Growing up on a farm outside Moorhead, Minnesota, John Altenbernd (aka Aldo) discovered an early interest in piano by listening to his mother play. His love of the keys was born, and he began taking lessons at age ten from a local piano teacher. A natural musician, by age 15 he accompanied the church choir and served as church choir director for the high school students for seven years. He went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Music Industry from Minnesota State University of Moorhead, where he was introduced to the field of musical scoring. He has since scored several television shows, documentaries, and other projects.
John is most proud of the Upper MidWest Emmy award he won for his work on the PBS documentary, Delafield. Other notable projects include the nationally syndicated PBS series Painting with Paulson and the theme to the popular Prairie Public Television kids' series, Kid's Zone. His music has been picked up by national television shows, including the Today Show, As the World Turns, Last Call with Carson Daly, NPR, and the Rosie O'Donnell Show, among others. Additionally, he served as the music director of the Black Swan Dinner Theatre in Fargo, ND for one year before moving to Minneapolis to join a friend's band, Nero's House Band, that played throughout the Twin Cities metro area during the 1990s.
John has released six albums under his nickname, Aldo, which he got tagged with at age 15 (long story). In 2002, he released Expressions, available exclusively through Cardtunes, a locally-owned promotional company. He can also be heard on the award-winning Acoustitherapy series from Colorado Creative Music.
Aldo's catalog of seven albums includes two holiday albums. You can listen to samples, purchase, and learn more about each title below.
Aldo returns with a brand new project, "One by One", by releasing one song at at a time over the course of 2021-2023. Enjoy the first release from the new album, "Stem the Tide", which is an epic adventure into the Scottish Highlands.
Track Listing & Release Dates:
Stem the Tide : 8/3/2021
Melting Ice : 11/8/2022
Lost Boys : 4/28/2023
With the Wind : Coming Soon!
Musicians:
Violin: Peter McGuire of the Minnesota Orchestra
Bass & Solo Guitar: Darren Skanson
Keyboards: Aldo
Recorded:
Aldo's home studio in Hudson, WI.
Mixed & Mastered:
Colorado Creative Music Studios, Denver, CO.
Aldo returns after a long hiatus with Note by Note which represents a collection of 14 tracks of Aldo's past works, new material, and some covers re-arranged for solo piano and piano trio.
Aldo has also included a couple favorites that he has performed for many years which includes Take Five by the Dave Brubeck Quartet, the Pink Panther, and a salute to Leonard Cohen with Hallelujah.
Jingle Bells was recorded after the release of Merriment in 2005.
Enjoy this swingin' solo piano arrangement of a holiday classic that has been a crowd pleaser for many seasons.
Purchase this single for $1.00 either here or on iTunes.
Aldo's follow up Holiday CD, Merriment.
Aldo and his "merry men" have put together a new and exciting arrangement of some classic holiday tunes for piano, double bass, and drums. Guaranteed to put you in the holiday spirit!
These toe-tapping arrangements are fun to listen to year-round.
Merriment Reviewed
Read a wonderful review of Merriment from ChristmasReviews.com.
Mixed & Mastered: No Boy At All studios in Minneapolis, MN
Recording Engineers: Craig Thorson & Mark Brodin
Concept: Kelly Cochrane & Aldo
Special Thanks:
Thanks to Craig Thorson and MPR studios for their 9' Steinway that took my breath away - can't wait to return!; Dave Beisell of cardtunes® who made this project possible - thanks Dave!; Mack Santiago for his humor and colorful style; Dave Berg for his creative lines; Stan Scott for those great solos; Peter McGuire who appears courtesy of the Minnesota Orchestra - it was a pleasure recording you neighbor!; Jim Jacobson who made the Cello sing; Shawna Penland for her helpful ideas; Kelly Cochrane whose constant flow of ideas and organizational skills I can never live without; Mark Brodin whose talent as a musician and engineer continues to blow me away after all these years - I could not have done this project without your help and talent - thank you!!; Sue Nickel (Mrs. Brodin) - thanks for your generous hospitality on those long mixing nights; Tiger (the Brodin's cat) who I apologize for all those nights we had to lock you upstairs; and lastly to the Big Guy in the Sky who makes everything possible.
Recorded exclusively for The Tunesmith Productions ©2002 All Rights Reserved.
Aldo's first Holiday CD is also his first solo piano CD.
Planning a party for the holidays? Need some Holiday music that is fun and energetic? Unwrapped is a collection of Aldo's favorite holiday pieces that he has arranged in an upbeat exciting way. A great Christmas gift for family and friends!
Enjoy "Skating" and "Christmas Time Is Here" from the Peanut's cartoon, "A Charlie Brown Christmas". Turn up the volume for "Here Comes Santa Claus Into Town!"—a fast and furious medley of "Here Comes Santa Claus" and "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town." Put Unwrapped in your car's CD player on your way to work listening to the driving rhythm of "Little Drummer Boy".
On a special note; Unwrapped also contains the "Winter" suite from Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons" that has never been recorded for solo piano!
Unwrapped Reviewed
Read a wonderful review of Unwrapped from ChristmasReviews.com.
Hunter of Dreams is Aldo’s follow-up CD, released in the fall of 1998. Continuing themes of emotional exploration from his first CD, Treasures of the Soul, Aldo leads you on new adventures in Hunter of Dreams.
Hunter of Dreams invites you to experience nature’s grandeur. In his poem "The Bloodless Sportsman", Sam Walter Foss said, "The woods were made for the hunter of dreams." Nature inspires us to dream, hope and imagine. Aldo brings you back to nature, to the place where you hunt only with your senses and renew forgotten dreams.
Feel the awesome power of the mighty Colorado River. The angry current crashes against your raft and your senses are heightened as you’re guided through the rapids in Ride the Waters.
Backpack up a forgotten mountain trail with a special friend. The forest is alive with birds and friendly critters welcoming you to their serene world. When you reach the top, you gasp at the breathtaking view of an untouched valley. The moment is priceless since you’re sharing it with your friend and confidant in Walk With Me.
Hunter of Dreams was recorded at Raptor Studios in Fargo, North Dakota. Raptor Studios is part of the Midwest’s newest independent record label, Barking Dog Records, that combines elements of very different musical worlds: classical, contemporary, folk and blues in an imaginative arrangement and flawless production.
Treasures of the Soul was released in the fall of 1996. Minnesota's newest pianist and composer, Aldo, exploded on the scene with passionate and captivating arrangements of original music.
Treasures of the Soul is an adventurous blend of piano and orchestra that stirs deep emotion. It provides a nurturing environment for your cherished memories to surface. Only when you search deep within your heart can the treasures of your soul truly be found. The heartfelt passion of the music will lead you in the search for your cherished memories.
Your journey is enthralling, sweeping your subconscious along a mystical bay. The sky is on fire as the sun sets, ocean waves rush ashore, erasing your footprints as you walk along in the "Sands of Time".
Your journey continues, taking you "Out to Sea". Back to a time when adventure was a grand ship sailing the high seas. The salty breeze and gentle rocking, quiet your restless soul.
Treasures of the Soul was recorded at Raptor Studios in Fargo, North Dakota. Raptor Studios is part of the Midwest's newest independent record label, Barking Dog Records, that combines elements of very different musical worlds: classical, contemporary, folk and blues in an imaginative arrangement and flawless production.
*This is a full sized album cover in sticker form with a crack and peel back where the individual download codes are printed.
Acoustitherapy is acoustic instrumental music that is always soft and soothing. These beautiful combinations of harp, guitar, flute, cello, violin, and piano as well as native and world instruments are never loud or fast. The instruments give a natural vibrational energy to a music that is never obtrusive. The variety of instruments produce collections that are never repetitive. The different titles give you music you need to calm your mind, lighten your environment, warm your heart, relieve your tension, or free your spirit.
Aldo can be heard on these recordings from Colorado Creative Music.
Get some cool Aldo merchandise! We have fun t-shirts, buttons, and stickers. More to come!
Read the lastest news and reviews of Aldo's music.
Radio Airplay reviewed the tune, Lost Boys, from the upcoming CD release of One by One.
"Mischievous and full of adventure, the new piece Lost Boys by Aldo awakens an unbridled spirit. This orchestral Rock track works well as the soundtrack to a rough night at sea..."
Radio Airplay reviewed the tune, Melting Ice, from the upcoming CD release of One by One.
"Highly melodious and steeped in feeling, Aldo's captivating instrumental track 'Melting Ice'' is a thoroughly absorbing assortment of free-flowing melodies, vividly detailed textures, and emotionally charged creative explorations..."
Radio Airplay reviewed the tune, Stem the Tide, from the upcoming CD release of One by One.
"The first word that comes to mind is simply, wow! This is an exceptionally dazzling piece of songwriting, combining a beautiful sense of melody with a brilliant eye for detail, Aldo has really come out all guns blazing with this track, and it's brilliant..."
Radio Airplay reviewed the tune, Rat Race, from the Note by Note CD.
"Rat Race is a new instrumental release by American composer Aldo. Featuring piano, percussion, and bass, Rat Race proves that less is more. The piano provides the bulk of the melodic and harmonic material, but is given an irreplaceable foundation and drive by the bass and drums..."
ChristmasReviews.com wrote a nice review of the Unwrapped CD.
"Aldo is the man. I reviewed his superb Merriment two years ago and gave that CD my highest recommendation. Unwrapped is Aldo's earlier holiday release, and it is an excellent sibling of the later offering. Both CDs reflect the same virtuosity; this is power piano jazz of the most excellent sort..."
ChristmasReviews.com wrote a nice review of the Merriment CD.
"Aldo's Merriment took me by surprise. Hearing it reminded me of the first time I heard Mannheim Steamroller's Christmas more than 20 years ago. I immediately sat up and took notice, thinking, "Now this is something truly special!..."
Power Note Productions specializes in musical backgrounds for corporate videos, training videos, documentaries, commercials, the Internet, and film projects.
We're experts in listening to your ideas and translating them into the perfect musical background for your project. Each piece is individually composed by an artist trained and experienced in musical composition and style. We treat each client with dignity and respect. When you trust your project to Power Note Productions, you’re assured prompt attention and professional service. The end product is the best the industry has to offer in musical background production.
Emmy Winning Best Documentary of 2003!
The Delafield documentary won an Emmy from the Upper Midwest Chapter for Best Documentary! Power Note Productions provided the music for No Boy At All, LLC.
More Precious Than Gold examines the important water issues facing North Dakota and poses the questions the region must answer about its future.
Delafield: The farm community around a 125-year-old rural church is dying. Church members decide to sacrifice their church as the responsible thing to do.
Schmeckfest looks at traditional foods, savory recipes and folk memories are important in the history and culture of the Germans from Russia community. Prairie Public Television has produced this second videotape documentary focusing on foods as folk survivals.
The Germans from Russia: Children of the Steppe, Children of the Prairie is the story of the Germans from Russia—agricultural pioneers on several continents whose quest for land and peace shaped them into a distinctive and enduring ethnic group.
Pyramids on the Prairie features the history and architecture of the Winnipeg Exchange District in Manitoba, Canada.
