Meet Audrey Vardanega | Pianist, Artistic Director/Founder of Musaics of the Bay, Arts Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Audrey Vardanega and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Audrey, is there something you can share with us that those outside of the industry might not be aware of?
When people outside of the classical music world think of classical musicians, they mostly think of the glamorous idea of a musician on the road, traveling to exciting places, performing in large concert halls. While this can be the case for a select few musicians, it obfuscates the real lived experiences of most performing musicians who have to actively generate their own performance and career opportunities. It also distracts from the very real problem of financial lack of sustainability in the art form. Classical musicians are independent contractors, and as such, are paid once per performance (mostly). There are very few salaried positions in classical music. This creates a major sustainability problem that most folks outside of classical music are not aware of.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I started playing piano at the age of 6 and have been loving it ever since! I initially was reluctant to choose the path of becoming a musician – it’s such an unstable and scary path to take. I went to college to study liberal arts and halfway through my studies, I felt that if I didn’t pursue music, I would always regret it. So I listened to myself and went on to participate in classical music festivals and a classical music Masters program at Mannes. These were really great experiences that helped shape me into the musician I am today.

The Covid-19 pandemic was a major turning point in my career and my relationship to my art. Prior to the pandemic, I was determined to pursue the path of the ‘legitimate’ classical music artist – getting a manager, doing the tour circuit, getting labels to want to produce my albums, et cetera. After the pandemic, all my priorities shifted and I became obsessed with the idea of creating music and playing music on my own terms and helping other artists do that too. Instead of giving energy to other performing organizations and institutions, I choose to empower myself through my music by playing with the collaborators I choose to play with, playing the music I choose to play, and playing for the communities I feel connected to. This has changed everything about my relationship to the piano – as opposed to feeling the need to prove myself as a musician to others, I shifted the paradigm so that everything I play/do comes from the inside-out. If I can’t play a piece or present a concert with the integrity with which I approach my whole art form and life, I’d rather not do it! It’s a liberating thought and it has completely shifted the way I play music.

After collaborating with many great and inspiring artistic collaborators over the past few years, I’ve found that it is very obvious when you’re collaborating with someone who is coming from a place of sincerity and integrity – someone who is there for the music and not there for their ego or the pursuit of ‘fame.’ This is the kind of music I want to create – sincere music that tells a story and communicates deeply with listeners.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to Christos Vayenas, my partner in life and artistic collaborator. Together, we co-direct Musaics of the Bay and The Autumn Salon, two arts organizations based in the Bay Area and NYC, respectively. Christos is a great pianist, curator, improviser, and all-around artist who inspires me in all my pursuits.

Website: audreyvardanegapianist.com

Instagram: @audreyimpromptu

Youtube: @audreyvardanega