It’s the hottest day of the year and I’m meeting one of the hottest candidates on my interview list. When he talks about his music, his eyes start to shine and when he rolls and plays his piano through Munich, the eyes of passers-by do the same. Dear people, join Florian Christl and me for a very special concert in Luitpoldpark, Munich, Germany.
LJ: How did you get into playing the piano?
Florian: I had my first piano lesson when I was six with my sister. It was a present from our grandparents and parents. I still remember it like it was just yesterday. I was totally fascinated by the music and even then I knew: yes, that’s what I want to do. This passion has never let go of me to this day. It was born on that day, has kept growing and is still growing.
LJ: And how did it go from here?
Florian: I continued to take classes, played every day and went to a high school that particularly encourages musicians. I then decided to study media production. In retrospect, that turned out to be very useful, because it helped me to set up the basic structures of my marketing as an artist. At the same time, I gave as many concerts as possible. I always knew that this was the way to convince people of me and my music and to win fans. Recordings don’t have the same power. So I grabbed my piano, strapped it onto rollers, and pushed it to the nearest park.
Music has no limits
and connects.
Florian Christl | Pianist & Composer
LJ: Have you ever had negative reactions to your ‘park concerts’?
Florian: No. People smile at me when I walk around with the piano. It’s fun to present music to people where they don’t expect it. And in the faces of the people who listen and walk by, I can see that they are enjoying it, too. Sometimes I hear: “You should have learned how to play the flute instead.” But it’s usually not mean-spirited but rather very positive.
LJ: And then what really got your stone rolling?
Florian: Actually there was no special event. I just always made music and pursued my dream. Even if luck always plays a role, it is the result of hard work that I am where I am now. If I had to name a specific event, it would be my student job at Sony Music. It was my stepping stone to my record deal – something you dream of as a kid and that seems so incredibly unreachable and far away. Since then, the curve of success has been a little steeper than before.
I just always made music and pursued my dream.
Florian Christl | Pianist & Composer
LJ: Have you ever doubted yourself?
Florian: Yes, of course, doubts are always there. Can I really do it? Am I good enough? Is my music good enough? But I’ve always gained strength through phases in which I have more doubts. Then perseverance and absolute will count. Even if you realize that you are not yet good enough, you shouldn’t think about giving up, but about getting better.
LJ: When is your music “good enough” for you?
Florian: So first and foremost, I make the music for myself. When I write a piece, it’s good when I feel it’s good. When it touches me, it usually touches other people, too. That is of course very important to me. The nice thing about music is that it has such great power and such an unbelievable breadth. Music has no limits and it connects. It’s just fascinating what music can do. That also gives me the space for my development: new recordings, larger concert halls. All of that is simply part of it.
LJ: About half a year ago, my friend Julia from ‘Business & Soul School’ interviewed you in her podcast. Back then, your biggest dream was to be able to live completely off your music. Has it already come true?
Florian: Yes indeed. The next goal has been achieved, so to speak. I have always said that as soon as it is financially viable and I don’t starve to death and still have a roof over my head, I want to devote myself 100 percent to my music. And I was finally able to do that at the beginning of this year.
Go out and show THE WORLD
what you can do.
Florian Christl | Pianist & Composer
LJ: Does that mean you have to take care of all the paperwork now?
Florian: Yes, the most important thing here is probably taxes. Of course, you always have to keep an eye out that there are no unexpected additional payments. That’s why I got professional help right away. I don’t want to burden myself with it unnecessarily.
LJ: When it comes to art, it’s always about perfection. How do you manage not to miss the right moment to release a new piece?
Florian: So I first write the piece on the piano. If it is a piece with strings, I can usually already hear the strings arrangements in my head. After I finish the first draft on the piano, I write it down the score. This is a process that can take a long time. Most of the time I just leave the first version behind. If it still sounds good after two or three weeks, then it’s good. And if I still get goosebumps after two or three months, it has my seal of quality.
Have courage and never loose your passion for the cause.
Florian Christl | Pianist & Composer
LJ: You released your second album this year called “Episodes”. What makes it so special for you?
Florian: From my point of view, the album is the path of the last two years, since everything really started. The power of music hides in every single moment and every little episode of our lives. By definition, an episode is an event within a larger event, and that is exactly what this album is about. These small, perhaps irrelevant episodes are what ultimately shape us the most. It‘s time to leave life behind, to sink into houghts to feel alive.
LJ: And what does a perfect “Florian Christl Day” look like?
Florian: Sitting at the piano all day, giving a concert in the evening and then having dinner with friends.
LJ: What is your advice to others who want to start their own business as artists?
Florian: Go out and show what you can do. In the special case of music, this means playing as many concerts as possible, even if there are only ten people in the audience. You can’t let that get you down. Go out and show what you can do. If you only do it at home and don’t dare, nothing will come of it. Have courage, have the courage and never lose your passion for your cause.
About Florian Christl
With his debut album ‘Inspiration’, Florian Christl jumped straight to No. 1 on the iTunes Classical Charts. The 30-year-old is an autodidactic 21st century German contemporary classical composer, pianist, and arranger. His passionate, melodic compositions reflect his passion for music and inner emotions. His style can rightly be called ‘classical crossover’, and his music sounds right at home in the crossroads of 21st century ‘new classical’ composers such as Max Richter and Ludovico Einaudi, and the cinematic sound of the late Johann Johansson. With his new album ‘Episodes’ Florian Christl again gives an insight into the world of his feelings and enchants his fans anew. www.florianchristl.de
I really enjoyed the day with Florian and I am really thankful. After the interview we deepened our relationship. I used his music for my dance classes and I supported him in building a new website with a WooCommerce online shop. Check it out for concert dates, CDs, songbooks, and more.
Photos & Videos Copyright: Title image by Lukas Schmidt; all other images by L. J. Hoffmann
Laura Jane Hoffmann
Laura Jane Hoffmann is the founder of Passion Pilot. After working more than ten years as a Marketing Manager in the IT industry she now runs her own creative marketing agency, makes music and works as a dance and fitness instructor. Passion Pilot is her heart project. Together with her network of founders and artists she wants to support people all over the world in finding their passion through creativity, discovering the tools to execute their ideas, and starting their own business.
