Micheal Castaldo
Encyclopedia
Michéal Castaldo is an Italian-born Canadian, and now a New York City resident classical crossover
tenor
, music producer and composer
.
in Toronto and Berklee College of Music
in Boston. Castaldo performed his theatrical debut on a Long Island concert stage at the Hearst Auditorium at the new Athletic and Activity Center at Chaminade High School
in Mineola on Sunday, May 15, 2011.
Castaldo's third album Aceto was released on June 15, 2010. The album includes 14 classic and 2 original Italian songs. He recorded an Italian version of "Hallelujah" on the album. A video of the song was filmed in Toronto, Canada, in December 2010 by filmmaker Greg Riccio Jr. supporting the Free Hugs Campaign
to promote random acts of kindness.
In 2011, his original single titled "Pray'r", co-written with Stein Berge Svendsen, was released as a digi-single. Castaldo has completed a new Italian album to be released in 2012. As of September 2011, he is touring Italy, USA and Canada.
Castaldo had written and produced "Goin' Krazy" that José Feliciano
released in 1994, which entered a Billboard
dance chart. He was also one of the winners of the Abe Olman Scholarship Awards in 1988 as presented by the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
. In 2000 he rebuilt his childhood home in Calabria, Italy, converting it to a rental villa.
Dept) at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York . His stepdaughter, Ania Palega (née Ania Slowinska) is a graduate from CUNY with a PhD in Environmental Psychology
.
Studio albums With Lives of a Cell
Singles
Crossover (music)
Crossover is a term applied to musical works or performers appearing on two or more of the record charts which track differing musical tastes, or genres...
tenor
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
, music producer and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
.
Early life and musical career
Castaldo started his voice studies with maestro Pisapia, a protégé of the Italian operatic tenor Enrico Caruso. Castaldo graduated from Oakwood Collegiate InstituteOakwood Collegiate Institute
Oakwood Collegiate Institute is a public high school in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.-History & Alumni:Oakwood was founded in 1908. Originally built above King Edward Public School , it has since moved to its present location at the corner of St. Clair Ave. West and Oakwood Ave...
in Toronto and Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known primarily as a school for jazz, rock and popular music, it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including hip...
in Boston. Castaldo performed his theatrical debut on a Long Island concert stage at the Hearst Auditorium at the new Athletic and Activity Center at Chaminade High School
Chaminade High School
Chaminade High School is a Roman Catholic college preparatory high school for young men. Located in Mineola, New York, the school was founded in 1930 by the Society of Mary , an international Roman Catholic teaching order of priests and religious Brothers. The school is named for Father William...
in Mineola on Sunday, May 15, 2011.
Castaldo's third album Aceto was released on June 15, 2010. The album includes 14 classic and 2 original Italian songs. He recorded an Italian version of "Hallelujah" on the album. A video of the song was filmed in Toronto, Canada, in December 2010 by filmmaker Greg Riccio Jr. supporting the Free Hugs Campaign
Free Hugs Campaign
The Free Hugs Campaign is a social movement involving individuals who offer hugs to strangers in public places. The hugs are meant to be random acts of kindness - selfless acts performed just to make others feel better...
to promote random acts of kindness.
In 2011, his original single titled "Pray'r", co-written with Stein Berge Svendsen, was released as a digi-single. Castaldo has completed a new Italian album to be released in 2012. As of September 2011, he is touring Italy, USA and Canada.
Castaldo had written and produced "Goin' Krazy" that José Feliciano
José Feliciano
José Feliciano is a Puerto Rican singer, virtuoso guitarist and composer known for many international hits including the 1970 holiday single "Feliz Navidad".-Childhood:...
released in 1994, which entered a Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
dance chart. He was also one of the winners of the Abe Olman Scholarship Awards in 1988 as presented by the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Other activities
Beside his singing and songwriting career, in 2004 Castaldo founded the first Olive Oil Cooperative in New York City. Under the name "La Dolce Vita Foundation", Castaldo takes people with illnesses or "the blues" on rides in his customized 1993 Mazda MiataMazda MX-5
The MX-5, also known as Miata in North America and Eunos Roadster in Japan, is a lightweight two-seater roadster, of front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout, built by Mazda in Hiroshima, Japan. The model was introduced in 1989 at the Chicago Auto Show...
. In 2000 he rebuilt his childhood home in Calabria, Italy, converting it to a rental villa.
Personal life
Castaldo is married to Bozena S. Castaldo (née Bozena S. Slowinska), whom is a published scientist (NeurologyNeurology
Neurology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the nervous system. Specifically, it deals with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of disease involving the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems, including their coverings, blood vessels, and all effector tissue,...
Dept) at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York . His stepdaughter, Ania Palega (née Ania Slowinska) is a graduate from CUNY with a PhD in Environmental Psychology
Environmental psychology
Environmental psychology is an interdisciplinary field focused on the interplay between humans and their surroundings. The field defines the term environment broadly, encompassing natural environments, social settings, built environments, learning environments, and informational environments...
.
Discography
Solo Studio albums- 2004: Villa
- 2007: La Dolce Vita 'NAmerica
- 2010: Aceto
- 2011: Extravergine
- 2012: Olive You (TBRTBRTBR, often meaning "to be recorded", may also refer to:*Tampa Bay Rays, a Major League Baseball team*Teenage Bottlerocket, a punk rock band from Laramie, Wyoming*This Beautiful Republic, a Christian rock band from Toledo, Ohio...
)
Studio albums With Lives of a Cell
- 1994: Only Human
- 2002: Gioia2
Singles
- 2010: "Io Credo"
- 2011: "L'arcobaleno"
- 2011: "Pray'r"