In Conversation with Vancouver-based Composer & Pianist Martin Mayer on The Entertainment Engine Podcast…
“Canada’s Prince of Piano” — that’s how the Beijing Times, China’s leading English-language newspaper, described Canadian pianist and composer Martin Mayer.
This week on The Entertainment Engine podcast for Season 2 we welcome a very special guest the Czech-born composer & pianist, Martin Mayer to the show.
Born in the Czech Republic, and now based in Vancouver, Canada, his music has been defined as instrumental fusion — a combination of smooth jazz, classical, pop, and rock.
Mayer’s European roots add a good share of thoughtful and longing soul, his North American education contributes a healthy dose of high-octane energy. Which is an explosive mix.
“Canada’s Prince of Piano” — that’s how the Beijing Times, China’s leading English-language newspaper, described Canadian pianist and composer Martin Mayer.
Martin Mayer’s recordings include Destinations (1998), Live In Concert (2000, nominated for “Outstanding Instrumental Album” at the Prairie Music Awards), This is Who I Am (2003, Nominated for “Outstanding Instrumental Album” at the WCMA Awards), the 2009 single The Orphan Boy, a year-long fundraiser for the Canadian Cancer Society, Alone (2010), Unbreakable (2018) and the holiday single Carol of the Bells (2020).
After Mayer realized musicianship was who he was, he would study at Royal Conservatory of Music, major in piano performance at Grant MacEwan University, and win the Rachel McKeown Memorial Award for composition.
Indeed, his first composition would feature prominently in a CBC Television commercial at 16.
The classically-trained pianist spearheaded the launch of his instrumental fusion career in true music industry fashion.
He risked a $35,000 bank loan to mount and produce his dream debut concert — complete with a 20-piece orchestra, film, and live recording crew.
That risk paid off when the Live in Concert album garnered him his first music award nomination and opened the doors to his premiere international tour.
A Chinese Arts Agency took Martin Mayer on a 16-city six-week-long concert tour in mainland China in 2001.
It would become the biggest tour of any artist in China’s modern history, and all of his tour dates since then would be sold out.
He entertained thousands in concert and millions on Chinese TV.
Mayer’s latest album, Unbreakable, was listed as one of the Top 25 New Music Critiques of 2018 (Music Connection Magazine, December 2018), attracting radio airplay from across the globe.
It is one of the few independent Canadian records available on Chinese music-streaming platforms QQ, NetEase, Qian Qian, and Kuwo.
Throughout his storied career, Martin Mayer has taken the opportunity to give back to the communities that have supported his artistic endeavors.
To learn more about the chat BeX and I had with Martin, click on the link below;
Over the years, he has generously donated his performances and recordings to help the Canadian Cancer Society, the Canucks Autism Network, Share Family & Community Services, MusiCounts, the Canadian Red Cross, Watari Counselling & Support Services, Musicians On Call, and the Port Moody Arts Centre, among others.
Canada’s National Post predicts that Mayer is “poised to take over the world stage,” while VOGUE Taiwan opines that the pianist’s “passion for music … can only be described as breath-taking.”
The A&R Factory Music Blog declares: “Thankfully there are artists such as Martin Mayer to inject a bit of excitement and panache into the format of the pop-piano,” while Smoothjazz.com Global Radio concludes that “Martin Mayer is Canada’s premier pianist & composer!”
It was a very inspiring and fun conversation with Martin, we are looking forward to seeing what Martin gets up to this coming year!
By Pete Moore
