Minnesotan To Meet: Pianist Steven C. Anderson
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – He couldn't always read the notes, but Steven C. Anderson always had an ear for music.
His piano teacher was his mom and she saw something very special in Anderson at a young age. Even when he wanted to quit she wouldn't let him, giving him candy to make sure he kept playing.
It turned out to be the right move because Anderson turned his piano playing into a career. He's played at weddings, in rock bands and at all kinds of special events across the country and globe.
But it's Anderson's latest project that makes him this week's Minnesotan to Meet.
Anderson began playing piano when he was 7-years-old. His mother taught him, along with his siblings.
"They got to quit and I didn't get to quit. She heard something different," Anderson said.
In high school he was in a rock band. After high school he attended Hamline University, where he majored in piano and organ performance.
It wasn't long after that where he hit his stride as a musician
"It took a few years out of college and balancing for a while. I taught piano lessons, I tuned pianos," Anderson said. "I was in all these different bands and soon the solo piano playing was enough work to really support things."
Every time he takes the stage he has one goal in mind.
"There's this connection between music being the universal language and the fact that you hope you can move emotions with your music. It's not just there to be wallpaper, it has a function to bring people to a deeper place," Anderson said.
The multi-platinum recording artist's performances have taken him all over, including the UK's Abbey Road Studios where the Beatles recorded their first album.
"I have a CD called Heartstrings, and I had the great opportunity to record with the London symphony strings at Abbey Road Studios," Anderson said.
His next big performance takes him to a familiar place – The Cathedral of St. Paul. There he'll play his Christmas Beyond album which he recorded in the historic church.
He recorded the album last year but has yet to play in front of live audience at the Cathedral of St. Paul.
"I get to share what I experienced playing this old Christmas music in this beautiful sacred space," Anderson said.
However, this performance isn't coming without a few obstacles.
Earlier this year, Anderson broke his pinky finger playing football with his son Carter.
"He was a little bit quicker than I thought and I just reacted and caught it that way. And the unthinkable, "Black Swan" moment happened," he said. "I did the Randy Moss; got to play with the pain."
Anderson played a gig about an hour after it happened, and has kept the December date for his Christmas show. He said regardless of the injury it will be memorable.
"I think there's a correlation between how you feel personally and the art that you create," he said. "Now, adding an audience, I think there's going to be a great synergy between that."
The concert will take place on Thursday, Dec. 10 at the Cathedral of St. Paul. It begins at 7:30 p.m. and is free to attend.
For more information about the concert, visit the Cathedral of St. Paul online.
