YANNI'S AOL CHAT-11 February 1998
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On 11 February 1998 Yanni had a live chat at AOL. Alex Dimov was fortunate to be an AOL member and participate to the chat. Andreas wishes to thank him very much for the transcription of this chat and his permission to publish it. The text is edited by Andreas. Enjoy!
AOLiveMC10: Welcome to AOL Live, Yanni! So great to have you with us this evening!
LiveYanni: It is a pleasure for me to be on AOL live. It is also my first time ever.
Question: Hello Yanni! I just wanted to tell you that when I die I want QUIET MAN played at my funeral because it is the most beautiful piece of music, and I want everyone to have the same emotions that I get when I listen to it , and that is peace and love.
LiveYanni: The song Quiet Man was written for my father. He is a quiet man and a very wise man at that. Thank you for the kind words.
Question: Do you have a favorite CD that you listen to? Our daughter listens to your CD - In My Time, every night - ALL NIGHT!!!
LiveYanni: I work in the studio for so many hours every day that at night I prefer silence.
Question: Hello! I would like to know, why most of your music has no words?
LiveYanni: I believe that instrumental music is one of the most powerful languages in the world. Using instrumental music you have the capability of communicating very subtle emotions, very quickly and more accurately than using words.
Question: Yanni, I am a 17 year old violist and I was wondering what your advice is about getting your foot in the door with a professional orchestra. I already got into college and I have a great teacher, but I wanted your opinion. PS I love your music!!
LiveYanni: It is the same advice I would give to anyone. Persistence and determination. Do not give up!
OnlineHost: For your chance to win a personalized Valentine and "Tribute" CD signed by Yanni, tell us your favorite Yanni song or album and email it to his screenname, LiveYanni. 10 entries will be chosen at random.
Question: Yanni, Are you ever gonna go back to Acropolis to perform again?
LiveYanni: It is possible, but I have no plans for doing so in the near future.
Question: Yanni, as a fellow songwriter, I would like to know what would you say was the first catylist that elevated your music to national attention?
LiveYanni: You can answer it with one word. Television.
Question: How do you write all of your music if you can't read and write music the way everybody else does?? You have your own kind of "music language"? Does someone then rewrite it for you??
LiveYanni: In the old days it was necessary to read and write music because if you didn't, music would be lost forever. Nowadays we have the tape recorders. When I create a piece of music I record it on a piece of tape and then I have someone who is called a transcriber write it in traditional musical notation. Not reading or writing music is not a hindrance to a composer. Particularly if the composer has perfect pitch.
Question: Yanni, what is your favorite city that you have toured to?
LiveYanni: There are many cities around the world that I have enjoyed for diferent reasons. And it is impossible for me to pick a favorite.
Question: Yanni, your violinist is incredible. What is her name?
LiveYanni: Her name is Karen Briggs. And I agree! There's only one of her in the whole world.
Question: Are you doing a live album soon??????
LiveYanni: Another one? I just finished "Tribute". For now, I have plans for a world tour that will last for a year and a half. I am sorry, but it would be at least that long before I work on another album. And my feeling is that the next album will not be live.
Question: What inspires you to write your music? It is beautiful!
LiveYanni: Thank you very much. Life is my inspiration. I live life. I stay open... I am not afraid. And as life moves me, then there is reason for me to talk to express myself. The way I talk is with notes rather than words.
Question: Why did you decide to have singers in your "Tribute" CD?
LiveYanni: I think that the human voice is the most expressive instrument known to man. What I have a problem with sometimes is lyrics. That's why I have been avoiding using vocals for most of my career. However, in some compositions I feel it is appropriate to use the human voice.
Question: Yanni, how many members of your fantastic orchestra are original members?
LiveYanni: I would say a little more than half.
OnlineHost: Please stand by, folks! LiveYanni has left the room. Please stand by, we will continue, as soon as Yanni returns.
OnlineHost: LiveYanni has entered the room.
AOLiveMC10: Welcome back, Yanni!
AOLiveMC9: Hi Yanni....we didn't mean to scare you off!
LiveYanni: Sorry guys!
Question: What is the theme of your new album - religion, romantic love, familiar love?
LiveYanni: The album was meant as a tribute to the Taj Majal of India and the forbidden city of China. Also, it was meant as a tribute to those two cultures that created these monuments. But on a broader spectrum, it is meant as a tribute to all of us. And the potential for greatness that lies within everyone.
Question: I want to know why children, when they attend your concerts cannot get your autograph. Not even me! I tried to, but the guards wouldn't let me. (I'M ONLY 13!) I was very sad about that. Thanks, Jenny.
LiveYanni: I'm very sorry about that. But it is impossible for me to be able to sign every autograph after each show. I do try to sign as many as possible, however.
Question: You are a blessed man to have been given such talent. Use it always to bring people joy.
LiveYanni: Thank you. I will try.
Question: I am trying to tell my wife who you are. Is there a way, on the Internet, to give her a sample?
LiveYanni: I have a website. It's www.yannitribute.com
Question: Yanni, what was your most difficult piece to write?
LiveYanni: That's a great question. I think some of the more complicated pieces of music that I wrote early on in my career were also the most difficult. Mainly because I wasn't as accomplished or proficient at composing yet. I would say that compositions like Santorini or Marching Season or Nostalgia were the most difficult.
AOLiveMC10: Yanni...does your site "www.yannitribute.com" have your tour dates...LOTS of questions on dates and where.
LiveYanni: Yes.
Question: I would like to know what nationality you are?
LiveYanni: Greek. I was born in Greece and I came to the United States at the age of 18 to study psychology at the University of Minnesota at Minneapolis. And I stayed in the United States ever since. Now I am an American citizen.
Question: Yanni, would you accept to play at the ceremonies marking the beginning of the 2004 Olympics in Athens?
LiveYanni: Absolutely! It would be an honour.
Question: Do you think that music can be used to bring about world peace and harmony, and if so, how could that be attained?
LiveYanni: I think music can affect people's souls. And as such it could be a very powerful tool in moving people to a certain frame of mind. I do believe music could play a powerful role as we attempt to bring about world peace. However, we must not forget that we have a very long history of aggression and violence and it will take quite a lot of work and education to be able to reverse the pattern that has been established for hundreds of thousands of years. It would make me extremely happy to know that in my lifetime I may have played a minute role towards that direction.
Question: I work in the New York City subway as a driver, and your piece "Within Attraction" is what my life feels like after work...home and my daughters homework confrontation.......what is the story behind this piece?
LiveYanni: It's a long story. I will try to make it as short as possible. I wrote it originally for the Out of Silence CD. It describes a lot of the feelings that I experienced when I returned to my home town after 13 years of absence.
Question: Yanni - we saw you in Dayton last week and we just loved it!! It was wonderful to see you live! The band was awesome and as always you were too! Thanks for a really memorable night!!
LiveYanni: Thank you! It was a great concert. The audience was fantastic!
Question: Do you have your own orchestra?
LiveYanni: Yes. This orchestra is a highly specialized one and it has taken me nearly 7 years to put it together.
Question: Are there any keyboard parts prerecorded when live in concert?
LiveYanni: Everything that people experience during my concerts is performed live. No computers, no tapes.
Question: The song Tribte sounds similar to Mozart's Piano concerto in C--Did you have any classical influence when writing that song?
LiveYanni: I listened to a lot of classical music when I was growing up. Therefore, I am influenced by the classical composers like Bach, Beethoven, or Mozart and Stravinsky. I also listen to a lot of middle eastern, eastern music, music from North Africa and of course a lot of Greek music. I also love rock and roll. So as you can see, I have had a very wide musical diet which I think influences the way I write music today.
Question: How do you concentrate on what you are doing live? You conduct, play, and control soundboards!!!
LiveYanni: It is like anything else in life. It is easy if you have spent many years and many hours each day working and applying your conciousness in one direction.
Question: Are you as romantic as your music?
LiveYanni: I romance life because life is precious. I was taught by my mother and father to appreciate or try to appreciate every moment. It is not easy to do, but I'm trying to get better at it.
Question: Are you going to publish any more music books? If you do, I plan to get it the first day it comes out!
LiveYanni: Yes.
AOLiveMC10: Ladies and gentlemen. We have time for one more question
Question: What's your advice to today's young people?
LiveYanni: Go after your dream. Be passionate about what it is that you want from life. Don't be afraid. Never give up. If you follow that, it is very unlikely that you will fail.
AOLiveMC10: Thanks SO much for joining us tonight, Yanni! SO many people were here to listen to you. Again thanks!
AOLiveMC9: Thanks Yanni!
LiveYanni: Thank you all for joining us. It was a lot of fun for me! I appreciate all the kind words.
AOLiveMC10: And a special thanks to all of our members who sent in some GREAT questions, tonight! Good night everyone...and have a great evening!
OnlineHost: LiveYanni has left the room.
YANNI INTERVIEWS
In "Larry King Live" (USA TV Network CNN)-13 July 2003
In "Sunday Morning" (USA TV Network CBS News)-18 May 2003
Yanni's guest appearance in "My Big Fat Greek Life" (USA TV Network CBS)-30 March 2003
In "The O'Reilly Factor" (USA TV Network FOX News)-2003
With his mother Felitsa in "Katse Kala" (Greek TV Channel ANT1)-March 2001
In "Larry King Live" (USA TV Network CNN)-5 June 1998
Yanni and Karen Briggs in "Jazz Scene" (USA TV Network BET)-1998
In "The Ticket" (USA TV Network NBC)-1997
With Linda Evans in "Approaches" (Greek TV Channel ANT1)-22 August 1993