L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2019 www.italoamericano.org 26 L'Italo-Americano C omposer and Seattle native Mateo Messi- na has s cored the s oundtracks for more than 50 films and 100 television episodes and won a Grammy award for scor- ing the 2007 hit film Juno, yet he might be one of the city's least- known musical celebrities. In fact, to Northwest audi- ences, Messina is probably better known for another type of cre- ative project: his benefit concerts to support Seattle Children's Hospital. For the past 21 years, Messina has organized a music- bas ed fundrais ing event at Benaroya Hall. Each year there's a different theme but the purpose remains the same: to help raise funds for the Children's Hospi- tal. Over the years, he has helped raise more than $2 million. The most recent fundraiser, The Feast, which was held Nov. 2, 2018, combined music, food and film. The NW Symphony Orchestra performed live during the screening of five short docu- mentary films that highlighted super-chef Tom Douglas, wine- maker Lisa Baer, Siri and Jason S alvo of Local Roots F arm, Autumn Martin of Hot Cakes Bakery, and Maik Tow, a long- time server at El Goucho, a Bell- town steakhouse. The idea was to explore why people come together around food and what it means to prepare a meal and break bread with friends and family. Messina got the idea for the benefit concerts more than 20 years ago when he found out that a co-worker's young daughter had tragically died of a brain tumor. The colleague mentioned that his daughter had received excellent care during the last year of her life at Seattle Chil- dren's Hospital. He also told Messina that the hospital had a piano. That got the mus ician's attention and he started going to the hospital to play piano for the children. Eventually, he became so inspired by both the young patients and the medical team there, that he decided to donate the profits from his next sym- phony to Seattle Children's. The idea snowballed. Born in 1972, Messina was attracted to music from an early age. He started playing piano at age 3; by 7, he w as w riting songs. He premiered his first symphony when he was 24 and has composed nearly two dozen since then. Although he was clearly mus ically gifted, he never learned to read or write music. Instead, he plays by ear. Today, he works with an assis- tant who writes out the notations for the musicians he works with, most of whom are based in Seat- tle. After college, Messina per- formed in bands and also played piano in restaurants and night- clubs until a college friend asked him to score a short film. The process resonated with him and he knew that he wanted to focus more on music for the movie industry. Today, he lives in Los Angeles part-time but continues to maintain a vibrant presence in Seattle. M es s ina has w orked w ith most of the major film compa- nies in s outhern California, including Lionsgate, Paramount, Warner Brothers, MGM, 20th Century Fox and more. He's written the sound track for Up in the Air with George Clooney, A ugus t: O s age County w ith Meryl Streep, andThe Angriest Man in Brooklyn which starred Robin Williams in his final role. Writing the soundtrack for Juno helped Messina discover why it is so important for a com- poser to stay in tune with the characters. As he told a reporter for Perspective Forum, "When I started writing on Juno, I was searching for sounds that repre- sented Juno MacGuff. She was someone who looked the same as the rest of us, but she was full of unique qualities. She talked dif- ferently, she was an old soul… The music feels very raw, acces- sible, slightly off, slightly non- musical, but most of all inti- mate." Messina relishes the distinc- tive qualities of each film or tele- vision show on which he has worked. "Each has its own style, its own discipline, shape, tone and characters," he said. "You collaborate and move a mountain with a group of inspired people. It's a challenge, and it is a blast." His music has been called off- beat and even quirky, and it's those qualities that inspire the theatrics for his benefit concerts. One year, the famous Pike Place Market fishmongers were on the stage throwing salmon. Another year, acrobats performed on teeter-totters. Another time, 50 dancers were planted in the audi- ence and all at once, they popped up on cue and danced their way down the aisle. Alice in Chains performed one year and the Northwest Girlchoir another. Two years ago, the benefit concert featured an original song performed by a long-time patient at Seattle Children's Hospital. Cassidy, only 15 years old at the time, found that playing the ukulele and singing helped her get through the 39 surgeries she had already endured. Together, she and Messina composed a song for her to premiere at the concert. M es s ina talked about the process he followed with Cas- sidy. "I started by asking her questions," he said, "things like: how do you make it through? We turned our conversation into a song. I wanted her to get her feelings out. I believe everyone has a story, and everyone's story is important. It allowed her to express herself in a unique and beautiful way, and in a way that can be quite cathartic." For Messina, helping others is just as fulfilling as winning a Grammy award. "Volunteering has filled my heart in a way nothing else can," he told Per- spective Forum. "When we do something, even the simplest thing…it fills one with a feeling of good will, love for our fellow man, purpose. I have kids now, so I understand what it's like to give without receiving but the reality is we all receive so much. Don't be afraid to give." RITA CIPALLA More than 20 years ago, after playing the piano to cheer up hospital-bound children, Messina started to create concerts to benefit Seattle Children's Hospital. More than $2 million has been raised to date. (IMDb) Seattle composer uses musical talents to raise funds for Children's Hospital Professional wrestler and actor John Cena (left) and Mateo Messina worked together on the Hollywood film, "Blockers." (IMDb) SEATTLE ITALIAN COMMUNITY

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