Happy Birthday, Michael Head

Happy Birthday and thanks for the beautiful and fun songs, Michael Head.

from Wikipedia:

Michael Head was born in Eastbourne, United Kingdom on January 23, 1900. His father was a barrister and journalist and his mother an accomplished amateur singer and pianist. His mother’s influence evidently dominated, and at age 10 he commenced his musical training, taking piano lessons with Jean Adair and singing with Fritz Marston at the Adair-Marston School of Music. He was educated at Monkton Combe School Somerset In 1919, after a period of study at the Royal Academy of Music, he won the Sir Michael Costa scholarship for composition. During World War I he was called up for service, and while working at an ammunition factory, composed the song cycle Over the rim of the moon (Head et al., 1920). This was to become his first published work.

Check out my YouTube channel for a new video of Michael Head's "A Piper" here.

My thoughts (almost) exactly!

Admit it, you're as bored as I am

After 40 years and 1,500 concerts, Joe Queenan is finally ready to say the unsayable: new classical music is absolute torture - and its fans have no reason to be so smug.

During a radio interview between acts at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, a famous singer recently said she could not understand why audiences were so reluctant to listen to new music, given that they were more than ready to attend sporting events whose outcome was uncertain. It was a daft analogy. Having spent most of the last century writing music few people were expected to understand, much less enjoy, the high priests of music were now portrayed as innocent victims of the public's lack of imagination. If they don't know in advance whether Nadal or Federer is going to win, but still love Wimbledon, why don't they enjoy it when an enraged percussionist plays a series of brutal, fragmented chords on his electric marimba? What's wrong with them?

The reason the sports analogy fails is because when Spain plays Germany, everyone knows that the game will be played with one ball, not eight; and that the final score will be 1-0 or 3-2 or even 8-1 - but definitely not 1,600,758 to Arf-Arf the Chalet Ate My Banana. The public may not know in advance what the score will be, but it at least understands the rules of the game.

Read all at link above.

Shaman's Hand Piano Meditations on CD at Amazon.com

It's up and ready for purchase at amazon. Just click on the picture above to check it out. The pieces are remastered versions of Eternal Ecstasies: Born in Bethlehem done as a music version by request. The music is somewhere between classical and new age, contemplative and for the most part relaxing and at times deeply emotional. The recording was done on my teacher John Suter's 1885 Steinway Concert Grand fully restored by James Reeder. The sound is rich and up close.

Pieces are titled: Touch of Rebirth, Touch of Creator/Creation, Touch of Purity, Touch of Mercy, Touch of Joy, Touch of Meekness/Strength, Touch of Infinite Love, Touch of Inner Peace and Shaman's Blessing.

Perfect for letting go of all the tension and energy blockages and entering those blissful, peaceful waves that correspond to the higher brain frequencies. It has been said by one listener to have a levitating effect on the mind/body consciousness. I have enjoyed listening while freeway driving!

The picture above is a blending of the piano and Lake Michigan where I grew up. We will be playing some of the music on Shaman's Hand Blog Talk Radio in the coming weeks to celebrate the release of Shaman's Hand, Piano Meditations!

George Li, eleven year old pianist

This is a fun piece by Franz Liszt. One of the Hungarian Rhapsodies, No.11. George Li, or whoever handles his YouTube account, invited me to be a friend. So I accepted knowing full well that he may know nothing of it. All the best to this young prodigy.

George Li, is a resident of North Andover, MA where he is a student at the Annie Sargent School. George has been playing piano since the age of four and enjoys taking tests, math and of course, the Red Sox.