Chilly Gonzales is on everyone’s and especially the cyberpeople’s lips at the moment – thanks to two guys in robot costumes. So it didn’t come as a surprise that prior to his two London concerts last week, Cadogan Hall was filled with whisperings, if he would at least partly play his song from the forthcoming Daft Punk album. He did. And everyone with a Beethoven-esque brain could actually even hear it – with their mind’s ear. Since he only let his fingers silently touch the keys, which was visible for everyone via the giant screens under the rededicated church’s ceiling and stretching from one side of the stage to the other.

Unless you’ve been living in a proverbial cave, you’re probably heard that Daft Punk has soon-to-be-released album (Random Access Memories), and Chilly Gonzales is one of the collaborators! @Daftworld let it slip last December:

Ça fait donc 5 collaborations confirmées pour Daft Punk : Paul Williams, Chilly Gonzales, Nile Rodgers, Giorgio Moroder, Nathan East.

— Daftworld (@daftworld) December 8, 2012

His Collaborators video is educational (a Gonzales trademark) and enlightening.

With 13 dates left in his Spring European tour (and more dates in Summer), Chilly Gonzales was interviewed by “Sud Ouest” (South West), which covers news for 50 towns and villages in regional France.

In the interview, Gonzales reveals that, for him, the best way to connect with rappers or electro artists (e.g. Daft Punk and Drake) is through the piano – though lush harmonies that bring a ‘human’ element to the otherwise programmed sound. In some ways, incorporating the ‘voice’ of the piano and Gonzales’ harmonies provides electro-based songs with a ‘soul’.

Starting with its inventor Franz Liszt, master classes provide students (professional and amateur alike) an opportunity to learn and be inspired by an accomplished concert performer. Many concertgoers have had an impromptu piano lesson (a master class) in the middle of a Gonzales concert, but During Chilly Gonzales’ current tour of France, he took time out to give a master class with students from two schools: La Classe Orchestre du Collège Saint-Exupéry and la Classe Vocale du Collège Jules Simon de Vannes.

Once passion met profession, the way you earn money doesn’t feel like work in a classical sense anymore and the term “holidays” becomes superfluous. So it is only logical that Chilly Gonzales, between two tours*, doesn’t relax on a Southeast Asian beach getting a well-deserved massage or manicure of his precious hands, but seems to plot new collaborations and masterpieces. So there has been quite some news during the past week. What has made the internet community turn crazy – and above all the Daft Punk disciples – is the fact that Chilly Gonzales’ piano contribution to the electrorobot-duo’s forthcoming album has been confirmed.

Recent tweets between Gonzales and a follower brought an injustice to our attention:

@rachael_burns no he hasn’t . He has turned me down repeatedly . Start a letter writing campaign !

— chilly gonzales (@chillygonzales) December 31, 2012

Chilly Gonzales has made practically every song from Solo Piano Notebooks 1 & 2 available online. That’s a total of 33 songs to download, print and start playing within minutes! There are a few options for downloading and using the sheet music; here a short guide.

Whenever a leading actor wears a dressing gown in a movie, one thing is certain: In real life, the following scene would certainly take place without an audience. Chilly Gonzales’ trademark is a dressing gown; he even wears it when sharing the stage with a huge and honorable orchestra. And although it is a costume, much like in a movie, it makes him appear undisguised and approachable.

T. Cole Rachel’s interview with Gonzales is a captivating read. Admitting that Solo Piano II was his “most played” record of 2012, Cole goes on to elicit detailed comments from Gonzales. It appears that Cole is more than happy to prod from time-to-time, letting Gonzales’ train of thought run its natural course.

About a year ago, Gonzales was in London to record a series of “Piano Lessons for Lapsed Students”. At that time, he asked the Twitterverse what topics they would like covered in piano lessons and received a number of responses (most were covered). Later, during a rapid-fire Twitter interview session, he indicated that the lessons would be available in summer: