A new year, a new LIFE and another piano move

I realized today that it's been a month since I've written anything here.  I've been very busy unpacking and settling into my new home.  I've also been doing a lot of other writing.  I've been writing more songs and memoirs.  Not all of the songs are performance worthy, but the practice is always good.  In every songwriting course or workshop I've ever taken, the facilitator always stressed the importance of writing a lot of songs, knowing that most of them will be throwaways.  So, that's what I do.  With my 40 minute commute, 5-days a week, I get a lot of inspiration and record it all on my digital recorder to work on later.  At least one of these new songs will be making its debut at my next show at Emack & Bolios.  

In addition to moving back to the country, I'm now renting a studio space in North Albany.  My wonderful friends and family moved my antique upright piano to that space just after the start of the new year.  We used a block and tackle to hoist it up onto the truck then unloaded at a loading dock.  It may have been the easiest piano move yet.  Hopefully, we won't be moving it for quite a long time.  It's wonderful to have a place to go practice and work during my 4 - 5 hour breaks between classes.  It is forcing me to work on my music whether I want to or not, though usually I can't wait to get there.  And I've met a couple of other musicians there, keeping my network growing.

February looks to be a busy month.  I have a couple of gigs coming up and am going on a vacation to Arizona for a few days in the middle of the month.  Be sure to check the calendar of events for upcoming shows.  There are some exciting events coming up in April as well.  It will be a very busy month for me ... a TV appearance in Deerfield, MA early in the month, a reprise of the Ars Choralis production of "Music in Desperate Times," which is the recreation of a women's orchestra from Birkenau Concentration camp to be performed in Woodstock and Poughkeepsie, and Nuts and Bolts: Gales, Gigs, and Glamour – How to Sell Yourself, Get Work and Be Financially Solvent, a panel discussion happening at the Arts Center in Troy, NY.

Stay tuned for more news ...