With George-Denis Ardelean: an interview with the artist of "Unfold"

22.06.2022

George Denis Ardelean is a composer living in Romania. Self-taught pianist, George started learning first learning the accordion at a young age, before starting to study the piano. His compositions capture both sad melancholy and hope which derives from his strong interest for film music and storytelling. His works are marked by delicate combinations of instruments, sounds and textures designed to strike that particular emotional chord in the audience, essential for the musical story and experience to be complete. Each piece of music is a journey to the vastness of his inner world.

You are an emerging artist but with different results already achieved, can you tell us briefly what artist you are?

Well, I suppose it's always strange to claim about ourselves that we're artists. It's not only about us; it's also about the audience, and in particular, the listener, but also about the art itself. An artist is definitely someone who can change your feelings or make you feel something, surprise you, and make you wonder about many things. I usually think of a good artist as someone who can grab you at a certain moment and take you to another, with introspection and questions along the way. This is the type of artist I strive to be.

What are your influences and your musical references?

I believe I've been impacted by a diverse spectrum of musicians and musical genres, and I continue to do so. Max Richter, Phillip Glass, Ennio Morricone, John Williams, Alexandre Desplat and, of course, the classics, Bach, Mozart, and Chopin, are among my greatest influences. Artists like Bob Dylan, The Beatles, and even heavy metal bands like Iron Maiden have also a big influence on me.

The most important thing for me is to stay true to the material and follow it wherever it leads. I think the reason I write music is because I'm attempting to express things that I find hard to verbalize.

How do you compose? Do you feel a musical theme in your mind or is it more based on creating from sensations?

It can be different every time. I usually begin with an intention, a message I want to convey. From there, I kind of fumble around in the dark, trying to come up with anything to say. It's sometimes a linear process in which I have a concept and then try to come up with ways to communicate it. Other times, I'll find things along the process, and the notion will evolve into something completely different. The most important thing for me is to stay true to the material and follow it wherever it leads. I think the reason I write music is because I'm attempting to express things that I find hard to verbalize. Music is its own language, and it excels at expressing things that words fail to do, therefore it's typically my first reaction.

How was your latest album "Unfold" born?

"Unfold" is a collection of six pieces for piano and strings. For me, music is about expressing stories and feelings, so I wanted to channel the thoughts and feelings I was having at the time I produced the pieces about various topics that were on my mind, many of which were tied to and inspired by the period we went through the previous two years. I'd say that the concept of "time" is an obsession of mine, and each piece captures a feeling at a specific point in time. I tried to "hunt down" the sound that was closest to what I wanted to say, so that when someone listens to the music, it will unfold a story to them, hence the album's title "Unfold."

At what time of the day do you like to compose? Is it an expressive urgency due to an inspiration or do you meditate and plan everything with scrupulous criteria?

To be honest, I'm always hearing tunes and sounds in my head, so I suppose I'm always composing or at least thinking about music, but the process of putting it on paper and making it real, varies from time to time. Inspiration might strike you when you least expect it, an idea of a melody comes in your head and you quickly write it down, record it so that you don't forget it. However, you often contemplate, consider what you want to say or communicate, and then try to translate it into music, which might entail a lot of trial and error before you find the appropriate sound and feeling. In the end, it's a mix of planned and unplanned events.

What would you answer to those who ask you why you should listen to your music?

To be honest, I'm not sure. I think one of the reason why I could say that people should listen to my music is because I always try to say something, to express and tell a story with each piece. Another reason is that I believe we live in an overly fast-paced world, and my music requires time to listen to and accept being touched by it.
In other words, in a world where everything must be done as quickly as possible, it asks individuals to take time, or to take a break to rest.

I hope people may find their own lives in the music and take something with them that will last so they can return to it anytime they need it.

What is the meaning of music for you?

For me, music has different meanings, but one of the main is certainly that music is pure emotions. I feel safe when I'm listening to music. You may be dissapointed by people, your job and even by the world, but never about the feelings music can offer you. As a composer, I strive to consider the audience as an integral part of the work, and that the music is only half of the story, half of the conversation. Each person who listens will add their own feelings and experiences to the story, which will complete and enrich it, allowing it to have different meanings for different people. Finally, I hope people may find their own lives in the music and take something with them that will last so they can return to it anytime they need it.

Could you kindly anticipate us something about your upcoming projects?

I'd like to do some live concerts with the pieces from my new album "Unfold," and I'm hoping it will be possible this year. Also, I'm creating the score for a few films, which makes me very happy and grateful because film and cinema is a great passion of mine.