Photography and more for the Cosplayer
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By BSaphire Fourteen years ago, at the age of nine, Michael Gluck decides to play Final Fantasy IV, the videogame. At the intro to the game he hears the opening theme. Moved by the music he stops the game play and is compelled to figure out how to play it on the family piano. Until this point in his life, Michael had not played piano. This is a perfect example of how moving music can be. “I started playing the game, and then I heard the music,” Michael stated. He continued on to say, “I looped-it, then I went to the piano and worked on learning it till it was complete. I then went back to the game.” When asked if it was the game or the music that motivated him he replied, “It was the music that motivated me to learn how to play, because I had only begun to play Final Fantasy IV.” Excited by music, Michael went on learning how to play the piano with a piano teacher that supported his forte, video game music. Michael is a gamer, cosplayer, and musician. Three years ago, he decided to pack up his piano and take the train to a local convention, where he set up in the hallway and played his own arrangements of video game songs for the attendees. In tribute to the series that sparked his love of music and inspired him to play the piano, he decided to cosplay a Final Fantasy character, and soon became known as “Piano Squall”. Over the last three years, Piano Squall’s music has touched audiences in: New York, Washington, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Missouri, Georgia, Colorado, and Florida. Piano Squall has also attended gaming and anime conventions such as, Otakon, Sakura-con, Tekkoshocon, Connecticon, Yasumicon, and Kunicon. Recently, Piano Squall appeared as a musical guest at Otakon 2005, performing for an audience of three thousand people. For unknown musicians out there, here is his formula to get your self noticed. “Get out there and perform where you are and choose a venue that understands what you do. Reach out to as many people as you can and you will eventually get noticed, because this is a fan driven environment,” Michael said. Video game music is not the only influence on Michael’s musical style, ragtime pianist Scott Joplin and classical composers like Chopin have influenced him as well. It is with video games that Michael has found his musical voice. “I have beaten about seventy console RPGs at this point in my life, and it is Final Fantasy that moves me the most,” Michael plays more than RPG games. He is a DDR (Dance Dance Revolution) fan and plays “Magic” the card game. I asked him what his favorite card was and he replied, “Black swamp, because it allows you to do more. No, wait! Two blue mana, then I can counter spell! Yeah! Two blue mana,” he said with laughter. When it comes to Final Fantasy RPG games, Michael’s favorite is Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy X. Michael chose the character, Squall Leonhart from Final Fantasy VIII, as his performance costume. “I wanted to perform in Final Fantasy cosplay to show my love for the series—Final Fantasy was the beginning of everything for me,” Michael said. “Why Squall in particular? Well, I have no craftsmanship and this is the only costume I could make!” Michael resembles the smexy Squall, and might be mistaken as a loner like Squall, but I don’t believe Michael is a loner. Squall and Michael also share a compassion for others. For Squall it is his companions, children, and those less fortunate. For Michael it is charity/benefit performances for those less fortunate or in need. Squall’s weapon of choice is his “Gunblade” and Michael’s is his piano. Both of them battle, against the odds, to make their world a little better place for others. It is Michael’s charity work that impressed me first. It moved me and I wanted to meet him. I found him to be humorous, creative, charming, and intelligent. Michael has performed over twenty concerts, Sakura-Con being his first in Seattle, WA, in which he performs his arrangements of popular videogame music. He offers twenty-five of his arrangements, free to download, on his web site at: http://www.pianosquall.com and hopes that others will take advantage of it. He says, “I find it very rewarding to see others performing my arrangements,” and says that the opening theme from Chrono Cross, Time’s Scar, is his best yet. Piano Squall speaks Japanese, went to college and, “Studied something less creative than music—business,” he said with a smile. He currently works full time at Electronic Arts and plans to one day compose music for EA titles. Piano Squall is a passionate performer that seeks to please his audience. His reward is the smiles, and at times tears, and most rewarding of all is meeting each of them. His gracious nature was very impressive and refreshing. I look forward to seeing him perform his original compositions when his dreams are fulfilled. Michael “Piano Squall” Gluck is my featured person for “In the SPOTLight” Edition IV. I have decided to add his Q & A on to the interview. So without further adieu…. Here’s the Q & A^^)
Is there anything else that you would like the readers to know about you? “Outside of gaming and anime conventions, I am an active supporter of charity fundraisers. Piano Squall concerts have benefited organizations such as The Multiple Sclerosis Society, The Matthew Foster Foundation for Families of Children with Cancer, The Maryland Foodbank, Baltimore Reads, and Tsunami Relief.”
Are there any other special interests, hobbies, or ventures you would like to tell the readers more about? “I enjoy composing original video game music, and I am working on a score for an upcoming title. I look forward to sharing it with you!”
I hope you have enjoyed getting to know Michael as much as I have. I highly recommend his performances. They are emotional, rewarding, entertaining and I think you will appreciate his talent too. Go see him perform and stop by his website: http://www.PianoSquall.com/ . If you talk to him in the PianoSquall.com forums tell him hi! ^^)
Till next time….
Anime Wishes & Cosplay Dreams!!! ^^) … BSaphire
Check out the cospeeps and the Con Reports from Sakura-Con 06. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Welcome to "In The SPOTLight"
edition IV. The featured person is Michael "Piano Squall"
Gluck, who was
one of many Guests of Honor at Sakura-Con #9. This page will contains my write up
from the press interview, His Q & A for "ITS"
and 
