play.live.breathe:MUSIC

What does Play, Live, & Breathe Music mean to me? It means to play music from the heart, to live a life that revolves around it, and to breathe in the music as if you won’t survive without it.

I’ll never forget the first time I played the piano in front of an actual audience. From that day, till now— I won’t play just to play. I play because I love it. I was trained classically for about 4 or 5 years. Piano teachers were never my favorite kind of teachers… As a lot of young people (especially Asians) are forced to play and rehearse piano for hours and hours, I was no different. Rehearsal was my enemy, but I had to for my parents. My dad, who was a top musician and gifted piano player, always kept music around me. My mom was in the choir, and he was the director. So, naturally, I went to a lot of rehearsals and eventually fell in love with singing as well. It wasn’t until my dad’s death in 1999 when I knew that I was indeed meant to play music for the rest of my life.

And my life has indeed been all about the music. Being a full-time musician isn’t easy. Especially with the steady reminder of unsteady gigs and flowing income. It isn’t a regular job by any means. Living this musical lifestyle has brought many obstacles and hardships to my life, but I don’t regret it one bit. Music is a universal language, and I truly believe it has the power to heal. Music brings people together. Music saves lives. 

To breathe the music in, and to sing it out. A true musician knows how that feels. There are no words to justify the feeling you have when you’re on stage singing or playing a song with all the passion that exists in your soul. There’s not much more to be said about inhaling and exhaling your love for music. It is necessary.

With all this, I present to you the PLAY. LIVE. BREATHE: MUSIC Fall Tour 2012. Joining my band and I are “Us”, husband and wife duo. “Us” will be directly supporting the tour on all of the show dates. Their music embodies the meaning of PLAY, LIVE, & BREATHE, and I am so excited to be sharing the stage with them. Also stopping by select cities are some of our musician friends to be announced very soon. This 9 city, 5 state event will feature not only an amazing night of music, but an inspiring message both spoken and sung by the performers that take the stage. 

Don’t miss the chance to Play, Live, and Breathe the Music with us. —pun intended ;]

Yours in music,

AJ Rafael