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Christopher McGinnis 14 year old pianist singer songwriter entertainer
PEEKSKILL-CORTLANDT PATCH
SEPTEMBER 30, 2011
Whiz Kid: Christopher McGinnis
At 14 years young, Hen Hud High School student, Christopher McGinnis is a singer/songwriter and professional pianist who has also acted in films and on television.
Accomplishment: At the age of 14, Christopher is already an all-around entertainer. Not only does this young man amaze crowds with his voice and piano playing, but he has also acted in films and on television, done voiceovers, and performed live for over 20,000 people at a half-time show in Madison Square Garden, a venue he has now played 3 times. Most recently Chris performed his original song, "The War Song An American Hero" at the Town of Cortlandt’s 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony.
Key to Awesomeness: Cortlandt Manor resident, Christopher McGuinnis began his formal piano training at five-years-old, and has been singing and playing piano professionally since he was 10-years-old. Through his private training at the Julliard School and formal training which comes by way of some of the best pianists New York City has to offer, Chris has learned to play pretty much every genra of music out there, including classical, Latin, jazz, pop, rock and be-bop.
“I love to play jazz and Latin. Most kids my age don't like all the old standards and can’t really free style in Jazz,” McGinnis said.
Chris’ musical talents have bestowed a number of honors upon him, including the opportunity to have played with the late Motown musician, Nick Ashford at his NYC club, The Sugar Bar. McGinnis was also the youngest pianist to play for the Jazz Standard Youth Orchestra at the Jazz Standard in NYC and performed one of his original songs for the US Army’s 42nd Infantry Division as well.
In addition to his musical career, McGinnis has already had a successful acting career. Chris made his acting debut on an episode of Law & Order Criminal Intent, and has since been featured in a number of television shows and commercials, including an advertisement for Papa John’s where he portrayed a young Indiana Jones.
When his agent calls, Chris is always ready to travel down to the city for an audition. At home, he spends about an hour a day practicing the piano, and writes songs when he feels inspired.
Besides his interest in the entertainment industry, McGinnis is also an athlete who plays football, basketball and runs track.
“I guess I have a lot of discipline and I know that I need to manage my time wisely,” said McGinnis. “I sometimes have to do school work, go to a sports practice, go to an audition and practice piano all in a few hours.”
Looking back on his musical career thus far McGinnis says that his greatest accomplishment to date has been playing Madison Square Garden three times.
Though he credits many musicians, such as Michel Camilo and Billy Joel, as having inspired him, Chris also says that his inspiration comes from his heart and his family.
“Musically, my Dad has inspired me to keep on playing,” McGinnis said. “He is a great motivator for me. Without him I would have not known about all the great jazz influences. He has been my personal mentor from the beginning.”
In his spare time Chris enjoys surfing, riding his jet ski, and reading about yachts on the internet. He also has an interest in medicine, and says that one day he would like to become an anesthesiologist.
“My goals are always changing,” McGinnis said. “The entertainment industry is and has been a part of my life for a long time, but whatever happens down the road I still am aiming to go to a good college and get a degree in the medical field, so my grades are important to me.”
Last February I introduced to this site, a young musical prodigy named Christopher McGinnis. Christopher has been making his mark not only as a outstanding pianist, organist, performer and actor, but as an entertainer and song writer who has written three original Pop tunes, “Dreams Are Made Of”, Time Waits For No One”, and “The War Song an American Hero” which are all available for purchase on I-Tunesand Amazon.
Christopher has been very busy since that first article was published, performing all around the New York area. Christopher, who turns fourteen on the 15th of this month, has already accomplished what many professional musicians who have been in the business for years have not, by performing Three Times at Madison Square Garden.
While a smaller version of this article appeared in the side bar of this blog previously for a short time, I felt it necessary to give Christopher the recognition he deserved by publishing the extended version here today.
With this Sunday being the 10th Anniversary of 9/11 in the United States. I felt that Chris’s song entitled “The War Song an American Hero” was exactly what was needed to commemorate this day.
Recently Christopher performed his original song “THE WAR SONG AN AMERICAN HERO”at the WWII Veterans Concert 2011.
WATCH CHRISTOPHER PERFORM IN THIS VIDEO
Chris sang and performed his song for some of the US Military’s top brass during this event!
No only does his song fit this weeks memorial theme but it honors every fallen solder who has ever fought for his country.
Thanks you Christopher for this song and for your dedication and desire to share your gift with all of us today!
Christopher McGinnis 12 year old piano prodigy and pop singing sensation LIVE with Bruce Owens on WBNR, and WLNA Radio Stations part 1
Christopher with Bruce Owens on WBNR, and WLNA radio stations part 2
Journal News 11/29/09
CORTLANDT — Christopher McGinnis is a personable 12-year-old Cortlandt boy who also happens to be an incredibly talented piano player
He is a featured pianist — and the youngest member — of the Jazz Standard Youth Orchestra. He plays with the group at the Jazz Standard in Manhattan once a month with his next performance scheduled for Dec.- at 2 p.m. On Nov. 2, he was the halftime entertainment at a New York Knicks-Charlotte Hornets game, playing in front of thousands at Madison Square Garden.
He has also acted on television shows and in commercials.
But you wouldn’t know from talking with the Blue Mountain Middle School student that he’s that big of a deal. For all his talent and personality, Christopher seems to take his success in stride.
“I just love playing the piano, especially jazz,” the seventh-grader said. “When I play it, I feel I can play something new every time.”
Christopher started playing piano at age 5 and, at 7, was studying at the Juilliard School. By age 9, he was under the tutelage of acclaimed jazz musician Zaccai Curtis.
“He taught me Latin piano and Latin jazz,” Christopher said. “It really helped a lot.”
As part of his burgeoning acting career, Christopher portrayed Young Indiana Jones with Harrison Ford in a national TV campaign for Papa John’s Pizza in 2008, and earlier this year he played the son of a diplomat in “Law & Order” with Jeff Goldblum. “I like acting a lot,” he said. “I just basically really want to have fun with it and if anything (successful) happens, it happens. If if it doesn’t, it doesn’t.”
Michele Pulice thinks her son inherited his talent from both sides of the family, although she admits the majority likely came from the family of her husband, Chris McGinnis.
Her late father-in-law, Edward McGinnis of Peekskill, was the leader of Eddy and the Touch of Class, a Big Band that performed throughout Westchester County and New York City for years. Eddy McGinnis, who died in'97 about nine months before Christopher was born, also worked as an actor and a model.
“My husband comes from a very musical family,” Pulice said. “He has been playing drums since the age of 5 and his sister is a jazz singer in Los Angeles. I was a drum major at Peekskill High School. I have seven brothers and sisters and five of them are good singers. My mom, Connie Pulice, is 82 and still a wonderful singer.”
Although Christopher enjoys playing jazz, he also likes pop music and counts Billy Joel as among his pop influences. Christopher has also written pop songs, one of which he’ll perform Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at the Broadway Comedy Club’s Holiday Hilarity and Variety Show.
Brooke Bolen, a guidance counselor at Blue Mountain Middle School, said Christopher applies the same effort in school as he does to his music. “He’s a very energetic, enthusiastic kid,” she said. “He’s a good student and he loves school.”
Whether he’s playing football, surfing or playing piano in front of 20,000 people at Madison Square Garden, Christopher never seems nervous and always seems to excel. Even at the Knicks game, where he was set up with what he called “a piano you could buy at Toys ‘R’ Us for $60,” Christopher made the best of the situation. In a video on his Web site that shows him just seconds before going on, he is giving his father the “thumbs up” and is eager to perform .
“It was just so much fun in front of all those people,” he said. “Plus I got a lot of basketball players’ signatures.”
Christopher may get a chance to collect more autographs as the Knicks have invited him for a return performance before a Dec. 6 game against the New Jersey Nets on Kids Day at the Garden.
Christopher LIVE on NEWS 12 TV
12 year old piano prodigy and pop singing sensation Christopher McGinnis with the classy Matt Sampson in front of 3.2 million faithful viewers.
Featured a full page interview with artist Christopher McGinnis in the LifeStyles section on 10/11/07
To access this great interview that was written by Kathleen Fitzpatrick please go to www.northcountynews.com and go to the archives or just read the story directly below.
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A family affair: three generations of making music Story and photo by Kathleen Fitzpatrick
Vol. 41, Number 41 10/10/07-10/16/07 Updated: 10/11/07
Ten year old pianist Christopher McGinnis continues tradition
Though he is ten years old, Christopher McGinnis, II has decades of experience behind him. The McGinnis family has encouraged, showcased and performed great music in North County for three generations. And now it’s Chris's turn. Chris was one of the youngest members to perform at the Amateur night at Peekskill’s Performing Arts Center last month. But this fourth grader, who has been attending Julliard for the past nine months and studying under the likes of David Tong and with noted jazz pianist Eri Yamamoto, doesn’t get nervous. He certainly isn’t jittery when he is backed up on drums by his mentor: his dad, Christopher McGinnis. Although he is classically trained and can play Bach with the best of them, it’s jazz that gets under his skin. "I really like jazz," he says while seated on his couch at home in Cortlandt. "It has a really good funk-feeling to it when I play it." Indeed it does. Chris and his dad transport you into a jazz club in the city with their beats when they improvise together. Chris has music in his blood: both his father and his grandfather were performers in the North County music scene. Chris McGinnis Senior has worked in the music business since he was 19. He and his wife, Michele, have worked hard to expose their son to the best musicians out there. Chris McGinnis, Sr. was the owner of The Funky Bean—now the Side Street Grill—in Buchanan, a jazz club and restaurant that he closed a year and half ago in order to devote more time to his son’s music career. He uses that time to travel into the city—where he was once operated a jazz club and owns an apartment in the East Village—with his son and wife in order to introduce him to the best in the business. "We had to make a choice," he explained. "Do we get ourselves into the Manhattan music scene with our son or do we stay in Buchanan?" Not only is young Chris taking lessons in Julliard, but he’s playing for musicians, who perform in the best night clubs in Manhattan, said his dad. "We take music very, very seriously," he said. "The fact that [these artists] see him as a great young player is what I’m happy about. It’s not that he’s a great little kid; he’s a great player. He’s not just a novelty." Christopher has played in the Hendrick Hudson School talent show the past three years and also played the piano for his BV elementary school concert last year. The district chose to allow him to accompany the chorus instead of hiring a pianist. When he’s not practicing, Chris loves playing baseball, soccer, swimming, wave running, football, and basketball. Christopher also sings; he and his dad sang Elton John’s "Can you feel the love tonight" at Amateur Night. While at home the night before, he practiced with his dad in the basement. Behind the C3 Yamaha Grand Piano he’s practicing on hangs framed movie posters for which his mother served as casting agent. Chris Junior performed a song that he wrote himself, entitled, "Time Waits for No One." His lyrics belie the fact that he’s only nine years old: "Look into my eyes and tell me I’m the one. Don’t you know that time waits for no one?" His grandfather would have been proud; Eddie McGinnis and his band, A Touch of Class, played at the Tarrytown Hilton for 17 years. While his grandfather was part of the big band era, Chris will someday be a cross between Sting and Michel Camilo, an internationally acclaimed jazz pianist and composer, according to his dad. “He’s going to be the ultimate pianist, a monster pianist," he said. "We want him to have the chops…maybe he could even have a television show around his music." Both of Chris’ parents have worked hard to give him not only the exposure to talent and training that a young pianist requires but the values and strength of character needed to survive the business, they said. "We’re a very close family," said Michele McGinnis. "We’re a very religious family. If he does go into the business, he’ll be grounded." But until he makes it big—a prospect that young Chris can’t help but be excited about—he enjoys every minute of playing in his basement, every night, with his dad. Check out Christopher’s website at http://christophermcginnis.com.
