John Kameel Farah is a Toronto composer, pianist, electronic musician and visual artist.
A virtuosic keyboardist simultaneously using piano, synthesizer sound sculpture, computer sequencing, and at times even harpsichord and organ, his creative efforts are fueled by exchanges of energies on a galactic and microscopic scale. His concerts are epic, symphonic experiences, existing in a special place somewhere between a classical concert hall and an experimental DJ set at a dance club. NOW Magazine named his as Best Pianist 2006 for his unique fusion of renaissance and baroque counterpoint, experimental improvisation, middle-eastern texture, ambient minimalism, techno and electro-acoustics, to synthesize an entirely original sound.
John studied composition and piano performance at the University of Toronto and the Royal Conservatory, John received the Glenn Gould Composition Award twice during his studies. The influences of the classical and avant-garde composers whose works he performed can be felt in his music, mixing with forays into free improvisation, minimalism, jazz, electro-acoustics, eastern scales, ambient and genres of electronic dance music such as Drum & Bass, Breakcore, Dubstep and IDM.
In 1999, after meeting minimalist composer/pianist Terry Riley in NYC, he had private lessons at his home in the Sierra Nevada mountains in California, and on two occasions he studied Middle-Eastern classical music at the Arabic Music Retreat in Hartford. In 1998 he performed the complete solo piano works of Arnold Schoenberg in Toronto.
Farah performs regularly in Toronto, and has also given concerts in Amsterdam, London, Paris, Hamburg, across Canada, the U.S., Korea, the Middle-East and Mexico. In 2008 he opened for Kid Koala at the Guelph Jazz Festival, and gave a concert atop the Aztec Great Pyramid of Cholula with galactic visuals created by astronomer John Dubinski. In 1999 and 2002 he visited the Edward Said National Conservatory in the West Bank, giving performances and masterclasses in Ramallah, East Jerusalem.
Farah released his new CD “Unfolding”on Dross:tik Records this summer to rave reviews, following with a 5-concert tour of England.
please visit www.johnfarah.com for upcoming concerts, projects and artwork