Who is piano soul ?

Bastian Maier, a.k.a piano soul, is an independent pianist, composer, producer and singer-songwriter. From the moment he took his first piano lessons at the age of nine he has been drawn to the keys. He has been particularly taken with Franz Schubert, Ludwig van Beethoven, Sergei Rachmaninoff and Claude Debussy. Contemporary composers who inspire him today are Max Richter, Ólafur Arnalds, Stephan Moccio, SYML, and Yann Tiersen, to name a few.

Unlike most traditional piano students, however, his growth as a musician and composer was not so much based on learning to play songs from sheet and studying up on music theory (both of which are still not his strong suits).

Instead, from the very beginning, his main access to music has been an intuitive, hands-on musical exploration of the piano keys. Mostly playing with his eyes closed and for hours on end, he simply allowed his fingers to improvise on whatever melodies emerged. Even back then he has been sensing that the intensity (emotion), depth (soul), and unrestrictive nature (space) of musical expression called for a rather instinctive approach instead of a conceptual / intellectual one.

Already in his teens he composed various original piano pieces (see album "Early Piano Dreams"). In his early twenties, lyrics and singing have become an important part musical expression, as he also developed a passion for singer-songwriting. 2020 finally meant a huge creative step forward, as he learned using professional music production software for his new compositions. Moreover, he broadened his skillset with mixing and mastering, as well as creating his own music videos.

While being deeply informed by his classical background, piano soul is home to many musical genres. From Blues (Covid-19-Killer Boogie-Woogie) to Pop/Rock in his singer-songwriting pieces, his music is evocative, emotive and cinematic.

With its unique ability to switch off our minds and to move us straight into the present moment, the artist sees music as the acoustic invocation of the non-conceptual, mystical and timeless: the soul. As such, music is able to connect us with our inmost essence, and piano soul aspires to reach into this very space.