my most memorable concert experiences was Ennio Morricone’s performance in Piazza San Marco, Venice, in 2007. I don’t think there are words in the language we use that could adequately describe the overwhelming intensity of emotions, of all kinds, that I felt throughout the entire concert.

As a musician, what is your definition of success?

Producing music that never gets old, that stands the test of time and is not affected by changing trends or cultural shifts. Music that preserves its communicative power after I’ll be gone and continues to resonate for years to come.

What do you feel needs to be done to grow classical music’s audiences?

I think it is essential to rethink the artistic direction of many venues where classical music is performed, as well as the policies of many classical recording labels. I believe we should take away the microphone from those who adopt a rigid and overly academic approach to the musical experience, arrogantly claiming the right to define what can be called ‘art music’ and what cannot. And, most importantly, it is crucial to make young composers (and classical musicians in general) understand that music with no impact on the society they live in serves no purpose; it becomes a mere exercise in self-indulgence. Creating music for the exclusive enjoyment of a small elite group is far removed from the true essence of music.

What’s the one thing in the music industry we’re not talking about which you think we should be?

I wander through different musical worlds, and I can say with absolute certainty that most of my colleagues, especially in the classical music scene, define themselves as professional musicians when, in reality, their main job is teaching (or being businesspeople), and they only work as musicians—meaning performing, composing, or recording music—as a part-time job or even as a hobby in their spare time. This situation is the direct result of a primarily economic issue. Although musicians seem proud and successful on social media and in the press, looking cool, happy, and confident, the reality is that the risk of not being able to pay rent or even to eat is always just around the corner. Unless, of course, they choose to be part-time musicians as I mentioned earlier. Unfortunately, both the recording and live music industries offer less security and respect to musicians than a typical company offers to an ordinary worker. Living as a full-time professional musician (in the literal sense of the term) is a continuous challenge, sometimes requiring significant sacrifices in terms of quality of life. This problem is rarely discussed, yet music is something that, in varying degrees, everyone consumes.

What advice would you give to young or aspiring musicians?

If you truly feel that Music has called you, give yourself completely to it. Let it guide you without question, and give it everything you’ve got. Always do your best and put your heart into everything you do, in every moment of your life, no matter the circumstances. And above all, even if it sounds obvious…. never give up.

Giusto Di Lallo’s new album of Philip Glass Selected Piano Etudes – 10th Anniversary Special Edition is out on 7 February on SOMM: https://listn.fm/glassetudes/ 

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www.giustodilallo.com