Andy DiGelsomina
Encyclopedia
Andy DiGelsomina is a composer
, lyricist
, and guitarist
. He came to prominence working with internationally acclaimed vocalists Graham Bonnet
, Veronica Freeman
, and Tommy Heart
for his heavy metal
opera
, Lyraka. The first volume of the CD set, Lyraka Volume 1
, was released November 2, 2010 to much critical praise, with Martin Popoff
referring to him as a "great songwriter".
Andy cites Ritchie Blackmore
, Uli Jon Roth, and Richard Wagner
as his main musical influences. He has a website devoted to Wagner, featuring analyses of his operas and their relation to the heavy metal
genre.
Andy is currently recording the second Lyraka CD, "Lyraka Volume 2", with the same line-up as appeared on the first (minus Heart), with the addition of vocalists Liz Vandall
, Rob Díaz, Mark Boals
, and original Judas Priest
vocalist Al Atkins
.
The composer lives in Burlington, Vermont
. He is a Roman Catholic.
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, lyricist
Lyricist
A lyricist is a songwriter who specializes in lyrics. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-composer, who composes the song's melody.-Collaboration:...
, and guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
. He came to prominence working with internationally acclaimed vocalists Graham Bonnet
Graham Bonnet
Graham Bonnet is an English rock vocalist, and songwriter. He has recorded and performed as a solo artist, and as a member of several hard rock and heavy metal bands including Rainbow, the Michael Schenker Group, Alcatrazz, and Impellitteri.-Early days:Bonnet was born in Skegness in 1947...
, Veronica Freeman
Veronica Freeman
Veronica Freeman in San Diego is the lead vocalist of the American heavy metal band Benedictum. Her most recent album with Benedictum is Dominion released through Frontiers Records in 2011- Biography :...
, and Tommy Heart
Tommy Heart
Tommy Heart is a German heavy metal and hard rock vocalist. He is a founding member of the bands V2, Fair Warning, and Soul Doctor, and has contributed vocals to albums by the artists Uli Jon Roth and Zeno....
for his heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
, Lyraka. The first volume of the CD set, Lyraka Volume 1
Lyraka Volume 1
Lyraka Volume 1 is the debut studio album from the metal opera project Lyraka. It was released on November 2, 2010.-History:The Lyraka opera was first conceived by Jasmine Lyraka in 2006. Her plans were for a multimedia fantasy experience: movie, website, video game, and a line of Ken Kelly artwork...
, was released November 2, 2010 to much critical praise, with Martin Popoff
Martin Popoff
Martin Popoff is a Canadian-born music journalist and critic who covers the genre of heavy metal music. The senior editor and co-founder of Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles magazine, he has additionally written over twenty books that both critically evaluate heavy metal and document its history...
referring to him as a "great songwriter".
Andy cites Ritchie Blackmore
Ritchie Blackmore
Richard Hugh "Ritchie" Blackmore is an English guitarist and songwriter, who was known as one of the first guitarists to fuse Classical music elements with rock. He fronted his own band Rainbow after leaving Deep Purple where he was unhappy because his favourite musical style wasn't adequately...
, Uli Jon Roth, and Richard Wagner
Richard Wagner
Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas...
as his main musical influences. He has a website devoted to Wagner, featuring analyses of his operas and their relation to the heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
genre.
Andy is currently recording the second Lyraka CD, "Lyraka Volume 2", with the same line-up as appeared on the first (minus Heart), with the addition of vocalists Liz Vandall
Liz Vandall
Liz Vandall is a Swedish rock vocalist, and songwriter. She has recorded and performed as a member of the hard rock band Sahara, and recorded and toured extensively with Uli Jon Roth. A press release dated April 7, 2011 stated Vandall would be doing session work for the heavy metal opera project...
, Rob Díaz, Mark Boals
Mark Boals
Mark Boals is an American rock singer, noted most for his work with Yngwie J. Malmsteen. He was born on December 5, 1958 , in Youngstown, Ohio, United States...
, and original Judas Priest
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
vocalist Al Atkins
Al Atkins
Alan John "Al" Atkins is an English heavy metal vocalist, perhaps best known for his association with Judas Priest...
.
The composer lives in Burlington, Vermont
Burlington, Vermont
Burlington is the largest city in the U.S. state of Vermont and the shire town of Chittenden County. Burlington lies south of the U.S.-Canadian border and some south of Montreal....
. He is a Roman Catholic.