Introducing the band: Michael Silver

1. When and why did you start playing?

I started playing music when I was about 6 years old. My parents took me to a Flairck concert. Flairck is a Dutch folk band, which has been around for many years now. I was deeply impressed by the sound of the pan flute, and with my own savings I bought myself a small panflute. Two years later I started playing the piano, and throughout the years, my interest for other instruments kept growing. Nowadays, I am a musician as well as a collector of instruments, and try to play as many as possible 

2. Which instruments do you play?

Accordion/Piano/Synthesizer (anything keys), Irish Bouzouki, Tin Whistle, Cajon

3. What was the first tune(s) you learned?

With my pan flute I mainly tried (and mainly didn't succeed) to play tunes I heard from Flairck. Later, when I started playing the piano, the first song in my songbook was “Mary had a little lamb”

4. Is your family musical?

Yes, although I'm one of the few who is still this much into music.

5. Which famous musicians do you admire? Why?

I admire any musician who puts a lot of effort, time and probably most of their money into a musical career/hobby

6. Which famous musicians have you learned from?

I've mainly learned playing music from my teachers and from musicians around me and close to me. I sometimes watch recorded concerts to get inspiration for stage performance.

7. Describe your first instrument. Other instruments.

As mentioned above, my first instrument was a small panflute, which I still have.

Here's a  list of other instruments I use nowadays:

Accordeon:

Roland FR-1 V-Accordeon 

Keys:

Technics SX-PR 53

Roland D70

Behringer UMX 250

M-Audio Oxygen 49

ESI KeyControl 25XTS

M Audio Pro V-Machine

Korg X5DR

Hohner Student 32 Melodica

Irish Bouzouki:

Blue Moon with EQ

Hudson F-Style Bouzouki

Cajon:

Self-made

Whistles/Flutes:

Tony Dixon High D

Chieftain Soprano D 

Multiple Generation Whistles 

Several Traditional Flutes

8. What are your fondest musical memories? In your house? In your neighborhood or town?

My first time on stage of course, and how nervous I was then! And the sessions I usually attend leave a nice impression too.

9. Were you influenced by old records & tapes? Which ones?

I'll have to go back to Flairck then. I have a lot of tapes and cd's from them, and they keep inspiring me. I also get my inspiration from traditional music from all around the world.

10. Who are your favorite musicians? Groups? CD's?

Ayreon, Clive Nolan, Manu Chao, Traditional Music,

Aina, Turisas, Madness, Eluveiti, Kiuas, Flairck, Korpiklaani, 

Lebocha, The Dreadnoughts, Dropkick Murphys, Steeleye Span, Alestorm,

Skyforger, Arena, Basily, Tom Waits, Rainbow, The Mahones, Gogol Bordello,

Skyclad,  Katzenjammer, Corvus Corax and many, many more

11. Have you been in competitions? Fleadh's? Any prizes?

We're currently in several competitions with The Royal Spuds. In the past, I've been in competitions with other bands as well.

12. Do you perform in public? Describe those occasions? Concerts, radio, TV?

Yes.

13. How do you handle mistakes during a performance?

Keep playing (on a lower volume), until you pick up the pace again

14. Do you get nervous before a performance or a competition?

Not anymore, I usually can't wait to get on stage again.

15. What advice would you give to beginners who are nervous?

Stop getting nervous! I think about 80% of the mistakes you make on stage are not noticed by the audience.

16. Do you attend sessions? What makes a good session?

I attend a folk session in a bar in Leiden every other Tuesday. A good session starts with a good atmosphere and a good amount of beer! 

17. How often and for how long do you practice?

I try to practice at least 1,5 hours everyday, but I hardly get to it nowadays.

18. What do you practice - exercises, new tunes, hard tunes, etc.?

Usually new tunes, or I just sit behind the piano and start playing away anything that comes to mind.

19. Do you teach music?

I get a request now and them from friends to teach them music. I'd love to do that, but as mentioned above, I hardly get to practicing for myself. 

20. How do you balance your music with other obligations - mate, children, job?

Luckily I don't have children yet. As for other obligations, I try to focus on my studies first of all, and divide the rest of my time between my girl, my friends, my pets and of course my music!

Photo's by: Nouzie van den Bos and Cornflower Photography