The road to 100 releases | Interview with Luis Berra

Italian pianist and composer Luis Berra has reached an incredible milestone today: the release of his 100th track: 'Dancing Michelangelo (Andante Piano Session)'

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Since he began sharing his music in 2017, Luis' soulful and improvisation-driven pieces have captivated listeners around the world. In this interview, we talk with Luis Berra about his journey to 100 releases, the evolution of his creative process, and the global impact of his music. We also get a sneak peek into his upcoming album with us and hear his thoughts on staying inspired as an artist.

Join us as we explore the road that led him to this extraordinary achievement.

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Congratulations on your 100th song! You've been playing the piano and composing your own music from a young age, but only started releasing your music a few years ago. What inspired you to share your compositions on platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and the like?

I felt that the time had come to share my creations with others. Art really begins to exist if you share it with other people, when you create a bond. I had to cast out my fears of inadequacy, come to terms with my limitations and put something out. On the one hand, I was motivated by the positive feedback I got from playing live in Germany. On the other, I had a feeling that many people didn't take me too seriously. Especially in Italy, my home country.

Although my piano training was rather traditional, I have always felt a deep connection to improvisation - a creative urge, I would say, that has been with me ever since I was a child and it has never gone away. I improvise and try to create almost every day at the piano, even if just for ten minutes.

It was simply a matter of organising my ideas, recording them, and finding a way to share and distribute my compositions.

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Art really begins to exist if you share it with other people, when you create a bond.

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Your music has been streamed all over the world, like in the US, Germany, Mexico, Australia and Brazil just to name a few. How does it feel to know your music reaches millions of people all over the world?

Sometimes it's hard to believe. Millions of listeners from all over the world, who would have thought? Although the streaming universe is peculiar and it is very difficult to understand who listens to your music, the mere idea that my music has been streamed millions of times in Mexico City, New York, Berlin, Barcelona and the most diverse places on the globe, makes me travel too and it makes me really happy. Sometimes I wonder what are people in Bogota or Kansas City doing while listening to my new album? Are they relaxing on the sofa? Are they working? Are they studying? Are they making love? I may never know exactly. But that is the beauty of music... You compose and record songs that then fly away, making their journey to other places, meeting other people. Like children you look after for years and then they leave home and build their own lives. You no longer control them.

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What’s the most memorable or surprising feedback you’ve received from a listener?

This is perhaps the most beautiful thing, at least from an emotional point of view. There are those who write to me saying that my music has helped them through difficult times, such as the loss of a loved one.... Then there are pregnant women who tell me that they listen to my music in the hope that their baby will hear it. And then there are those who use my music to help them fall asleep or to prepare for a difficult exam at university, or while doing sports. Others who talk about how my music moves their souls, excites them, makes them dream. I have had a lot of feedback over the years and for me it is fundamental, because it is a great motivation to continue working.

One significant piece of feedback has definitely been from people who ask me for sheet music so they can play my pieces. Because of that, I decided to write and print a book with 21 scores of my songs. The title of the book is ‘Pieces’, and is printed on beautiful high quality paper.

It is available for sale on my website. I can do some advertising, yeah?!

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Having composed and released now over 100 pieces, how do you stay inspired and have you experienced writer's block?

I can hardly believe I've released 100 pieces! As for your question, in my opinion, inspiration does not really exist. Creation is an act of will that comes from dedication and consistent effort. Of course, there are moments when you simply don’t feel like creating anything, but that's just a temporary lack of willpower. It’s nothing dramatic. When I'm not in the mood to compose, I turn back to studying the classics—Bach, Mozart, Chopin—or even dive into jazz standards.

That said, inspiration is all around us; you just have to be open to it. When you truly want it, it will come to you.

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Inspiration is all around us; you just have to be open to it. When you truly want it, it will come to you.

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Has your creative process when composing changed since you started putting music out on the streaming platforms?

As I said before, it was a matter of organising my ideas. Considering the needs of the modern listener, a more concise approach is necessary. Some compromises have to be made, like with the duration of the pieces. It is hard to imagine presenting 15-minute long improvisations on the streaming platforms. I still enjoy creating those, but they’re best suited for live performances.

Then there are different phases of life in which a musician composes and plays differently. We are never exactly the same; we are constantly changing. Still, the soul of my pieces always represents who I am, and I truly feel they belong to me.

Knowing that so many people listen to my music surely is an extra motivation to continue creating. Anyone who claims to make music exclusively for themselves, in my opinion, is not being entirely truthful.

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Knowing that so many people listen to my music surely is an extra motivation to continue creating. Anyone who claims to make music exclusively for themselves, in my opinion, is not being entirely truthful.

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Out of all 100 releases, is there one that holds a special place in your heart? Why?

It's very difficult to answer. As I mentioned earlier, people change throughout their lives. The phases of an artist are numerous and fluid. A piece that felt deeply personal to me yesterday might resonate differently today, and vice versa. Just as every work of art is a reflection of its time, each creation is also a product of the artist's life stage during its conception.

‘Dancing Michelangelo - Andante Piano Session’, my release No. 100, (which is the first re-release I have ever done) continues to represent me fully. I also still enjoy playing it in concerts and the score is in my book.

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In 2025 you have an upcoming album project with us at Andante Piano. Without spoiling too much, what is this album about?

It’s a solo piano album, the result of months of hard work and fine-tuning but it was recorded in just one day at Andante Piano's beautiful studio in Amsterdam.

It's a collection of pieces that speak of simplicity, and of the importance of small daily gestures, which by repetition create infinite universes. The work of synthesis and the search for the essential has been enormous... also because I started with a lot of very disordered ideas, from totally free improvisations, which I then reworked, trying to give life to these sound fragments that repeat themselves but do not give up the melody. Hence the title ‘The Repetition of Small Gestures’.

I sincerely thank the entire Andante Piano team for giving me the opportunity to record in their studio and also for handling the mixing and mastering of the tracks.

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What advice would you give to pianists just starting to release their music?

It would be oversimplification to say 'Just dive in without worries of fears'. I don't want to offer grand advice, as I'm unsure how valuable it would be. From my own experience, I can share this: always consider your limits. Over time, I've learnt to accept my limitations and shape my artistic vision around them. When you are aware of your limits, you can better understand your strengths and create something authentic.

And here's a tip from a not-so-exciting piano teacher who is almost 40:

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Sit down at the piano and spend time with it. Keep learning. Play Bach slowly, and listen to yourself.

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As our conversation with Luis Berra comes to a close, it's clear that his passion for music and dedication to his craft have been the driving forces behind his remarkable journey. From his early days of improvising at the piano to his latest milestone of 100 releases, Berra's music continues to touch hearts and inspire listeners around the world. With his sights set on new projects and a relentless pursuit of creative expression, we're excited to see where his musical journey will lead next. Here's to Luis Berra—may his melodies keep dancing across the globe for many more releases to come.

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Listen to Luis Berra's 'Dancing Michelangelo (Andante Piano Session)'

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Watch Luis Berra's Andante Piano Session

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Follow Luis Berra: 

Spotify

Apple

Instagram

Facebook

www.luisberra.com

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