Steve Koven, who established the group The Steve Koven Trio in 1993, has performed worldwide and is one of Canada’s longest-standing trios. “I have toured to five continents around the globe presenting both concerts as well as masterclasses,” he shares. “Touring is an amazing experience because I get to see the world, meet people from different cultures, and bring pure joy to them through music.”
Steve has been immersed in the music industry for several years, taking on the titles of composer, performer, producer, educator and filmmaker. He shares that music is his life, and it has always played an important part in his journey. “My first inspiration was my late Father, Irving Koven, who was a surgeon but also a great musician, pianist and entertainer,” he adds.
When he’s not in the classroom teaching piano studies at Centennial, where he has been teaching since 2015, he is creating music, with over two dozen of his compositions licensed for national and international film and television productions, such as Queer as Folk, Degrassi, and Best Years, to name a few. “It is great when one of my compositions is chosen for licensing because I get more exposure. Plus, it helps the bank account,” he shares. “Music is so important to this idiom. Imagine watching a film that has no soundtrack. It would be pretty flat and lacking emotion.”
CREATING HIS NEW ALBUM
Bahamas Sessions is the latest release by The Steve Koven Trio, with eight tracks composed and produced by Steve. “My favourite part of creating my last album was having the experience to record in the Bahamas with some local amazing musicians,” he shares.
This album, and the others, follow the same process, as Steve explains that he spends several months composing songs, which leads to him presenting them to his musicians. “Most of the magic takes place in the recording studio,” he says. “The songs take on their own life through the recording process. I release an album every two years.”
As for future albums? Steve says he’ll keep an eye on composing and recording albums but is moving away from releasing them in a CD format. Not only are there significant time and monetary requirements to produce an album, but Steve notes how little streaming platforms actually pay artists. “The music biz has really changed, and Spotify etc., has made it very difficult for musicians to make back their initial investments. I will most likely release only digitally from now on, saving money in the manufacturing stage as well as artwork layout,” he explains.
“Music is a universal and powerful tool—it is a healer, builds community and reflects culture. Music is LIFE! Play on...”
You can listen to Bahamas Sessions by the Steve Koven Trio on its digital album HERE.
Article by: Alexandra Few
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