Thelonius Garcia

Thélonius is a pianist and composer residing in Montreal that has always been immersed in artistic creation in all its forms. he has meticulously cultivated his unique artistic vision, through countless solitary hours at the piano. His debut album, "Marche Nocturne," an array of 16 original, short and evocative, solo piano pieces, will be released in the fall of 2024.

Despite showcasing remarkable talent in classical piano during his conservatoire studies in France, Thélonius chose to follow a less conventional path. He then began his journey in jazz piano under the guidance of Claude Terranova at the Conservatoire d'Aubervilliers before venturing to Montreal in 2018.

The son of a Dominican visual artist, and a French sculptor, he fuses genres and cultures, reminding us, among others, of the music of Brazilian composer Tom Jobim or the sensibility of Cuban pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba, while drawing his inspiration from the great French Impressionists, Claude Debussy and Gabriel Fauré.  

Thélonius is rooted in the musical world of instrumental solo piano music and contemporary composers such as Nils Frahm, Hania Rani, Ryūichi Sakamoto, and Max Richter. This love of these pianists colors his approach, which is rooted in his jazz training and origins. He aims to distinguish himself by bringing his own unique musical conception to bear on a peaceful, intercontinental, and multicultural approach, erasing established cultural, social, and human boundaries.

With his debut album "Marche Nocturne", he seeks to evoke the depths of the human being, and a look at his history. He takes listeners into a world of dreams and imagination. A world expressed through a palette of colors, from the lightest to the darkest tones

The solo piano has always been his home, the place where he is freest and most creative. Throughout his young career, he was strongly influenced by composers such as Alexander Scriabin, Robert Schumann and Frédéric Chopin, most of whom wrote for solo piano. During his studies in Piano Jazz Performance at McGill University, he discovered the world of modern pianists such as Thelonious Monk, Chick Corea, Paul Bley and Vijay Iyer, who inspired him to deepen his understanding of the possibilities of the solo piano and of a certain harmonic approach. This love of composition and instrumental music led him to write the short pieces for this project.

“Marche Nocturne" was produced by Pierre Benoit (Studio 111 Productions), whom Thélonius met several years ago. Mr. Benoit has worked as pianist, composer and musical director with many artists (Dominic Champagne, René-Richard Cyr, Serge Denoncourt), and his work has been recognized by numerous awards and nominations (Gala de l'Adisq, Gala des Masques, Gala des prix Gémeaux).

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