#255: Mario Grigorov (Composer & Pianist) (pt. 2 of 2)

This week on the podcast is part two of our conversation with Mario Grigorov. He’s a Bulgarian-born, London-based film composer and pianist. Early in his career he  signed with Warner Brothers Records and toured extensively with icons such as Wynton Marsalis, Roy Hargrove, Joshua Redman, and more.  He has composed music for dozens of films and TV shows, and his most recognizable film work comes from his long-standing collaboration with Academy Award-winning director Lee Daniels. You won’t want to miss our interview with this highly creative and versatile artist!  https://www.mariogrigorov.com/

​In an intimate conversation with the illustrious film composer and pianist Mario Grigorov, we peel back the curtain on the sometimes spontaneous, sometimes painstaking art of musical invention. Mario shares with us the beauty of yielding to the subconscious mind in composition, and reminisces about the thrilling unpredictability of jazz tours, which taught him that the most genuine artistic expression often comes from the chaos of live performance.

Navigating the film industry's tides can be akin to hitchhiking through a desert of creativity, not knowing where the next ride might take you. Mario Grigorov lays bare the professional trials and triumphs he's encountered in shaping his cinematic sound. With a blend of humor and hard-earned wisdom, he discusses the pitfalls of revisiting past compositions and emphasizes the importance of crafting music that adheres to the unique vision of each film. His stories reveal the sometimes heart-wrenching, sometimes liberating discovery that a piece rejected from a movie might just be the seed for a new musical endeavor.

We round off our chat with an exploration of the personal hurdles artists face, the doubts that can derail us, and the missed opportunities that come from playing it safe. Mario opens up about instances when his own hesitations led to lost chances, offering a candid reminder of the importance of faith in one's work. He encourages emerging creators to absorb the lessons etched by the successes of others and underscores the profound impact that sharing our art can have not just on our audiences, but on our own spiritual paths. Join us for this heartfelt exchange that is as much an ode to the art of music as it is a call to action for artists to embrace their craft boldly and share it with the world.

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Show Notes:

Mario Grigorov
https://www.mariogrigorov.com/

Warner Records
https://www.warnerrecords.com/

Wynton Marsalis
https://wyntonmarsalis.org/

Roy Hargrove
https://royhargroveofficial.com/

Joshua Redman
https://www.joshuaredman.com/

Lee Daniels
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Daniels

Stevie Wonder
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevie_Wonder

Oscar Peterson
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Peterson

Vienna Conservatory
https://www.mdw.ac.at/

Conservatorium High School
https://conservat-h.schools.nsw.gov.au

Sydney Conservatory
https://www.sydney.edu.au/music/

Milena Mollova
https://sofiaphilharmonic.com/en/artists/milena-mollova/

Bud Powell
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bud_Powell

Dobri Paliev
https://paliev.org/en/herritage/professor-dr-dobri-paliev/

Tabla
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabla

How to Win Friends and Influence People
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_Win_Friends_and_Influence_People

Dale Carnegie
https://www.dalecarnegie.com/en
Bob James
https://bobjames.com/

Peter Cobbin
https://www.suchsweetthunder.co.uk/pete-full-bio-1

David Yates
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Yates

JK Rowling
https://www.jkrowling.com/

David Droga
https://www.accenture.com/us-en/about/leadership/david-droga

Jamie Muhoberac
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamie_Muhoberac 

Seal
https://www.sealofficial.com/

Miles Goodman
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miles_Goodman

Richard Kraft
https://kraft-engel.com/about/

Babe
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babe_(film)

Jacob Collier
https://www.jacobcollier.com/#/

Fairlight Synthesizer
https://www.nfsa.gov.au/latest/fairlight-instrument-invented-sampling

Mini Moog
https://www.moogmusic.com/products/minimoog-model-d

Dani Howard
https://www.danihoward.com/

Casa Batlló 
https://www.casabatllo.es/en/

Orchestrator
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orchestration

Hans Zimmer
https://hans-zimmer.com/news

Olga Fitzroy/Air Studios
https://www.airstudios.com/olga-fitzroy/

Yellow 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKNxeF4KMsY

Coldplay
https://www.coldplay.com/

Sony Classical 
https://sonyclassical.com/

Deutche Grarmmophon
https://www.deutschegrammophon.com/en

Keith Jarrett
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Jarrett

Arvo Pärt 
https://www.arvopart.ee/en/arvo-part/

Dave Brubeck
https://www.davebrubeck.com/

Oscar Castro-Neves
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Castro-Neves

The Girl from Ipanema 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Girl_from_Ipanema

Antônio Carlos Jobim
https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antônio_Carlos_Jobim

Ellis Marsalis Jr. 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellis_Marsalis_Jr

Romeo Gigli
https://www.romeogigli.it/en/about.html

John Axelrod
https://johnaxelrod.com/

Cubase 
https://www.steinberg.net/cubase/

Squarepusher
https://squarepusher.net/?lang=en_US

Geoffrey Keezer
https://geoffreykeezer.com/

Carlos Santana
https://www.santana.com/

The Third Wave
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Third_Wave_(2007_film)

Sean Penn
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn

Bono
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bono

Paul Allen microsoft
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Allen

Spice Girls
https://thespicegirls.com/