• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • The Harker School
  • Menu
  • Admission
  • Lower School
  • Middle School
  • Upper School
  • Summer
  • More
    • About
    • News
    • Alumni
    • Giving
  • News

  • The Harker News provides timely information, news and features about the Harker community to current and alumni Harker families.

  • |
  • General News
  • Lower School
  • Middle School
  • Upper School
  • Alumni
  • Summer
  • In the News

Laila Biali discusses career and creative process in live chat

December 14, 2020 by Zach Jones

Share this:

  • Tweet

On Friday night, Canadian singer-songwriter and pianist Laila Biali was the second guest of Harker’s Virtual Concert Series, which features a rebroadcast of a past Harker concert followed by a live chat with the artist. She spoke and answered questions about her career and songwriting process. 

Speaking via Zoom from her home in Toronto, the Juno-winning Biali answered questions posed by Dave Hart, upper school instrumental music chair, as well as viewers. She recalled how she found an interest in music at a very early age, starting piano at just 3 and half years old and having aspirations of attending Juilliard or the Curtis Institute of Music by her teens. At 15, she suffered an injury in a car accident that severely limited the use of her right arm. During her recovery, she began learning jazz, which she described as “like learning a new language.”

  • Recent graduate featured in Global Online Academy’s Catalyst Exhibition
    Read
    Recent graduate featured in Global Online Academy’s Catalyst Exhibition

Her career as a singer began while performing at a jazz festival, where she was offered a scholarship to Toronto’s Humber College and found singing and songwriting as new modes of expression. Later, while touring with a group called Sisters of Jazz, Biali was invited to join trumpeter Chris Botti’s band, which eventually led to her moving to New York. There she found work with Paula Cole (during which she met her husband, Ben Wittman) and Sting, a gig that saw her travel to the English singer’s estate in Tuscany. “Sting is your quintessential rock star,” said Biali. “He could totally be what we call a devo, the male version of a diva. He could just waltz into rehearsal whenever he wanted.” Biali was also inspired by Sting’s discipline and work ethic: “He was the first to arrive and the last to leave, without fail.” 

Discussing her approach to songwriting, Biali described the process as seldom constant. “It’s changing all the time and in some ways, it’s really informal,” she said. “There’s a point where it becomes a discipline and I have to sit down and hone the idea.”

Biali finds “raw material for songs all around me,” she said. Sources include news stories and various sights and sounds of the cities she’s lived in or visited. She often leaves voice memos on her phone. 

One of her favorite activities is heading to the Banff Centre in Alberta to complete songs she has begun writing, because of its environment and access to resources. “For each of the past three records, that has been an integral part of finishing the songs,” she said. She also runs ideas by her husband, who she said “felt like an ally and a friend right away” upon meeting him when they both worked for Paula Cole. 

The video of Biali’s performance at the Patil Theater in September 2019 will be available to view until Mon. Dec. 21. Her latest solo album, “Out of Dust,” and her rendition of “Silent Night” are now available on Spotify, iTunes and other services. 

You may also like

  • Daedalus Quartet dazzles at final Harker Concert Series event of the season
    Daedalus Quartet dazzles at final Harker Concert Series event of the season
  • Jared Schonig brings live music roaring back to Harker Concert Series
    Jared Schonig brings live music roaring back to Harker Concert Series
  • Harker Concert Series 2021-22 season performers announced
    Harker Concert Series 2021-22 season performers announced
  • Pianist Taylor Eigsti talks projects, touring and composition
    Pianist Taylor Eigsti talks projects, touring and composition
  • Kronos Quartet brings imaginative repertoire to Harker Concert Series closer
    Kronos Quartet brings imaginative repertoire to Harker Concert Series closer
  • Orchestra students to participate in Kronos Quartet’s 50 for the Future Program
    Orchestra students to participate in Kronos Quartet’s 50 for the Future Program
  • Bohemian Trio brings world of sounds to Patil Theater
    Bohemian Trio brings world of sounds to Patil Theater
  • Laila Biali brings energy and emotion to Harker Concert Series season opener
    Laila Biali brings energy and emotion to Harker Concert Series season opener

Related

Filed Under: Schoolwide Tagged With: Harker Concert Series, Laila Biali, Virtual Concert Series

Primary Sidebar

Search for Articles

Multimedia Features

  • Harker Research Symposium Video Earns Award
  • Into the Fringe: Conservatory Takes ‘Into the Woods’ to Edinburgh

Subscribe to Harker News via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to Harker News and receive a daily digest of recent posts.

Delivered by FeedBurner

Trending Stories

  • Alumna wins senior prize in studio art from WellesleyAlumna wins senior prize in studio art from Wellesley
  • Recent graduate featured in Global Online Academy's Catalyst ExhibitionRecent graduate featured in Global Online…
  • Dashing through life: DoorDash founder Andy Fang '10  – an alumni profile from Harker MagazineDashing through life: DoorDash founder Andy Fang…

The Harker Magazine

Published two times a year, The Harker Magazine showcases some of the top news, leading programs, inspiring people and visionary plans of the greater Harker community.

More Harker publications

About Harker

The Harker School is a non-profit K-12, coed, private school in Silicon Valley that has earned international recognition for its top academics, quality teachers and student achievements. Founded in 1893 and educating 1,975 students, Harker is the largest independent school of its kind in California. We have beautiful, expansive San Jose campuses specifically designed for each of our three divisions - elementary, middle and upper - where our students enjoy outstanding facilities, leading-edge technology and inspiring faculty who help them become the best they can be.

Learn more about The Harker School

Links

  • Harker Aquila
  • Preschool
    • Academics
    • Specialty Classes
    • Teachers
    • Support & Services
    • Campus & Facilities
    • School Community
  • Lower School
    • Academics
    • Programs & Extracurriculars
    • Teachers
    • Students
    • Support & Services
    • Campus & Facilities
    • School Community
  • Middle School
    • Academics
    • Programs & Extracurriculars
    • Teachers
    • Students
    • Support & Services
    • Campus & Facilities
    • School Community
  • Upper School
    • Academics
    • Programs & Extracurriculars
    • Teachers
    • Students
    • Support & Services
    • Campus & Facilities
    • School Community
    • Admission
    • Summer
    • About
    • News
    • Alumni
    • Giving
The Harker School

Copyright © 1893-2015 • The Harker School • 500 Saratoga Ave., San Jose, CA 95129 • 408.249.2510 | Contact Us | Privacy Policy

  • Follow Us!
  • Admission
    • Request Information
    • Campus Visits
    • Applying to Harker
    • Tuition & Financial Aid
    • Admission FAQs
  • Preschool
    • Academics
    • Specialty Classes
    • Teachers
      • Teacher Directory
    • Support & Services
      • Extended Care
      • Food Progam
      • Libraries
      • Summer Preschool
      • Transportation
      • Safety & Security
    • Campus & Facilities
    • School Community
  • Lower School
    • Academics
    • Programs & Extracurriculars
      • After-School Program
      • Athletics
        • Coach Directory
        • Athletic Events
      • Character Development & Outreach
      • Global Education
        • Global Relationships - Sister Schools
      • Performing Arts
        • Performing Arts Teacher Directory
      • STEM
      • Student Research
      • Visual Arts
    • Teachers
      • Teacher Directory
    • Students
    • Support & Services
      • Food Program
      • Health & Wellness
      • Libraries
      • Safety & Security
      • Transportation
    • Campus & Facilities
    • School Community
  • Middle School
    • Academics
    • Programs & Extracurriculars
      • After-School Program
      • Athletics
        • Coach Directory
        • Athletic Events
      • STEM
      • Visual Arts
      • Global Education
        • Global Relationships - Sister Schools
      • Performing Arts
        • Performing Arts Teacher Directory
      • Character Development & Outreach
      • Speech & Debate
      • Student Research
    • Teachers
      • Teacher Directory
    • Students
    • Support & Services
      • Food Program
      • Health & Wellness
      • Libraries
      • Safety & Security
      • Technology
      • Transportation
    • Campus & Facilities
    • School Community
  • Upper School
    • Academics
    • Programs & Extracurriculars
      • Character Development & Outreach
      • Performing Arts
        • Performing Arts Teacher Directory
      • Athletics
        • Coach Directory
        • Athletic Events
      • Visual Arts
      • STEM
      • Business & Entrepreneurship
      • Global Education
        • Global Relationships - Sister Schools
      • Speech & Debate
      • Student Research
    • Teachers
      • Teacher Directory
    • Students
    • Support & Services
      • College Counseling
      • Food Program
      • Health & Wellness
      • Libraries
      • Safety & Security
      • Technology
      • Transportation
    • Campus & Facilities
    • School Community
  • Summer
    • Summer Preschool
    • Summer Camp Plus: KinderCamp
    • Summer Camp Plus: Grades 1-5
    • Summer Institute Middle School
    • Summer Institute Upper School
    • English Language Institute
      • Program Details
        • International English Language Institute Brochures
    • Swim School
    • Summer @ The Conservatory
    • About
      • Eligibility
      • Summer Jobs
      • International Families
      • Summer Registration and Policies
  • About
    • Contact Us
    • Philosophy & Mission
    • History
      • Harker's 125th!
    • Events
      • Family & Alumni Picnic
        • Admission Passes & Tickets
        • Alumni Guests
        • Schedule of the Day
        • Raffle
        • Silent Auction
        • Picnic T-Shirts
        • Donations
        • Sponsorships
        • Volunteer
        • History
      • Homecoming
      • Harker Concert Series
      • Harker Speaker Series
      • Harker Gala: Night on the Town
        • Community Sponsorships
        • Corporate Sponsorships
      • Harker Sports Clinics
      • Research Symposium
        • Student Abstracts
        • Corporate Exhibitors
      • Harker Alumni Gold Classic
    • Message from the Head of School
    • Board of Trustees
    • Facts & Stats
      • Student Achievements
      • Alumni Achievements
    • Sustainability at Harker
      • Nichols Hall: LEED Certified
    • Eagle Store
    • Staff Directory
    • Careers
    • Media Information
    • Privacy Policy
    • COPPA Statement
  • News
    • General News
    • Preschool News
    • Lower School News
    • Middle School News
    • Upper School News
    • Alumni News
    • Summer News
    • In The News
  • Alumni
    • Transcript Requests
  • Giving
    • How to Plan Your Giving
    • Annual Giving
      • How Funds are Spent
      • Gift Clubs
    • Capital Giving
      • About the Cornerstones Campaign
      • The Cornerstones Of Success Campaign: Phases 1-5
      • Gift Recognition & Namign Opportunities
        • Capital Giving Gift Clubs
      • How To Make A Capital Gift
      • Naming Opportunities
        • Performing Arts Center
        • Athletics Center
        • Paving Tiles
        • Bucknall Campus
        • Saratoga Campus
        • Policy
    • Endowment & Planned Giving
      • Endowment Policy
    • Volunteering
    • Donations and Pledges