TED Community » Usman Riaz
About Me
I am currently an art student in my third year. I have been studying music under my classical piano teacher since I was 6 years old. I was very fortunate and blessed to have been born into a family full of extremely talented individuals. They were the people I compared myself to while growing up. I am an artist. I don’t want to refer to myself as a musician. I don’t want to limit myself to just one thing. I love music more than anything but I have a strong attachment to many of the other arts. I picked up guitar at the age of 16.
I was supposed to go to Berklee School of music in Boston after I had graduated from school. I applied and had even gotten a letter informing me of my audition date in Boston after I had sent them the necessary application information online.
I was extremely excited but changed my mind after giving the matter some serious thought. I wanted to translate all the creativity and knowledge I had accumulated till that point in life into something perceptible.
I was signed by EMI Pakistan to record and release my own music when I was 18 years old. I was fascinated by the idea of doing something that has never been done before here. I wanted to make something that allowed me to incorporate my classical piano training and other instruments with my guitar style and aesthetic sensibilities. I wanted to do it all on my own. When I was 19 I released an EP entitled ‘Flashes and Sparks’. I wanted to make sure I accomplished this before I turned 20. I played a significant role in the planning and preparation for the film piece to my percussive guitar piece ‘FIRE FLY’. I came up with the concept, art direction and plot and narrative. The video was released in March 2011 and is doing very well. As I progress I want to advance even more.
I recently finished a musical short film entitled ‘RUCKUS’ that I wrote and directed. Australian filmmaker Summer Nicks and his film company Bodhicitta Works produced the film. I also completed my LP entitled ‘CIRCUS IN THE SKY’ which contains all my orchestral compositions as well as guitar and piano pieces.
I make it a point to do all the artwork for the album sleeve, as I like to give everything a personal touch.
That’s the beauty of art. It’s a journey with no arrival. You are always a student. My current activity is working to improve everything I do.
My parents always inspired me; they never discouraged me from pursuing anything. In a country full of inhibitions and taboos my family was like a glass of ice water in a desert. I cannot thank God enough for blessing me with parents who allowed me to follow my dreams.
- Location:
- Pakistan, Karachi
- Current organization:
- EMI (Pakistan) LTD.
- Past organizations:
- Esoterica Inc.
- Current role:
- Artist/ Composer
- Gender:
- Male
- Areas of expertise:
- Art, Music composer , Music performer
- I am:
- Artist, Filmmaker, Musician, Performer
- Languages:
- English, Urdu
- My website links:
- Facebook Page, Twitter Page, REVERBNATION Page
- TED conferences attended:
- TEDGlobal 2012
More About Me
I'm passionate about
I am passionate about harnessing creativity and enthusiasm into something truly unique. This doesn’t need to be limited to art and music. It’s an approach that can be applied to everything.
An idea worth spreading
I think it is important that people realize that they have the power to do anything. People who are no different from us did everything that was accomplished and will be accomplished in this world. They believed in a vision that they had and executed it till it became a reality. Nothing is impossible. It sounds terribly cliché but it’s very true. Once someone realizes this, they will be released from any inhibitions and will truly be able to fly.
Creativity and passion needs to be cultivated and harnessed in order to create something unique. People like Steve Jobs used to maintain that Apple remain at the crossroads of the liberal arts and technology in order to create their innovative products whereas Tiger Woods uses his imagination and creativity to perform golf shots that stun the whole world.
We live in an era where we have the entire worlds knowledge readily available to us. We are extremely fortunate and blessed to be living in this day and age.
Talk to me about
Talk to me about using our experiences and knowledge to create something unique. I would love to contribute to anything that will be the catalyst to change and moving away form the status quo.
People don't know that I'm good at
I love tinkering with technology. I follow tech forums actively. I also regularly track the development of the booming smartphone and tablet industry, the post PC devices that are shaping our world.
Comments
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A reply on Talk: Usman Riaz and Preston Reed: A young guitarist meets his hero
A reply on Talk: Usman Riaz and Preston Reed: A young guitarist meets his hero
Im so glad you enjoyed the performance. it was an honour just to be next to preston reed let alone play with him.
A comment on Conversation: How does the web effect the role model or mentor/student relationship? And can the internet be used to create more available options...
The internet is by no means a replacement or a substitute to the personal relationship and bond one develops with their teacher which can lead to more personal interaction and development of the student, HOWEVER, I do believe it is a powerful learning tool.
Having come from a classical music background (I am a classically trained pianist and have been learning from the same teacher since I was 6 years old) I am very familiar with the student teacher relationship. It has led to my development as a musician and an artist.
I am completely self taught when it comes to guitar and all the other instruments I play. I admit that due to my early musical training it is somewhat easier for me to pick up other instruments than it would be for someone completely unfamiliar with any sort of musical instrument but that does not mean one cannot learn form the internet.
We have access to so much information on the internet. I could just pick and choose the pieces I wanted to learn, find instructions as to how to play them, look at different players approaching a particular piece differently and incorporate ALL of that into my playing style. The internet is my creative environment. I can choose to be surrounded by the best musicians and artists and can try to take my playing to an even higher level. and this is not just limited to music. Any art form can benefit from the massive reach the internet will provide it, be it film, fine art, dance. anything.
People learn by watching and listening, observation and exposure. the internet provides all of that.
A reply on Talk: Usman Riaz and Preston Reed: A young guitarist meets his hero
A reply on Talk: Usman Riaz and Preston Reed: A young guitarist meets his hero
A comment on Talk: Usman Riaz and Preston Reed: A young guitarist meets his hero
Thank you TED for this wonderful opportunity. Everyone was so amazing, from the fellows to the organizers and directors. I cant express how grateful I am. Looking forward to sharing much more of my work.
Preston Reed was astounding.