Reno local Steven Alberti, a 39-year-old music teacher, performer, producer and enthusiast, focusses in early childhood education at local Reno schools and through his own business at 7693 S Virginia St called Step Into Music with drop in sessions, group and private classes.
“Music is a part of my everyday life,” he says, from singing songs to babies to teaching private instrument lessons, to still competing and producing scores for others. He also works at St. Albert the Great Catholic School teaching k-5 general music.
Alberti recently won the First Runner-Up Grand Prize in the 16th annual Reno Pops Orchestra Concerto Festival in mid March, playing the bassoon.
“Being on stage is a special place for me, and getting to play for an audience always makes me happy,” he says.
His own musical journey began when he was in first grade, learning how to play the piano. He then decided he wanted to try other instruments, including starting with the bassoon in seventh grade.
“I feel it’s one of the hardest instruments to play,” Alberti says if the bassoon. “I also play piano and guitar…once you learn how to read music, learning a new instrument is significantly easier.”
He says that the bassoon from the woodwind family is currently his main instrument and even with years of experience, he says it’s one of the most difficult overall.
In terms of production, he has recorded music for the online game World of Warcraft, the kids television show The Wiggles, and the cereal brand Frosted Flakes.
Locally, he started performing with the Reno Pops Orchestra three years ago. It is currently composed of over 65 musicians in ages ranging from 11 to 90 years old. The orchestra is open to all different kinds of experienced individuals such as professional musicians, semi-professional musicians, as well as students and working and retired individuals.
For anyone interested in pursuing musical competitions or music in general, Alberti recommends giving it your all.
“Just go for it. It’s easy to be self-conscious or think you're not as good as the musician next to you, but at the end of the day it's who puts on the best show,” he concluded.