| Micheal Castaldo | |
|---|---|
Micheal Castaldo, Venice, 2011 |
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Michele Castaldo |
| Born | September 25, 1962 |
| Origin | Calabria, Italy |
| Genres | operatic pop, classical |
| Occupations | Singer, Song Writer, Composer,[1] Music Producer |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Labels | Vital Records – Majestic Castle Music Productions, NYC |
| Associated acts | Lives of a Cell |
| Website | www.michealcastaldo.com |
Michéal Castaldo (born September 25, 1962) is an Italian-born Canadian, and now a New York City resident classical crossover tenor,[2] music producer and composer.[3]
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Castaldo started his voice studies with maestro Pisapia, a protégé of the Italian operatic tenor Enrico Caruso.[4] Castaldo graduated from Oakwood Collegiate Institute 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.[5]
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.[6]
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.[7] As of September 2011, he is touring Italy, USA and Canada.[8]
Castaldo had written and produced "Goin' Krazy" that José Feliciano released in 1994, which entered a Billboard dance chart.[9][10] He was also one of the winners of the Abe Olman Scholarship Awards in 1988 as presented by the Songwriters Hall of Fame.[11]
Beside his singing and songwriting career, in 2004 Castaldo founded the first Olive Oil Cooperative in New York City.[12][13] Under the name "La Dolce Vita Foundation", Castaldo takes people with illnesses or "the blues" on rides in his customized 1993 Mazda Miata.[14][15] In 2000 he rebuilt his childhood home in Calabria, Italy, converting it to a rental villa.[16]
Castaldo is married to Bozena S. Castaldo (née Bozena S. Slowinska), whom is a published scientist (Neurology Dept) at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York.[17] His stepdaughter, Ania Palega (née Ania Slowinska) is a graduate from CUNY with a PhD in Environmental Psychology.[18]