Moriches community supports Italian pianist

Italian pianist Michele Garzo has been playing for the Moriches community, including his organ concert for the Presbyterian Church of the Moriches’ 275 anniversary, last year.

In love with his music and delighted by his personality, the church community has rallied around Garzo, seeking his work visa to continue playing in the United States.

He continues to play for the church, succeeding Kamilla Ozman, who played for the church for five years as the church’s organist. Additionally, he also currently serves as the director of music for the church and plays music for the church’s weekly 10:30 a.m. Sunday services.

“Our church has truly been blessed under the musical leadership of Michele Garzo,” said retired teacher and church treasurer Kerri Crawford, noting that over the years they have heard many talented pianists, “but none have even come close to the level of expertise we enjoy with Michele.”

In addition to providing music for the service of worship each week, Garzo begins and ends each service with very complicated selections that he performs to standing ovations from the congregation.

“Michele is one of those ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ talented musicians that most of us will never meet in person,” Crawford added, also saying she has been to several concerts in NYC to listen to him play.

Another member of the church, retired science teacher and instructor of astronomy and a professional assistant for meteorology and geology at Suffolk County Community College, Linda S. Davis, said she enjoys hearing Garzo play a prelude and a postlude every Sunday morning. 

“He has played piano and organ for our church for some time now, and he is an amazing piano player,” she said. “His fingers move faster than any other pianist I have ever seen. He has almost all his musical selections memorized as well. Only rarely does he have music in front of him.”

Davis also noted that his selection of music and the way in which he plays are “outstanding.” Garzo, she said, also directs their choir. 

“We let him know what tempo we like for each hymn during practice, and he gets it exactly right during our performances,” she added, also noting she, too, has watched him perform in NYC.

Garzo originally made his way to New York from Calabria, Italy, in September 2021.

“With great sacrifice,” he said noting he left his life behind, dedicating years to his pursuit of music.

The 24-year-old pianist is classically trained, performing at the highest level.

“I have been playing piano since I was 7 and I keep on working hard in order to become a concert pianist,” he said. “I just feel like every choice in life is a sacrifice.”

He was admitted into a conservatory when he was 11 and graduated at 15. 

Since moving to the U.S. for more opportunity, he has taught lessons and took as many gigs as he could.

“My goal is continuing to perform in New York,” he said of the reason why he is now seeking a work visa.

Currently, he lives in Queens, but also spends weekends on Long Island to perform at the Moriches church.

To listen to Garzo play, find him on Instagram at Garzo.Michele.

ABOUT THE MUSICIAN

Michele Garzo is an Italian pianist. He started playing piano at the age of 7 and his prodigious skills were clear from the outset. He has been praised and awarded over a dozen of national piano competitions and, particularly, one of those led him to appear twice at a program of the local television named “Il Salotto dell’Editore” as a performer. At the age of 11 he got admitted the F. Cilea conservatory in Reggio Calabria and made his debut with the string orchestra performing the piano concerto by Haydn in D major. Burning the stages, he graduated in piano at only 15 with full marks, honors and honorable mention under the guidance of professor Delia Cappuccilli.

Later on, Garzo moved to Rome where, in December 2020, he obtained a master’s degree in musicology and performing arts with a score of 110/110 and honors at the University of Tor Vergata.

Garzo made his way to NYC in September 2021 for the attendance at the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College. Just some months later, he received first place at the Elite International music competition in New York and, as a winner, he was invited to perform at the Merkin Hall of the Kaufman Center.

He also holds a CFU featuring music pedagogy and related, music psychology and related, conduction and planning of choir, elements of composition and analysis, practice of extemporary accompaniment, practice of vocalic and piano reading.

He currently teaches for the Art of Piano Playing Music School at the Rabbi Arthur Schneier Park East Day School, the P.S. 152 Gwendoline N. Alleyne School and the P.S. 003 Charrette School; for the Anselmo Academy of Music & The Arts; and also at the Sonder School of Music and at the KANE Art Studio INC.| Music School. He teaches piano, violin and guitar. He also integrates artistic and educational methodology with theory, harmony and the music history.

He plays organ, violin and guitar, too. He is fluent in Italian, English and Spanish.