Justin Man
1. Please provide us with a brief bio of yourself and your background.
Hi, I am a pianist, composer/producer and music arranger based in the UK. I have performed in Westfield London shopping centres as a Westfield Presents artist as well as being invited to play in Wembley VIP Hospitality Lounges by an English Premier League Football Club.
I participate in the 'British and International Federation of Festivals' and have achieved over 70 awards. I've won the Essex Rotary Young Musician of the Year and won the London Regional Finals (Adv 1) in the European Piano Teacher's Association UK which led me to the national finals.
I am also a Musicnotes Signature Artist and my arrangements of pop pieces can be found on their website where some of them have been broadcasted on BBC Essex Radio.
2. What led you to become a talent/artist/influencer/performer/current profession?
It started as a hobby, learning piano at home and then it grew into school performances and then public performances and then into competitions. I started of playing pop piano before gradually moving onto classical music. I've been studying classical piano privately with Graeme Humphrey who was a professor at Royal Academy of Music between 1973-2010.
3. Tell us more about your studio/company/academy.
I have a small setup at home with an acoustic upright piano, digital piano, mixer, desktop and laptop with music creation software like DAW.
4. What skills have you learned that will help you in your result and/or performance?
I started piano performances in competitions and public since aged 10 so I've learnt not to be nervous in front of crowds or audiences. If I make mistakes I've learnt to plough ahead and not let them put me off track.
5. What is your own definition of an impressive performance/show/masterpiece?
Something that is memorable, makes the audience enjoy it and given positive feedback.
6. What has been the best performance of your career so far?
Playing a piano cover of Disney's Frozen on an London Ice Rink stage with the skaters and crowds singing along when I was 11 years old.
7. Congratulations! As the winner of LIT Talent Awards, what does it mean to you, or your team, to receive this honor?
I'm so grateful to have been picked winner of 4 awards, especially for my classical performances. It encourages me to keep working harder and produce more music. The Gold award for "Best Home Music/Video Production" has given me more confidence in branching out in this area other than just the "music".
8. What are the challenges, for your winning entry, that you faced?
Doing mastering on my laptop and enhancing the audio to make it feel like your listening in a big hall. Learning home production skills to make my work as professional as possible.
9. What advise you will give to those who are in the same industry and/or are interested with your craft?
I still have massive amounts to learn myself but I would say lot's of practice, listening to and learning from established artists.
10. Who do you admire and what did he/she do that motivated you?
My piano teacher Graeme Humphrey. I've been with him for 7 years as well as teaching me the technical skills he also inspires me to express my own ideas. He advised all the way through my classical pieces that achieved the LIT awards.
11. Who would you most like to collaborate with?
I would most like to collaborate with TV and movie producers to produce music for their shows.
12. What is your upcoming masterpiece, that you’re currently preparing, about?
Over summer, I'm going to try and work on a few albums, another 2 classical piano albums, an original album and more pop piano pieces to release on streaming services.
