Adrian Wagner grew up surrounded by both classical choral music and southern gospel jazz. Living in one of the most ethnically diverse areas of the US, he simultaneously sang in a choir at one of only 5 gothic cathedrals in the USA, and as pianist for a dominantly black gospel choir and jazz orchestra.
At the age of 17, Adrian moved to New York City to study classical composition, jazz piano, and improvisation. He later furthered his studies of jazz and audio production at the Berklee College of Music, in Boston, MA. In 1999, he travelled to Zimbabwe, where he spent 6 months writing a thesis on improvisation in traditional Shona music.
Since moving back to his roots in Canada, Adrian has toured across Canada as the keyboardist for the Wassabi Collective. He has also played with Terradactagon, Ganga Giri, Mishka, and The Ensemble Project in NYC. He has produced 6 albums to date and lived for 1 year at the Yasodhara Ashram, where he dove into the exploration of devotional music & bhajans.
A mix of classical, jazz, Eastern music, and simplicity, his solo piano concerts offer an inward journey into the rich sonic tapestry of the piano, and an exploration of music from around the world.
Past Performances
Adrian Wagner began exploring composition and improvisation at the age of 5. He has spent his entire life striving towards the potential of the piano as a embodied tool for self-expression, and universal connection.
From intimate shows for 50 people to live performances in front of three thousand festival goers, Adrian has played a wide spectrum of shows and concerts. Adrian has performed at Star Belly Jam, Shambala Music Festival, Om Festival, Revelstoke Music Festival, Unity Festival, Berklee Hall in Boston, and more.
Past Projects
Ensemble Project /// An improvisational ensemble from New York City
Wassabi Collective /// Internationally known electronic music & dance band
Terradactagon /// 3 piece jazz + improvisational trio
Pureblend /// 5 piece world music band
Grand Theft Canoe /// 4 piece hip hop & live jazz project
Luminous Fog, Portland, OR /// 5 piece hip hop & live jazz project
Music Production
With a background in Audio Engineering, Synthesis, and Production Adrian produces tracks that range from ambient yoga soundtracks to World Dance and Live PA Performances.
The Studio
I often spend as much time in the studio listening to what can be taken away, as I do arranging and composing new material. The songs that I really feel are complete, are those where that balance is found. Like every little sound has its place, and adding anything new would just be too much.
The setup is simple, but audio quality is pristine.
- JBL Studio Monitors
- Focusrite Audio Interface + Allen & Heath Digital Interface
- 2x AT Studio Condenser Mics
- Avalon Tube Pre Amp / Compression / EQ
- Roland FA-08 88 key hammer weighted controller with 6,000 + studio sounds
- K-Station Analog Synth
- Novation Remote SL 61 key semi-weighted controller.
- Ableton Live 9
- Kontakt 5 with 150 GB of World Sample Libraries
- Mastering Plugin Suite
