I recently had the opportunity to interview Devin Farney, who is a pianist, composer, and teacher in San Francisco, California.

Devin’s music is very interesting and one of the most intriguing soundscapes I have heard in a while.

Feel free to click play below and listen while you read.

Let’s start from the top. Who are you? Where are you from? What style of music do you create?

Well I’m Devin Farney – originally from a small town in central CA but now reside and make music in San Francisco. The style of music I create varies a bit on lunar cycle and dew point (not really)…but I do get mixed up with quite a variety of sounds (indie/psych, jazz, electronica, good old melodic pop/alt rock, contemporary classical/experimental, and so on). Magnum Passion was my attempt to wrap the most successful of them into a single unit.

Magnum Passion has one of the most intriguing soundscapes. What influences and/or inspires you?

Lately I’ve been digging groups with sonic sophistication coupled with melodic/harmonic appeal. The Dirty Projectors are very high on my playlist right now – they manage to pack more music into a single song than practically anyone. I am still under the undeniable spell of Radiohead/Atoms For Peace, and probably always will be. Also must tip my hat to Animal Collective for sonic influence here, as well as prog rock favorites like Emerson, Lake, And Palmer, Pink Floyd, and Frank Zappa.

What music did you listen to growing up?

I grew up in an unabashedly Beatles household. Virtually everything I’ve ever done musically can draw at least some distant lineage to these guys (but doesn’t everyone say that these days?) I digested a lot of melodic singer/songwriter music early on – Jim Croce, Neil Diamond, Harry Chapin, Don McClean, and so forth. Around high school I got deep into piano-driven artists – Ben Folds (Five), Rufus Wainwright, etc. Eventually I found myself listening to Gerwshin and Art Tatum in the same sitting as Cherry Poppin Daddies and Nirvana, and found myself loving (and wanting to play) it all.

What led you to walking down the path of a pianist, composer, and teacher?

I guess it all just seemed sort of inevitable to me around the end of high school. There was never (or at least I don’t recall) any serious deliberation over whether or not I should dive headfirst into music study – it just seemed like the next step in life. And fortunately I’ve spent less than 0.17% of my time regretting that decision.

You have your Masters in Composition. Where did you go to school? Was it rough?

I spent my first four years going to the University of the Pacific Conservatory of Music, then after a year hiatus (highlighted by a summer spent musically gallivanting around Europe) resumed studies at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. I don’t know if I would described it as particularly ‘tough’ – it sure opened up my mind to musical dimensions I never would have bothered to conceive on my own and in retrospect much of my latest creative approach comes out of that initial academic immersion into the music world. Of course there has been a lot of subsequent systematic breaking down of many of the compositional “rules” I once imposed on myself, but perhaps a few linger.

What role does the Internet/Social Media play in connecting with fans and growing the reach of your music?

Well social media is sort of the lifeline for the true independent artist these days, isn’t it? I can’t say much that hasn’t been said before about the importance that our Facebook fan pages play in the development of our careers. Plenty of folks on the other end of the world who would have never heard my music (until I sell out a stadium in Sydney) have had a chance to check it out. And then of course there’s that whole evil flip side too; the cyber-world digital chill that many claim cannot compare to the real-world analog warmth. But rather then rack my brain on the ramifications here to too great of an extent, I choose to embrace the internet as a necessary demi-evil that is primarily responsible for the promotion of my music thus far, and in all likelihood will continue to play a huge part.

Is there one thing you could share with someone just starting out that you wish you knew when you started?

Learn from other musicians, but don’t let their influence become so great that it robs you of your own musical identity.

What are your plans for 2013? What can we expect from Devin Farney this year?

You can expect more music! No new albums a la Magnum Passion in the works just yet – I’m currently in a compositional mindset and will be having some Bassoon music performed, recorded, and published in the near future. Also have a cello quartet on the verge of an east coast premiere. There may or may not be some orchestral efforts underway as well

Are you actively playing shows? Any tours coming up?

Yup. You can find me playing keys with the band The Love Dimension. We are always playing shows in the greater bay area, and are increasing our presence in So Cal as well. Also I recently formed a powerful and fruitful musical alliance with SF songwriter extraordinare Mark Nelson (of another stellar local band Electric Shepherd), so stay tuned for upcoming Nelson/Farney shows.

Where can we grab your album? Where can people find you online?

You can check out/download the track “Keep A Light On” at the following SoundCloud link: https://soundcloud.com/devin-6-2/keep-a-light-on . The whole album is available for download here: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/devinfarney5 . If you’d like a hard copy, you can find me at a show and/or hit me up! You can find me online at http://www.devinfarney.com, but perhaps more to the point is my Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/devinfarneymusic

Any last thoughts or shout outs?

Just a quick thanks for everyone for the continued support! Too many names to drop (I hear the music playing me off…)