June 11, 2007
by Peter Stanchek
The following is an interview I did with Nick Vasallo. He is a composer from the Bay Area and has just completed his B.A. degree in Music. After seeing his Senior Recital I asked if he would do an interview for my Communications project.
PS: Where and when did you get your start in music?
NV: In high school I started a punk band called YFH (You Fucking Hippy) with my best friend Carlos. It was just loud, angry music.
PS: Were you an angry angst ridden teenager?
NV: I was just very disturbed at times. I didn't know who I was....same old teenager bullshit I guess. I had tantrums in the middle of class sometimes. I actually threw a backpack at another student and was sent to the Principal's Office. They sent me to a psychiatrist for Anger Management. (lol) She told me I had hypomania disorder. Which explained a lot of things.
PS: Like what?
NV: I had insomnia. Once I stayed awake for 6 days in a row. I felt like I was mad. Sometimes I felt as if there were thousands of thoughts and ideas in my head. My friends had to put up with my unstable moods. I was not well but I am better now. For the most part. Music keeps my head busy.
PS: Did this affect your school? Grades?
NV: Yeah...big time. I was really lost in my head for about 6 years. I'd say from high school to junior college I really didn't care about academia. That all changed when I went back to school for music.
PS: How did your parents react?
NV: Well, coming from an Asian family you are expected to do extremely well in school. My dad is a CPA from The Phillipines and my mom is a landscaper from Taiwan. They sort of expected a lot out of me since I was the first born male and when I was eight years old I was sent to an accelerated school called G.A.T.E. I remember my mom would always love to brag about that.
PS: So you were quite the scholar as a child?
NV: Well, I didn't really think so at the time. I was really into Art and I competed in all these Art contests and won several. This is during Elementary and Junior High. I stopped drawing in High School. But I guess I was pretty good in English and Math too, that's why they sent to me to that school. So when I started to go down the "dark side" my parents kind of gave up on me. But we're cool now! (lol) They know I am serious about school.
PS: What made you get serious again about school?
NV: Well I was bouncing around a lot from 1998-2005. I was touring with my band Antagony and trying to go to school full-time and working. It was crazy. I first majored in Psychology and then went into Computer Science. Then I dropped out for a whole year and just wrote music. I then realized I needed to go back to school for Music. A friend once told me, "find what you love most in the world and never let it go."
PS: That's really cool. So what kind of music or composers influence you the most?
NV: Well....obviously Metal. That will always be in my blood. I admire the darker, more passionate composers like Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Stravinsky, and Gesualdo. Oh, also my favorite Film Composer is Bernard Herrmann. I shouldn't say Film Composer....he's also my favorite composer. I am also extremely into ethnic music - I mostly relate to anything rhythmic like Taiko, African tribal, South American indiginous, and Eastern additive rhythmic properties.
PS: How do you write your music?
NV: (lol) Oh man....I always get this question. Why? How? To tell you the truth each piece is different. I can tell you this, there are times when it comes out effortless and I finish a piece in 6 hours. Then there are times when I work and revise a piece for 6 weeks or 12 weeks. Sometimes I like to wait until I have the whole piece choreographed in my head and sometimes I start simply with an idea and see what happens. It's always different.
PS: Are you composing right now?
NV: (lol) Honestly, you know what's funny? Sometimes when I talk to people one part of my brain starts going off and outlining harmonies. Like when you were asking about my grades in school I start seeing an F minor seventh chord with a moving second and fourth! But as far as serious composing. No. One of my professors, Dr. Jeff Miller, said it would be good to take a break from writing since I have been writing everyday for the past 14 months.
PS: Any plans for future pieces?
NV: Yes! All I know is I finally have access to strings so I want to write an orchestral piece down in Santa Cruz.
PS: When do you leave down there?
NV: Later this month...like 2 weeks!
PS: Do you still write for movies?
NV: Actually, that is something that I have been debating over for a while now. I like the work I did. It was fun and I got good exposure from the Planned Parenthood video and Sinful movie. But I feel torn between my personal, solo concert work and film music. I think I want to keep developing my voice and if a director really wants my sound he'll find me.
PS: Which profession would you rather settle down in: Film Music or Concert Music?
NV: Oh man.....I don't know. 2 years ago I could easily say film but now I really don't know. I have to be a politician and say both right now (lol).
PS: Well, that's pretty much it. Thanks for the interview Nick! Any closing words?
NV: Follow your dreams...and don't let them bring you down. Adversity is the best fuel for proving yourself.
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