Einsteins Piano: Daniel García

This concert in the “Einstein’s Piano” series will take place in Hall 4 at Einstein. Some musicians simply play the piano, trying to impress with technique, ingenuity, and eloquence. For Spanish pianist Daniel García, however, it’s not enough to shine as an instrumentalist. He sees himself as a storyteller, a musician with a message, and a creator of enduring soundscapes—as his solo album *The Hero’s Journey* demonstrates. On this album, he explores the idea of transformation—inspired by Joseph Campbell’s book of the same name.

Daniel García’s solo explorations show that heroes are not people who constantly flex their muscles and revel in their own strength. They are beings willing to sacrifice themselves to rescue others from distress. Our plight is the state of the world today. And Daniel García is a hero because his music has something comforting, self-forgetful, playful, intimate, and soulful about it—allowing us to forget the evil out there. His compositions are atmospheric pieces full of endearing, and at times mysterious, details.

Daniel García, a native of Salamanca, underwent rigorous classical training, to which he owes his excellent craftsmanship. At the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Joanne Brackeen and his mentor Danilo Pérez brought his jazz talent to life. Daniel García’s music is a kaleidoscope in which influences from classical music (such as Federico Mompou), jazz, and flamenco shimmer and shift in a captivating way.