TBJ184: Sergio Carolino
Andrew Hitz
We finally got around to interviewing the legend that is Sergio Carolino. He is a truly special musician and one hell of a human being.
This was one of those interviews that left me energized. Sergio is so kind and so generous. I really appreciate his approach to his craft and his outlook on life.
And he had a very special relationship with Sam Pilafian, which he told us about.
You can watch the episode on YouTube below or head over to Pedal Note Media for all of the links to where to find it.
Enjoy!
On This Episode of The Brass Junkies:
Why he feels the need to have something extra creatively on top of his orchestra gig
What drives him to have so many projects
His desire to keep tuba music moving forward as an artform
Why he doesn’t make music for ego but in pursuit of excellence
The 10 albums that Sergio has completely finished that he hasn’t released yet!
How he still can’t believe that he gets to play recitals with people like Gene Pokorny and Dan Perantoni
The first time he met Sam Pilafian and how blown away he was by one of his idols talking to him like they had known each other for years
How his first tuba influences were Sam Pilafian, Kirk Joseph and Bob Stewart and not the classical guys
The trouble he ran into at conservatory when he showed up and sounded like the jazz guys he grew up listening to
How if you imitate the sound and the phrasing then the intonation and rhythm fall into line
How lucky he was to get recordings of some of the giants of the tuba world at an early age
Why he thinks about fretless bass even when he’s playing classical solos
The curiosity that drives him
His original plan to pursue a career as a caricature artist
How he created his own musical opportunities with the other people in his village beginning at age 13 or 14
Why he stays away from negative people
The many ways that any of us can make the world, and the musical world, a better place
The importance of being around musicians who are better than you
The musicians he would most love to collaborate with (he doesn’t hesitate with his answer)
His passion for learning styles of music which are new to him (and why the key to all of it is learning the phrasing)
The low point he reached 6 or 7 years ago that almost led him to quitting the orchestra and moving to Nepal and the advice that Gene Pokorny that renewed his love of tuba playing
How we are only here for a few years before moving on and why we need to make the most of our time