2021: A Year in Review for a Classical Improviser

So the pandemic decided to stay… 🥲

Despite the wackiness of the world, 2021 was a year for the better. Transitions transpired, new opportunities manifested, and new communities congealed.

At the top of 2021, I was at my day job at Caltech while making music on the side. I initially thought it would be a tight balance between the 9-5 and aggressively playing/writing in the evening. However, work became overwhelming, and I began to see music evolving into an afterthought. 

At the same time, friends started downloading the app Clubhouse. For the uninitiated, Clubhouse is an audio-based app that lets people connect with others around the world based on similar interests. You can talk to anyone about anything without restrictions. The app became a place to relive in-person interactions in a digital space. After much coercion, I signed up in January and did not expect a new community of empathy, friendship, and fans.

For a digital charity event on Clubhouse.

I got the idea to play piano for people on the app. It started with five people listening, then 10, and soon, several hundred. One time Eric Weinstein, the famed venture capitalist of Thiel Capital, walked into the room: it exploded to 5000 people.

Fans from around the world told me how my music was helping them heal during COVID, and how it quickly became their concert hall replacement. Their words of encouragement and support were infectious and generous. 

I also found a group of like-minded creatives, thinkers, and goofy people. We became firm friends, even though we had never met in person. It was like making friends through Neopets. (Gen Z, please ignore the old-people reference, thank you.)

Friends all from Clubhouse. No joke.

I was also working on a set of four pieces that echoed Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons. I pushed my improvisations to invoke the impressionistic qualities of Debussy and Ravel. I also wanted to present this EP beautifully. For the album art, I collaborated with my friend and visual artist Maggie Chiang. Her artwork is serene, detailed, and filled with the spirit of life. Together, we created Under the Peach Tree. The EP debuted at Maggie’s art show opening at the GR2 Art Gallery on Sawtelle. One of the songs from the EP, Nectarines, won an award for Best Instrumental from World Indie Radio.

The album art for Under the Peach Tree.

Me (left) and Maggie Chiang, the artist (right).

June 2021 was when I officially decided to pursue music full-time. I turned down a couple of design jobs and deleted my account on Indeed.com. I felt that taking the plunge was the only way to try and see whether or not I could make it, or at least keep the rodeo going for as long as possible. Honestly, I did not know if I could last for a year. To make ends meet, I had to sell one of my most prized possessions: a 1965 Fender Stratocaster that I spent two years trying to get and with years of savings. I am also in the process of selling my piano.

The moment I handed over my old 1965 Fender Strat. Mixed emotions for sure.

With the vaccine rolling out and venues starting to reopen, I desperately wanted to play a live concert again. However, as an unknown artist, getting the ball rolling was difficult. At first, no one would book me. I tried to explain that I was doing my own thing now to booking agents I used to work with during my classical days. However, things got lost in translation. So, I decided to self-produce a concert at The Colburn School’s Zipper Hall in downtown LA.

It wasn't cheap. I knew I was going to lose money. However, I thought it was pertinent to debut with my new songs in a big way and to thank everyone properly for listening and tuning into digital concerts throughout the pandemic. The recital was on October 8th, and the turnout was incredible. I saw old friends, family, fans that flew in from Toronto, and Angelenos who drove across the I-10 freeway. All in all, I was able to break even, and things snowballed from there.

After the Zipper Hall gig, venues started responding and were willing to take a risk and give me a chance. I got to play in unique venues and events, including an outdoor concert in downtown LA, the Sea Change Gala for OCEANA, and a 3-day residency in the Berkshires at TOURISTS. Soon, the gigs evolved into The Imagination Tour.

Around the same time, I released my last EP of 2021, Forest on the Moon. Inspired by a getaway I did in Big Bear, I brought my NORD keyboard and ended up writing all the songs on the EP there.

I also got signed to INFAMOUS PR! I couldn’t believe that could happen. They are an incredible PR agency that works with some of my favorite House and EDM artists, including Rüfüs, RZA, and more. It’s an honor to be their first piano player on their roster.

I also got featured in my county paper, which was surreal. I never thought I would be in the Orange County Register. I also got featured in a couple of other publications. You can check them out below.

Like many other artists, I looked at my Spotify Wrapped and compared them to the year before. The difference was massive. I feel so grateful that more and more people are connecting with my music. Crazier is the number of different countries! I'm still baffled people in Japan and Turkey are tuning in to hear my latest releases.

For 2021.

From 2020.

So, what's next? Well, my tour is continuing to Portland, Seattle, Norway (might have to reschedule because of Omnicron 😅), and maybe one more stop. I’m also working on a new album 😱.

All in all, 2021 was an incredible year. Thank you all for your continued support, your love, and for being fans of my music. I'm looking forward to making more music together and playing more shows soon. Happy Holidays!

With gratitude,

George