Michael Garate
I’m a Musician and Software Engineer. I previously worked at LinkedIn building Production Infrastructure and at Etsy leading the Machine Learning Infrastructure team.
30 days: Introducing Shamrock EP
March 2022In a 30 day period I’m getting married, switching jobs, mourning the loss of my dog, moving across the country, and releasing a post-classical piano EP on major streaming sites. So naturally… here’s a link to the music on Spotify and Bandcamp.
Click or Scan QR code below to listen on Spotify
With everything happening at once the EP took on a new meaning for me as a snapshot of my current life chapter. While I know that in 30 days I will still be myself, I will be forming new habits and a refreshed identity. Each track started as a piano piece improvised during a one week period in 2021. Off-grid improvisation allowed a close connection between the music I hear in my head and the end result. There simply was not time to plan and overthink the arrangement. It is what it is.
My dog Missy sat next to me every day from the beginning of recording through receiving the final mastered record. She passed away last weekend after being a calming presence to my life for the last 6 years. If you’ve ever been in a zoom meeting with me, there’s a 50% chance she was sitting on my lap (yes even during a job interview). This music will always make me think of her.
Now I can look to the future. Alice and I are moving to New Jersey (NYC metro area, send me a message if you want to get dinner) and I am starting a new job at Etsy. I will be a “boomerang” at Etsy, and I want to be clear that it’s not a reflection of company A vs company B. LinkedIn has been a fantastic place to work and I would highly recommend it: the people, the work, the benefits, and the remote friendliness. It was time for me to shake things up career-wise, and I got excited about the work of my future team at Etsy. More to come on that another time.
I hope this record brings you some peace and optimism during a quiet moment of your day. Spotify’s algorithm prioritizes music that gets added to playlists and listened to again later. If you feel so inclined, please share it with someone who you think will appreciate it!
instagram.com/michael.garate.music
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Biography
Michael Garate is a post-classical musician who colors piano improvisations with touches of electronic and orchestral elements. His recordings feature relaxed meter, meditative soundscapes, and hopeful melodies.
Influences include Goldmund, Balmorhea, Nils Frahm, Ólafur Arnalds, Sophie Hutchings, Joe Hisaishi, Air.