Michael Pinnella

Michael Pinnella
Michael Pinella playing live in Novara, Italy in June 2007
Background information
Birth name	Michael Pinnella
Born	August 29, 1969 (1969-08-29) (age 42) Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey, U.S.
Genres	Progressive metal Classical
Occupations	Musician, songwriter
Instruments	Keyboards, piano
Years active	1994–present
Associated acts	Symphony X

Michael Pinnella (born August 29, 1969) is a keyboard player, most notably for the band Symphony X. He has also released a solo album, a mixture of classical and progressive-styled music titled Enter By the Twelfth Gate on the InsideOut Music label in 2004. Michael is one of two Symphony X members to appear on all eight of the band's albums (the other being Michael Romeo).

Biography

Pinnella was born in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey and was encouraged since childhood to follow music. When he was 4 years old, he started taking piano lessons. He was heavily influenced by classic composers like Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, and Bach.

When he was about 11 years old, he started to practice more seriously. Later in his youth, he was impressed by Yngwie Malmsteen and asked his parents to buy him a keyboard. When he got into college, he studied piano performance, theory and composition, and other musical courses. Other influences came from progressive/metal bands from the 1970s (Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Deep Purple) and from the 1980s (Black Sabbath, DIO, Ozzy Osbourne).

When Pinnella finished college, he started teaching piano in a music store. One of the fellow teachers at the store was friends with Michael Romeo from Symphony X. In 1994, he was hired by the band as a keyboardist.

He is currently working at the Guitar Center in East Brunswick, NJ when not touring or recording. He is a Christian and also plays piano in his church.^[1]

Equipment

Pinnella uses the following equipment:

• Yamaha Motif ES7
• Roland JV2080 and Roland A33
• Korg Trinity and O1/W
• Akai S3000

Pinnella was also seen using a Roland JP8000 analog modelling synth during the European leg of the 2007 tour.

Discography

Year	Title	Type
2004	Enter By the Twelfth Gate	Studio

See also

• Symphony X

References

1. ^ Symphony X Official Website

External links

• Symphony X Official Website

Persondata
Name	Pinnella, Michael
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	August 29, 1969
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death