COFFEE TABLE CHRONICLES | INDIVIDUAL NARRATIVE
Real Talk with Michael Cerny
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In the domain of creativity, there exists a profound synergy between the past and the present. It’s a place where ancient myths find new life and art becomes a vessel for transformative experiences. Michael Cerny, a versatile artist, composer, and writer, serves as a vibrant illustration of this harmonious interaction between heritage and novelty. His artistic voyage attests to the boundless potential of human expression and the enduring impact of mythology, music, literature, and visual art.
Amidst his artistic odyssey, Michael’s path has not been without challenges. School, a place that should nurture young minds, became a source of immense struggle, as it does for many individuals on the autism spectrum. Yet, Michael’s resilience shines through; he views these trials not as punishments but as necessary steps in his personal evolution.
In this interview, we embark on an expedition through Michael Cerny’s creative landscape, delving into the roots of his artistic fervor, his distinctive method to composition, and the deep influence he aspires to leave on those who interact with his creations. Through his insights, we catch a glimpse of the limitless horizons of art and the lasting significance of mythology in contemporary society.
Join us as we dive into the thoughts and craftsmanship of Michael Cerny, a creative spirit who underscores that art, fundamentally, is a voyage of self-exploration and metamorphosis.
I would really appreciate it if you could please stay on the page
for at least 30 seconds to help me support my work as per Medium's new changes.Can you share a little about your background and what led you to pursue a creative journey involving mythology, music, art, and literature?
MICHAEL: First of all, I want to thank you for inviting me to this interview, Britt.
To be honest, I cannot recall specifically the first time I was exposed to art and how it influenced me, but it must have been at a very early age.
I remember drawing Disney characters for fun when I was between five and eight. For instance, I looked at some Mickey Mouse cover for reference and then used some lead and color pencils and blue ballpoint pens to recreate what I saw. Back then I was very much in love with all of Disney and wanted to be a comic artist one day.
Later, when I went to the ‘Gymnasium’ (the Austrian version of high school, that you start attending at the age of ten), the dream to become a graphic designer unfolded. Then, three years later, animator sounded cool; a bit after that I was fascinated by movie-directors.
So, a big bag of diverse ADHD interests — but they all had the notion of expressing your inner creativity in common.
Music, interestingly, was not on my mind as a possible creational endeavor back then. Although, I would label discovering Beethoven and Bergersen when I was twelve as pivotal. I was addicted to their music and I am to this day.
The third ‘B’ of the musical triad was served by Bergeaud, who composed the soundtrack of my favorite game-series, ‘Ratchet & Clank’. All three absolutely brilliant in their own regards and great inspirational sources for my own work, consciously and subconsciously.
Books came way later — after I left school at eighteen, I started to read the classics of Russian literature and I fell in love with the style and psychological depth of the stories.
At a certain point it dawned on me, “Hey, wouldn’t it be cool if I wrote a book?” And that’s what I did, I finished my first novel in German when I was about twenty-two — it’s called ‘Die Odyssee des Percival Iwanowitsch’, a mixture between Russian realism, fantasy and Alice-in-Wonderlandian colorful creativity.
I barely sold any of my books, as I have a hard time with marketing. I much prefer the process of creation over advertising.
Greek mythology somehow weaved its presence into the rest of what I do. I felt an immediate connection to the profound love of the old Greeks for human greatness, divine creativity and multifaceted thinking.
When it came to school, memories are not as rosy. School was pure hell for me. As is, I can imagine, for most people on the spectrum. It felt like suffocation.
I remember having nervous breakdowns and outbursts every week — mostly because of the stress relating to the subjects I was bad at (which were quite a few), primarily mathematics. But also because of some class-mates and teachers I was surrounded by.
One of the teachers even expressed her pride in giving me a low grade, ‘as it would look bad in front of the principal to have only good students’. The school-system needs to be changed, without a doubt.
There was one guy specifically who would pretend to be my friend but then would hit me and emotionally abuse me on every possible occasion when teachers weren’t looking. Fortunately, that part of the drama subsided a bit after he left in his second year as he switched to another school. As you can imagine, I never said anything to anyone, because I didn’t want to be regarded as weak.
I was extremely quiet in class. No matter what I tried, I just couldn’t bring myself to talk in front of people — it was like a switch in my brain that was locked and held in its ‘off’-position with a zip tie. Only when I had to conduct a presentation, I forced myself to do so, but it was difficult.
There was the daily sensation of great terror — impending doom — on the way to these sterile institutional walls of educational conformity.
And when I left school and started university, I got into a toxic relationship that felt like a different kind of hell once again…
I know this sounds all very painful and sad and everything, but now at 28 I am connected enough to my essence that I can say with guarantee — it was not a punishment by the universe. But merely the trials and tribulations I had to go through to get out on the other side — stronger than ever before.
I truly, deeply believe that it is all divinely guided and that these lessons are something that my higher self chose to experience — there is no help in seeing yourself as a victim.
Let me tell you this right here and now: Whoever you are, dear reader — never ever, ever give up on your dreams! And never abandon your true self. Everything you went through has a meaning. Everything. You just have to choose that meaning and make it something beautiful, life-affirming and wholesome!
Even if I disagree with most of the teachings in philosophy, there is great wisdom in Nietzsche’s aphorism ‘what does not kill me, makes me stronger’.
Can you elaborate on how your personal experiences influenced your creative pursuits and the themes within your artistic projects?
MICHAEL: I believe the first step to true creativity is to recognize what is you and what is just a shadow, meaning: a complex, a trauma, a part of a past’s pain — or even just a replica of another person’s convictions.
I’m deeply convinced about the power that resides within all of us. And I will never give up on that conviction.
That being said, in the past, the traumas that I went through had led me to recognize my true creative potential.
Because of the things I went through, my creative pursuits now mostly encompass the themes of reigniting humanity’s inner power, universal love, creativity, possibility, individual purpose, empathy, emotional depth, inspiring one another, transcending adversity & pain, and I’m trying to instill an overall notion of ‘art & creativity can heal’ and ‘we are all so much more than what we see in the material reality’ into my work.
If I had to break it down to one foundational theme that weaves itself through all my projects and is based on my personal experiences, it would be Never give up on your dreams, no matter what adversity you face!
As a composer, you infuse your music with a sense of emotional depth and storytelling. How do you approach the process of translating complex emotions and narratives into musical compositions?
MICHAEL: I believe that emotional depth and storytelling — and I hope I accomplish this at least in part with my music — should not be forced into the fabric of the artwork. Those aspects arise naturally when you engage with the piece in an honest way.
For my current project Chronicles of a Myth (that encompasses primarily a novel and a music-album), I mostly start with a music-track that correlates to a chapter in the book (so track no. 1 is the first chapter, track no. 2 is the second chapter and so on…).
The words for the book usually come later. But not always. Sometimes they overlap. While composing the music, the visuals of that particular part of the story come up, oftentimes even before. Then the overall atmosphere solidifies, and lastly the details get woven into the whole thing.
The key to storytelling in music for me personally is to not censor yourself — let your creativity be explosive, radiating in all sorts of directions. There is no need to force yourself into a classical sonata-form (statement — exploration — recapitulation…). Just let yourself be led by your intuition and ask yourself what you would love to hear as a listener.
In terms of transposing emotions, it’s relatively straight-forward: When I’m sad, the music will obviously reflect that tone more; when excited — the music will be more agitated and excited; when angry — there will be more ‘fire’ in the sound etc.
Could you share some insights into your creative process as a composer? How do you begin crafting a new composition, and what techniques do you use to convey specific moods or themes?
MICHAEL: I don’t have any formal training in any of the fields I’m passionate about — never went to an art-, music- or crafts-school…
Although not essential, as a composer it’s obviously helpful to play an instrument.
I play the piano, and love to sit down at the keys and simply improvise. I believe this is also where the mood(s) and the overall direction for any composition emerge. It is very often tied to how I feel personally on a given day.
The first step to every track is always: Dreaming at the piano and letting myself get immersed in the moment. This is when the ideas rain in, but also the opposite is true — maybe even more ideas come in, when I’m away from the piano.
There is nothing more helpful than taking a walk in the forest or next to a river, or really anywhere that allows you to be with yourself and your flow of creative energy, when it comes to reclaiming your inspiration. For me, nature is key.
The sparks will come in automatically — and then you have to find a way of capturing them; otherwise they’re gone. I’m sure everyone knows that feeling, when going to sleep and all of a sudden — in this half-dream-half-awake-state — you get a rush of inspiration and a beautiful, dense movement for a symphony or a story for a book, a poem, a painting etc. unfolds perfectly in front of your inner eye/ear. But then you go to sleep and wake up the next morning… everything is gone!
So, good advice is: Always try to capture the spark of the moment. The idea that you get when you are not actively engaged in your endeavor is when it is often the most profound — our subconscious works it out without us having to do the heavy lifting.
The perception of ‘having ideas is difficult’ is wrong. The difficult part is transposing what’s inside your head into the real world, as close as possible to your imagination.
Some people write down their compositions in the classical manner — on notation paper with a minimum of a treble and a bass clef — others capture them in a program, a Midi-based digital audio-workstation (DAW for short), like I do.
Modern tools have enabled us to play around with sounds and hear them in real-time, which is an unbelievably profound blessing.
The sounds of virtual instruments are in fact based on real instruments recorded by a professional studio and sold as ‘sample-libraries’ online. You use them with a midi-controller (that’s basically an e-piano connected to your computer). Each note correlates to a key on the piano. You compose and orchestrate a piece by playing in every part of the orchestra, just not with the original instrument but on the piano.
If something needs to be tweaked or the tempo needs to be changed, you do so by editing with mouse & keyboard. The possibilities are almost infinite and if you work with let’s say 150–200 different tracks (horizontal layers) or more — it gets very complex very quickly.
Instrument libraries are expensive, which is part of why I need support for the continuation of this project: The more expensive the library the closer we composers can tweak the sound to a live orchestra. The more authentic and ‘real’ it sounds, the better and the more immersive the experience is for the listener.
It’s very rare for me that I scribble down more than a few notes for themes, motifs and melodies the classical way — it just takes too long and I’m impatient in that regard. Also, there are so many sound-design and electronic-soundscape-elements in my tracks that I wouldn’t know where to begin if I just use pen & paper. Maybe that will change one day. Let’s see.
Of course, I would love to have my music being played by a real orchestra in the future! Until then, I will happily work away in my digital space.
As you’re about halfway through the completion of “Chronicles of a Myth,” what aspects of the project are you most excited about in terms of bringing it to completion?
MICHAEL: There is still more than half of it left to complete. Chronicles of a Myth had to be shut down for about 10 months, mostly due to highly stressful issues with the bureaucracy. Just to give you some context: My wife is from another country and the authorities made it particularly hard to get a residence permit.
Next year, we face the whole procedure again, and they want us to have a minimum wage of 1.751,56€ per month… We weren’t able to get a ‘normal’ job, so we hope to be able to earn a constant stream of income through my Ko-Fi & my recently released book Ode to Love (and a little bit from Medium) & my other works.
I know this sounds like a shameless plug, but a reliable stream of income is the only thing standing between me and the completion of Chronicles of a Myth — really what is the greatest obstacle and emotional burden for us is the rigid bureaucracy of the authorities. I don’t even want to think about it…
To get back to your actual question: Chronicles is the most important project I’ve ever embarked on: It’s like my own child — precious to the core; I feel a deep love to it, but it’s still in the making and cannot walk on its own.
I’m most excited about the reactions of everyone who gets their eyes and ears (and all other senses) entangled with the project. Especially the story and the music, but also the visual artworks (posters, stickers, album covers) will hopefully inspire people.
I hope it makes the readers think and go inside and feel a sense of immersion and it would be lovely if they felt a sense of great possibility, upheaval and joy. And if my work opens up clogged wells of emotion — even better!
The possibility that it opens up someone’s heart and reignites their inner creativity and passion — that’s the peak of the goal!
Also, I need to mention this: The supporters who are specifically generous will get the opportunity to be featured as a character in the book! If they choose the 3rd tier option on my Ko-Fi, they get access to a plethora of the things I create: the music, concept art, exclusive previews, digital stickers/designs and they can even become a character that Daedalus meets on his journey — they become part of the myth!
What inspired you to choose Daedalus as the central figure for your project? How have you reinterpreted his story?
MICHAEL: It was a ‘whimsical’ decision. I was composing my first orchestral piece on the computer in late November 2021 and when I finished the roughly 10-minute-track, I listened to it and thought “This is like a potpourri. Like a mélange — all kinds of textures and aromas and blends… what can I call this?”
My dad’s birthday was around the corner and I wanted to dedicate the piece to him. My dad is an inventor/mechanical engineer. And a quite brilliant one if I may add. The next immediate association was Daedalus, who was a mythological inventor and craftsman and who engineered all kinds of marvelous machines and gadgets — the wings that let a human fly are the most famous example of course.
Daedalus felt like a guy with a very colorful interior to me, just like the music. In my imagination, he was a character encompassing all highs and lows of the human experience. That’s the parallel between us; and that’s what makes him potentially relatable to a lot of people (I hope!). And this is also what fascinates us authors. The depth of a character, his mind, his emotions, the challenges he faces and all his quirks make him engaging.
So, I dedicated the first piece to my dad and we listened to the track on his birthday, and he loved it, which was part of the reason I got excited to continue with that theme.
Then the thought appeared, “Hey, why not write a novel telling an epic mythological story — but an original one with just some names, a few known locations and events that people are familiar with from the old Greek traditions — the rest is completely new!”
So that’s when I started the first few pages of the novel, while also composing the music. The end-result is surely going to surprise people.
Your project seems to encompass ancient mythology while aiming to resonate with modern audiences. How do you balance tradition with innovation in your creative work?
MICHAEL: Without wanting to spoil anything, I can say one thing without hesitation: Readers will have to be open for a new perspective.
Yes, I use basic elements of the original characterization and some of the overall mythological flair and settings, but in the end this story is a pure original, more than a ‘re-imagination’ if you will. It’s best to be experienced without rigid expectations.
For instance: Against tradition, the Athenians don’t greet Daedalus with open arms and celebrate his ingenuity. He has great difficulties fitting in with society. He has all kinds of ’quirks’ and is rather emotional, although he tries to hide his emotions on most occasions. He is quite convinced of his ideas, which gets him into big trouble…
Whatever traits had defined the Daedalus in old accounts, the Daedalus in my book is clearly a loner, an introvert and has a difficult, overactive mind. Even if I tried to paint him differently, that’s what wanted to come out.
Tradition is important, but innovation seems equally important to me. The mixture allows us as sentient beings to cherish human greatness.
How do you find the balance between the written word and musical notes to create a harmonious and immersive experience for your audience?
MICHAEL: The balance will hopefully occur in an individualistic way: Everyone will have a different experience, because everyone will choose to engage with the material in a different manner. What is a mind-based construct for some, will be a heart-centered moment for others. What might be a break in rules for one reader/listener, can serve as a pillar of healing and transcendence for another.
The balance happens automatically I believe. There is not much I can do about what someone hears or sees or feels other than present what is directly observable/audible/intelligible and propose a hopefully different reading & listening experience than most other books and albums serve.
There are important subtleties. But in the end, the transcendental aspects are created by each and every individual themselves. Which is another reason why I’m still tremendously excited about this project!
The idea of your project fostering a healing effect and inspiring others is compelling. How do you envision your work impacting those who engage with it?
MICHAEL: I envision people reading the book and having a sensible, perceptible reaction to the material — either by feeling deeply thought-provoked or amazed by their own imagination when triggered through the descriptions of the characters and sceneries and the music, and most importantly: I imagine my audience feeling emotions come up — in a way creating a space for purging those stuck traumas and then reigniting their inner fire.
I know I keep saying that, but it’s hard to put into words. I would love to hear people say that this odyssey changed their lives for the better.
The combination of reading the story and listening to the music can potentially help people find their own essence and reconnect with their inner strength, fortitude and power. In one sentence, I guess, the goal is transformative inspiration.
Art can heal. That is a true thing. I have been healed by art many times.
Collaborations often bring fresh perspectives and ideas to creative projects. Have you considered collaborating with other artists, musicians, or writers to expand the depth and reach of your work? If so, how do you envision these collaborations unfolding?
MICHAEL: Absolutely! I would love to collaborate with other artists — the only thing that kept me from it was my difficulties with social interactions, anxiety and the like… Now, in the digital realm it’s in some sense easier but simultaneously harder: I tried to contact people and reached out to a few, but usually there was no response.
We talked about this, I think, a few months ago, when I was new to Medium — I wanted to collaborate with you on a poetry-book — I still believe that would be a really lovely endeavor — maybe we’ll find one or two more authors who would like to work together with us on a book!
Beyond that, I’m open for suggestions from fellow souls in the community (:
Beyond your current project, what other creative pursuits and inspirations do you have in mind for the future?
MICHAEL: The question alone gets my imagination rattling.
For the near future I’m pretty busy. I have two other books in the making; one is a non-fiction book that’s going to be released in a few weeks on Amazon (The Little Book of Big Questions); and an illustrated magical science-fiction-fantasy-novel called Stardust Harmonia — this one is going to take a while. Chronicles has priority now.
I’m also uploading on YouTube a few times each month, which takes up more space and energy than I imagined. And I have plans and sketches (and some half-baked tracks) for the second music album once Chronicles is finished, but this will probably take a while as well.
Lastly, there is of course writing and engaging on Medium, which I try to stay consistent with. Let’s say it’s not getting boring.
Finally, Michael, for readers who have been captivated by your journey and creative endeavors, where can they connect with you, explore your works, and show their support for your projects? Your audience would undoubtedly appreciate the opportunity to engage with your inspiring creations.
MICHAEL: The most direct way to engage with & support me is through my Ko-Fi by becoming a monthly supporter through one of the 3 tier-memberships (the second & third one gives you access to monthly music amongst others — the third one lets you become a character in the book!). Of course, I value a single donation just as much!
You can find my work on Ko-Fi, where some of my art like the DAEDALUS poster (the illustration with the yellow background that you see in this article) is purchasable (as a digital & printed version).
You can also check out my website.
Another good way to support me is by getting your hands on my latest book on Amazon: Ode To Love: A Book For All Times and All Emotions. (e-book & paperback edition)
If you are not sure yet if you want to support me, the best way to find out is to listen to some of my tracks on my YouTube channel Soul Signature Creations, where I offer a variety of music compositions, most of them related to CHRONICLES OF A MYTH; there are also piano improvisations, comedy skits, art videos as well as Podcast episodes on it.
If you want to specifically read more about Chronicles of a Myth, I recently published an article here.
Thank you for the lovely interview, Britt. I deeply appreciate you taking the time to prepare the questions and for you doing this series!
Sending much love to all fellow souls out there — and looking forward to connect with you! 💚
Welcome to Coffee Table Chronicles, where the pages echo with the voices of those who dare to share their truth. Explore the intricacies of human experiences and fostering connections through the art of authentic storytelling.
Picture this: a cozy haven, resembling a quaint coffee shop, where individuals from all walks of life congregate. Yet, this space is not solely about enjoying a splendid cup of coffee; it’s about offering a platform for peeling back layers and sharing the richness of each individual’s narrative.
At present, I’m keeping the publication close to my heart and not accepting external contributors, as it’s a personal endeavor that reflects my unique perspective.
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