A few nights ago, at the Italian Cultural Institute of Malta, I had the pleasure of listening Salvatore Chillemi.
Director Renzo Sicco presented the book Skies over Turin, telling us about Turin, and arousing in those present the desire to know and visit the city.
Actress Gisella Bein masterfully interpreted some pages of the book, and the reading was accompanied by overwhelming music, composed and played on the piano by the musician Salvatore Chillemi.
At the end of the evening I could not help but congratulate Salvatore on his talent and his interpretation.
He was very kind and agreed to answer a few questions about him and his career.
Salvatore Chillemi
Salvatore tell me a little about yourself ...
I was born in Messina in 1972. At the age of eight I started studying accordion, at 18 piano.
In 2002 I graduated in piano at the Novara Conservatory.
The year before I had moved to Turin where I still live with my family, my wife Cinzia and my 11-year-old son Gabriele.
I worked in 2 museums in Piedmont as a room operator: at Castello di Rivoli from 2004 to 2007, at Palazzo Madama in Turin from 2007 to 2014.
In those years of work I never abandoned my passion for music ...
In 2002 together with other Turin musicians I founded Vinagro, publishing in 2005 the cd "Ventu di mari" containing songs inspired by the popular Mediterranean tradition with particular attention to our Sicily.
The decisive episode that represented the decisive turning point towards artistic-professional realization occurred in October 2014 when my request for a sabbatical year presented to the employer was rejected.
After due consideration, I made the decision to resign and then to resign!
I still consider it a courageous choice considering that at the time of the facts apart from the desire, or rather the need to make music a work in all respects, I had no concrete alternative that could in one way or another replace the previous job and related salary.
And what happened then?
Disoriented and unemployed, I resume playing, starting to develop musical ideas on the piano that until then, due to lack of time, I had not had the opportunity to complete.
At the same time together with our friend Luca Lilliu we give life to the musical project "The master and Lafayette"(2015) and the homonymous cd containing mostly instrumental pieces.
Then at the beginning of 2016 I record a demo with piano pieces composed by me; then contact Renzo Sicco director and artistic director of Assemblea Teatro, whom I had met and with whom I had collaborated with the Vinagro, to propose my work to them.
Some time later, Renzo contacts me to propose the theatrical project "Sul mare" in which I play a Sicilian fisherman "who reveals himself and describes himself through his own eyes, with a different fantasy, which frightens and distances the world of" normals ".
The collaboration with Renzo Sicco and Assemblea Teatro intensifies with my inclusion as an accordionist and pianist in the “I am one” project dedicated to Luigi Tenco.
In September and October 2017 I went to Portugal, Uruguay and Malta participating respectively as an actor (theater project "Sul mare"), musician (homage to Luigi Tenco) and composer (presentation of the book "Cieli su Torino"), three works coordinated and directed by Renzo Sicco.
Thanks Salvatore and congratulations again
