Michael Dulin

Whisperings in Birmingham

2011-08-28T22:00:00.000-07:00

Last night I attended a Whisperings concert in Birmingham. I had been invited to perform, but as I didn't know the hall or the piano, I decided against it.

I heard my dear friend Joseph Akins perform, in his inimitable way, some of his songs that I know and love - his arrangement of "Tennessee Waltz" and "Butterfly Ride", among others.

Lee Bartley, from Colorado, whose playing I didn't know, was TERRIFIC. His jazz stylings, facility, harmonic and rhythmic flair, place him among the handful of popular piano artists that I think are really first rate.

Walter Knapp, who lives in Birmingham, is a wonderful player who deserves to be heard by a larger audience. His interpretation of three Chopin Etudes was inspiring, and his transcriptions of hymn fill me with envy. He sounds like Rachmaninoff! It was a great evening of wonderful music, and I felt privileged to attend.

The Audio Czar

2011-08-04T10:07:00.001-07:00

This morning I had a fun time with my friend Tony Wachter (a.k.a. the Audio Czar) at his wonderful home studio. Tony is an immensely talented singer, writer, engineer, and producer, and he now does most of his recording from the comfort of his own home.

Today's project was scoring for picture. I played piano, solo violin, cello ensemble, electric guitar and bass. Tony himself added the drum loop (see photo). All it takes is one finger!

These Things I Know

2011-07-31T19:34:00.000-07:00

When you have three or more cars, whichever car you choose to drive will be almost out of gas.

You don't buy a house, you buy a house kit.

Whoever mows your lawn makes more money than you do, even if you are Johnny Depp.

Paradise Lost

2011-06-02T09:53:00.000-07:00

Coming to you today from our island, which is as beautiful as ever, and we are so happy to be away for a few days.

The mystique of the place, though, has changed. Our private sanctuary has been discovered, and it just feels different here.

But I'm not complaining. I'm here with my wonderful wife, and anywhere with her is a great place. Next time, though, we'll be ready for an island adventure in another place. Tahiti, maybe?

Home next week to get ready for my concert in Shrewsbury, PA with David Nevue and Jeff Smith on June 18th.

Numero Uno

2011-05-21T11:09:00.000-07:00

Hello boys and girls,

Long time no post. I have been real busy, mostly with mundane things that you really don't want to hear about. In that case, no news really IS good news...

Couple of things are going on now, though. I just found out yesterday that Timeless II made it to #1 on the world airplay charts in the new age genre. Pretty cool. Check it out by visiting www.zonemusicreporter.com and clicking on the charts tab. There you can see me sitting on my throne.

I am also excited about our upcoming island vacation. Sorry I can't tell you WHICH island. You might want to crash the party, and I want to have my beautiful bride all to myself for a while. Our boy Adam will be Rileysitting at our house while we are gone. Thanks, Adam!

I will be playing at a church in Shrewsbury, PA on June 18th. I am really excited about this, because it will be the first time I have been asked to talk about my Christian life at a concert. I hope that I can do more concerts like this one.

Talk soon.

The Late Unpleasantness

2011-04-04T18:26:00.000-07:00

That's what Charlestonians call the Civil War.

Jan and I took my mom and cousin Freida Bearden to Charleston during spring break. We stayed at the Inn at Middleton Place, which is on the grounds of Middleton Place plantation, right on the James River. Although the inn could use a little updating, the setting there is magical. We were a stone's throw from the James River; Jan and and I took nightly strolls along the lighted paths through the plantation.

We toured all of the plantations, the Magnolia plantation being our favorite. Middleton Place, by the way, was where one of the big scenes from The Patriot was filmed - where Mel Gibson and his band blew up the ship in full view of Cornwallis and his guests.

My favorite thing was being able to see the Confederate submarine, the Hunley.

Everything about Charleston oozes history, and I was fascinated by the stories that lurked around every corner. Like the discovery of the remains of the Hunley's first crew, found buried under the football stadium at The Citadel!

I was disappointed that I didn't get to see Dubose Heyward's grave - you know, he collaborated with George Gershwin on Porgy and Bess (which was based on Heyward's novel, Porgy). There's a great story about Gershwin stealing the show from the main "shouter" during a Gullah gathering around the campfire on Folly Beach. Wish I could have been there for that.

We took a Gray Line bus tour our first morning in Charleston, and I was very impressed by the delivery of our tour guide. As we got off the bus at the end of the tour, I said to her, "If you aren't a musician, you should be, because your timing is incredible." Turns out that she is in fact a music director, and she is soon taking her choir to New York to sing the Rutter Requiem in Carnegie Hall under the direction of the composer himself.

We had a great time in Charleston. My mom had never been there, and I know it is a trip that she will always remember. I could never do enough to repay her for all the trouble I was when I was growing up!

Hey, brother, can you spare a...

2011-03-14T18:27:00.000-07:00

That was just a teaser. What I actually need is ninety thousand dollars.
The Steinway Gallery in Birmingham is going out of business - drum lines, digital pianos and camp singing have made it hard on Steinway dealerships. Maybe Steinway could branch out into ATVs and banjos.

Anyway, the full retail price of a new Steinway concert grand is $130,000 and change. I could get one today for a mere $90,000. Wonder how many micro loans I would need...

Take a Hike

2011-03-10T17:42:00.000-08:00

The weather has been glorious here, sunny with highs in the upper 60s and low 70s. Today, though, it's rainy and cold again. No worries. It's the perfect day for a hike.

Off we went, my buddy Riley and me, to the Moss Rock Preserve. We had the place to ourselves, so we hiked up to the Great Wall and the waterfall. I took a couple of pictures with my iPhone.

Riley and I have hiked a lot during the past couple of weeks, spending hours on old lumber trails in the Oxmoor Valley, Riley swimming in Shades Creek as it meanders its way to the Cahaba. We went to Oak Mountain a couple of times, too.

One of the great things about hiking in Alabama is that there are no bears. I remember a backpacking trip in North Carolina when we spent a day and night in a bear sanctuary - you know, the place where they take bears to get them a way from people.
I didn't sleep much that night...

Riley loves being in the woods; it turns him into a puppy again. He likes to get ahead of me on the trail, then turn and run full speed at me, only to veer off at the last possible second. He is always so alive for the rest of the day, whenever we get out in the woods.

A couple of Sundays ago, the three of us spent an afternoon walking the lumber trails, making it all the way into Bessemer before turning around. We ended the afternoon at Sonic, where Riley enjoyed a cup of vanilla ice cream. Jan fed him with a spoon.

Just thinking...

2011-02-26T18:38:00.000-08:00

Has it really been a month since I have posted on this blog?
I've been busy, but I am going to do better - I promise.

Radio promotion for Timeless II starts next Tuesday, March 1st. I'm thinking it's going to be a big international hit; according to the palm reader in Hueytown, Alabama, I should be able to retire to Tahiti in about a year. =)

Of course, this puts a big burden on you, dear reader, not only to buy the new CD, but several copies of each of my previous CDs.

Timeless II has already received glowing reviews from several nationally known music critics - Kathy Parsons of mainlypiano.com, Michael Diamond of Music and Media Focus, and Keith Hannaleck of Muzik Reviews.

You don't have to read the reviews, I'll just paraphase the important parts for you;

Take it from them, I'm right up there at the top, somewhere between Yanni and Beethoven, and Timeless II is another THRILLER waiting to happen.

Come to think of it, that's not so good. It COULD mean that I'll make a lot more money after I'm gone...

Still, you'd better stock up now. Posthumously, the CD price could really go through the roof!

DIY - Du It Yourself

2011-01-22T16:49:00.000-08:00

Don't know how it is at your house, but here's how things happen around our place: I break things, and Jan repairs them. Jan got the "Buddy" gene from her dad. Whatever was wrong, be it mechanical, electrical, plumbing, automotive - ANYTHING - Buddy could fix it. Jan has that gene, and I do not.

Last week I broke the washing machine. It all started when I decided to do some washing while Jan was at work. I was happily practicing away when the washing machine became unbalanced and started making loud knocking noises. I quickly assessed the situation and decided that the quickest solution would be for me to sit on the washing machine to make sure it didn't jump off the tile pad in the laundry room. Just in case you're wondering, this is not a good idea and will get you in lots of trouble. Now before you rush to judgment, consider my response: Let's buy a new one! Not Jan. She took a look at the washer and decided that the problem was that the lid switch had broken. So after a couple of trips to the appliance parts store, the washing machine is as good as new. Did I mention that I love this woman?

And The Winner Is...

2010-12-18T09:44:00.000-08:00

Chopin!

Courtney McGukin and I mastered the Timeless II CD yesterday, and if you don't mind my saying so, it sounds wonderful!

Here's the lineup:

Chopin is the big dog on this CD, with 5 songs.
Tied for 2nd place are Rachmaninoff and Bach, with 2 each.
In last place, we find Beethoven and Saint-Saens, each with one song.

I can't pick a favorite among the 11 arrangements. I love them all, and hope that you will, too.

The CD is just over an hour long, at 60 minutes and 57 seconds.

We hope that the love of Christ will shine on you this Christmas.
If you don't know Jesus, I pray that you will come to know him during the coming year.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Catch Up

2010-11-27T11:32:00.001-08:00

Hey guys, a lot has been going on lately - so much, in fact, that I haven't had time to update this page!

Greg Maroney and I performed together on November 12th, a benefit for the York College School of Nursing's Managed Care Program. Jan and I had a great time on that trip, and were happy to have some time with Greg and Linda Maroney.

Another highlight of this trip was a buggy ride and a tour of an Amish farm outside of Lancaster. As usual, I asked the Amish driver too many questions, and Jan kept punching me in the ribs...

On November 18th, Joseph Akins and I performed together in Jackson, Mississippi, in a benefit for the Millsaps College Music Program. This concert was underwritten by Lester and Ellen Hailey of Beemon Drugs. So if you live in Jackson, please buy your meds from Beemon Drugs, at 1220 E. Northside Drive.

Joseph spent the night at our house Wednesday night, then we drove to Jackson on Thursday for the concert. Around 4 PM, while we were at the hall trying out the pianos, Joseph got a call informing him that his father-in-law had just died in Chattanooga. Joseph was a real trooper, and decided to go on with the performance, and he played great! My playing was also some of my best, and our dueling Steinways improv at the end of the program really smoked!

Please pray for Joseph, his mom, and their family during this difficult time.

Jan and I are celebrated Thanksgiving at the beach this year. We walked 4 miles on the beach every day that we were there. I know this thanks to the Nike GPS app on my iPhone.

The weather was absolutely perfect. We saw dolphins playing and pelicans diving for food, had great meals and a lot of relaxation.

This week I finish THE LAST SONG for the new Timeless II CD. Then it will be off to the duplicator. I can't wait for you to hear it.

Hope you and yours had a great Thanksgiving. Even with whatever bad is happening in our lives, we have a lot to be thankful for.

Take care...

On the Road

2010-11-10T16:43:00.001-08:00

Jan and I are leaving in the morning for Pennsylvania. We are driving, because we want to take Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway on the way back. Great views, 5 days alone with my beautiful wife, a concert, and the chance to visit with our friends Greg and Linda Maroney! Who could ask for anything more?

Real Life

2010-11-04T10:55:00.000-07:00

Fall is in full swing here in the deep South. We have a lot of hardwoods in our neighborhood, and the leaves are falling in massive quantities. Most of my neighbors obsessively try to remove all traces of autumn from their lawns, driveways and decks. I, however, am a little less diligent, to their dismay, I'm sure.

I'll miss my German lessons for the next few weeks. Next week Jan and I will be in Pennsylvania for the York benefit concert. The week after that I will be playing in Jackson, MS. The week after THAT Jan and I will be celebrating Thanksgiving at the beach. That's the story of my German studies; two steps forward, one step back. Or in my case, probably one step forward and two steps back!

Did you know that I play the cello? Not really, but as a keyboard player, I can play ANYTHING! I finished one of the last songs for the Timeless II album yesterday - an arrangement of "The Swan" by Saint-Saens. I added a solo cello to the piano part, and it sounds like the real thing. I'm thinking about creating an imaginary cellist and giving him credit on the CD for this solo. Maybe I'll name him "Alexei Volkov" or perhaps a good ol' southern name like Billy Joe McCabe. Then I'll sit back and see if anyone calls me on it.

I practiced the piano a lot today. I'm adding a few new tunes for the upcoming concerts, and relearning some of the songs from "Christmas at Our House" for the December concert in Nashville. Today is Thursday; most Thursdays I practice 4 or 5 hours at home before going into the studio around 2 PM.

Jan and I bought a new Vita-Mix blender last week, and I love it so much that I have almost stopped eating solid food! I am now living on smoothies. We were at Costco, and there was a guy there demonstrating the Vita-Mix. I was like a pesky kid who wouldn't go away. I kept asking him to make a coffee drink, then soup, then a sorbet, and before you know it I had eaten a full meal's worth of samples. Today's smoothie was red grapes, a few almonds, strawberries, blueberries, a whole apple (minus two slices for Riley) and an orange, with a little vanilla yoghurt and some orange juice. Oh, and a few baby carrots. Pretty soon I will be so healthy that I'll be absolutely unbearable!

An Added Benefit

2010-10-12T10:00:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't written in a while. Can't believe that it has been over a month.The studio has been very busy, and I have been working like one possessed on Timeless II, and having a wonderful time!

As some of you know, on November 12th I will be performing a benefit concert in York, Pennsylvania. Once again I will be sharing the stage with my good friend Greg Maroney, who is one of my very favorite contemporary instrumental composer/pianists. The concert benefits the York College School of Nursing. You can see the poster, with all of the information about the concert, on my Facebook artist page. While you're there, why don't you sign up as a fan?

I have just been asked to play a benefit concert for Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi. The concert will take place on November 18th. I have invited Joseph Akins to take part in this concert. Joseph is a fine pianist/composer who is on the faculty of Middle Tennessee State's Music Recording program.

I am excited about the Millsaps concert, because I have never visited the campus before. I know about the college, of course, by its wonderful reputation. Jan and I have visited Jackson on several occasions. Jackson is full of cultural activity; one of our favorite trips anywhere was a visit to Jackson to see a terrific Degas exhibit at the Jackson Museum of Art.
Isn't Leontyne Price from Jackson?

The details of the Jackson concert:
November 18th, 7:30 PM
Millsaps College
Gertrude Ford Academic Recital Complex
1701 N. State Street
Jackson, MS 39210

$15 general admission
$5 students
Please call 601-974-1422 for more information.
Tickets will be available at the door.

Our concert in Memphis was a lot of fun. Attendance and CD sales were both a little less than I had anticipated, but what the audience lacked in size it made up for in enthusiasm. Jan and I finally visited Graceland! I actually hadn't thought about it, but Jan wanted to go, so off we went. And I have to admit that it was fun. We also had some great BBQ at a Memphis favorite, Rendezvous Alley.

I promise I won't wait a month next time!

Dogs Are People Too

2010-09-11T14:33:00.000-07:00

Jan's mom died two months ago. We took Riley with us to the cemetery earlier this week. Normally, when confronted with an expanse of grass like one finds at a cemetery, Riley becomes a whirl of ceaseless activity, sniffing every blade of grass in sight for yet another place to mark his territory.

When I patted the grave and told Riley that Meme was there, he became very still, and lay beside her marker until we left to go home.

Jan's parents had lived with us, and Riley loved having them there. He flew down the stairs to their apartment twice every day to get snacks from MeMe. After Buddy died, he started spending a lot more time with Meme. It was as if he knew that she needed him to be there with her.

But since MeMe died, Riley has refused to go downstairs. He normally follows my every step like a shadow. But now, whenever I go downstairs, he refuses to go with me. He will lie at the top of the stairs and wait for me to come up.

Somehow, he knows...

My friend Jeff Bjorck (www.purepiano.com) said that, although the Bible says nothing about our pets going to Heaven, it doesn't absolutely forbid it. That's a good thought; I would like to see Riley there. As it is, when he dies, I will have to go to grief counseling...

Riley at the top of the stairs

What Matters

2010-09-05T14:32:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't updated my blog in a couple of weeks, but read on and you'll see that I have been otherwise occupied...

I've always told Jan that I love her more than anything in the world EXCEPT THE PIANO. Hey, I'm supposed to be honest, right? I mean, music isn't just something that I DO; it's a part of me, like my heart or my arms or my liver.

During the past few weeks, though, I've discovered that the reality of my life is
something else altogether...

Jan had a biopsy several weeks ago, and the surgeon told her that he was 95% sure that the pathology report would prove to be cancer. A week later she had a lumpectomy, followed by another path report to wait for...

Cut to the studio, where I was supposed to be working on my new CD, which is already way behind schedule. But was I working on the CD? No, all I could do was walk through the halls, mumbling "God help me" over and over, as I contemplated for the first time what life would be like without my Jan. Not that I expected her to drop dead all of a sudden, but just to look over the edge of that void that life would be like without her...

It was then that I realized that, without Jan, there IS no music in me. The part of me that hears and creates music would just cease to exist.

So what Jan hears from me now is "...more than anything. Period."

By the way, the surgeon was wrong. Totally benign!

Listen Free

2010-08-07T10:46:00.000-07:00

Another Saturday at the studio...Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to have a normal job, just go to work for 8 hours, then have a LIFE!

The release date of the new CD is September 28th. You can listen to 4 COMPLETE SONGS on the home page of the michaeldulin.com website. Be sure to listen to Sicilian Song - it is a wonderful melody, and I am really happy with the way it turned out. Kathy Parsons of mainlypiano.com, one of the most respected critics of new music, is reviewing the songs as I finish them. Her review of Sicilian Song is printed below.

Sicilian Song

Michael Dulin

Timeless II 2010/Equity Digital

5:01

Sicilian Song is an adaptation of Siciliano from JS Bach's Flute Sonata #2 and is one of the highlights of Michael Dulin's Timeless II. Although Dulin's arrangement is very true to the piece's classical roots, the addition of strings and other orchestration to Dulin's piano gives the piece a more contemporary sound and feeling. Played slowly and soulfully, this piece is absolutely gorgeous!

The pieces starts out fairly simply with the piano carrying the melody with strings in the background, setting the tone of the piece. In the second variation, the orchestra carries the melody as Dulin improvises with light, sweet, nimble passages. The third variation is the most dramatic with full orchestra, tympani, and Dulin's marvelous piano. The fourth variation returns to a quiet mood and brings Sicilian Song to a gentle close. Bravo!

Coming to a Town Near You....

2010-07-26T12:01:00.000-07:00

I'm appearing in concert with fellow Solo Piano Radio artists Joseph Akins and John Albert Thomas on September 25th, in Memphis. Tickets are available HERE.

Be there or be nowhere!

Meme

2010-07-16T00:01:00.000-07:00

Lucille Bailey Renfroe (Lou)

1926-2010

We lost Jan's mom last week. She died last Wednesday, July 7th. She was 84. Lou was the kindest, wisest, finest person you could ever hope to meet. I was so very proud to be a member of her family. Our sweet girl will be forever missed.

Lucille is described so perfectly in Proverbs 31:

Who can find a virtuous woman?

For her price is far above rubies.

The heart of her husband doth safely trust her,

So that he shall have no need of spoil.

She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

She is like the merchants' ships;

She bringeth her food from afar.

Strength and honour are her clothing;

And she shall rejoice in time to come.

She openeth her mouth with wisdom;

And in her tongue is the law of kindness.

She looketh well to the ways of her household,

And eateth not the bread of idleness.

Her children rise up, and call her blessed;

Her husband also, and he praiseth her.

Many daughters have done virtuously.

But thou excellest them all.

Young Lucille Renfroe

Music on Hold

2010-07-02T00:01:00.000-07:00

Take a look at the beautiful cover for Timeless II. Matt Strieby of New Leaf Design has once more amazed me with his artistry.

On the music side, not much to tell this week. Jan and I are spending most of the time in the waiting room outside intensive care. In fact, I am writing these lines from the hospital, and I haven't been to the studio at all today. Today is 9 days after Lou's bypass surgery, and she is still in ICU on the ventilator. I had really hoped they would take that horrible tube out of her throat today, but it looks like it may be tomorrow or even the day after. She is MISERABLE.

Jan and I were supposed to leave yesterday for a 10-day vacation, but obviously this not going to happen.

Timeless II has to be released by September 1st to be eligible for Grammy nomination. God willing, I will meet that deadline. The piano tracks are all finished, just have to finish the orchestration, mix, and master. Now that the cover is done, I'll get the individual songs to iTunes as soon as each one is finished.

I'll be performing in concert in Memphis on September 25th, more details later. I'm also working on dates in Little Rock and Jackson, MS.

Sorry I haven't updated the blog the last couple of weeks. Virginia was in Paris and then Meme had her heart attack...

Thanks!

Timeless Tutu

2010-06-11T00:01:00.000-07:00

Okay, Timeless II, song 2

While we're waiting for the Timeless II cover, and for reviews from ZoneReporter's RJ Lannan, take a look at the review by Kathy Parsons of song #2, Alone, which is based on Chopin's E minor prelude.

Click the link to hear a 30-second preview of Alone.

ALONE

From Timeless II

Michael Dulin

2010/Equity Digital

Michael Dulin continues his quest to breathe new life into classical pieces, giving them a more contemporary styling while staying true to the original intent of the composers. Alone is nothing short of stunning. Based on Chopin's "Prelude in E minor, Opus 28, " Dulin begins the piece with an introduction (a prelude to the "Prelude"! ) that rapidly accelerates up the piano keyboard and then slowly comes back down in a mysterious mood that hints of a crisis or emotional tragedy. He then plays the prelude through as written before repeating it with strings playing the right hand melody as Dulin plays the left, adding his own amazing touches with his right. The result takes the music to an even darker place than Chopin did with his original. Chopin's Preludes are among my favorite pieces to play, and I really didn't think there was any way to improve on this one. Dulin has proven me wrong. A pianist with an incredible background that includes competing internationally in the classical music field, Dulin's interpretation of this gem is right on the money. I'm sure Chopin is looking down from the heavens with a tear in his eye and a smile of approval.

Kathy Parsons

MainlyPiano.com

6/5/10

Partita Hardita

2010-06-04T00:01:00.000-07:00

If you enjoy Timeless, you are going to love Timeless II. We're doing something a bit different with the new album; we are going to release the songs one by one on iTunes before the complete CD is released. Album design is once more in the gifted hands of Matt Strieby of New Leaf Design, and as soon as the cover is ready, the songs will begin appearing on iTunes.

Click the link to hear a 30 second preview of the first song, Partita.

In preparation for the iTunes release, Partita has been reviewed by noted critic Kathy Parsons. Please read the full review below.

Partita by J.S.Bach

Michael Dulin

from Timeless II

4'46"

Partita by J.S. Bach is the first piece to be released from Timeless II, Michael Dulin's anxiously awaited follow-up to Timeless, his best-selling and award-winning 2005 collection of classical music. Subtitled "Classics for a New Age," some of those pieces were performed exactly as written for solo piano and some were arranged with various intruments for a more contemporary sound. Timeless II will have a similar format, and if the rest of the album is as exciting as Partita, we are in for another real treat!

Partita is based on the first movement (Praeludium) of Bach's B-flat Partita (BWV 825). Bach's six Partitas are considered to be among his most challenging keyboard works to play, but Dulin handles this one with ease. The first half of the track is Dulin's performance of the piece as written, with note-for-note perfection; strings were added in the background for color and a silky contrast to the more percussive piano. From there, Dulin seamlessly incorporates his own variations on the theme which sound even more challenging to play. His flawless trills on either hand are breathtakingly (try doing this at home, kids!) as is his effortless technique.

It is with good reason that Michael Dulin is known as a pianist's pianist. There seems to be no limit to what he can do at the piano, and yet he makes it look and sound easy. If you are a fan of Timeless, you will be thrilled with Timeless II. Classical music lovers, even purists, will find this music to be a joy. If you'd just like to listen to something top-notch and a little different, this if for you, too. Literally something for everyone! Highly recommended!

Kathy Parsons

MainlyPiano.com

5/28/10

Michael Performing in St. Louis

2010-05-22T00:01:00.000-07:00

Michael is performing two concerts in St. Louis this weekend, so he asked me to tell you that he is sorry that he didn't have time to write this week.

He uploaded the first song from Timeless II to iTunes. It should be available in a week or two. We'll include a link when it is available. It is called "Partita". I was lucky enough to hear a preview and believe me it's wonderful!

Virginia

The Maestro's Right Hand Gal and Photographer-in-Residence

The Crabby Cabbage

2010-05-14T00:01:00.000-07:00

My wife Jan played the Crabby Cabbage in the kindergarten musical this week. She wouldn't let me come to the performance, but she did practice her lines for me:

"Plants, plants, hear me once and for all,

These weeds are getting way too tall.

I can't see where my head touches the ground,

And I am the queen, after all."

I have a video of Jan saying her lines, but she has threatened to cut off my fingers if I let anyone see it!

Next week I am putting the first song from Timless II on iTunes. I'll let you know when it's available. The title is Preludio, and it is based on the Prelude from Bach's B-flat Partita. Of course I add my secret sauce to it...

Last week I had a nice long visit with my college piano teachers. Delores Hodgens and her husband Samuel Howard taught me almost everything I know about the piano. Honestly, I can't think of a thing that I learned at Juilliard that they hadn't already touched on.

Delores asked me to hear two of her advanced students who are performing in competition next week. I had a feast of great piano music, wonderfully played: Beethoven's op. 53 and op. 57 sonatas, Chopin's 3rd Ballade, the Ginastera sonata, and Rachmaninoff's op. 39 #5 Etude-Tableau.

Delores and Sam have had a long and distinguished international career as duo-pianists Hodgens and Howard. Before that, they both studied at Juilliard with Rosina Lhevinne, who also taught Van Cliburn, John Browning, and many other wonderful pianists.

Next weekend I have two concerts in St. Louis, sponsored by Solo Piano Radio. I have emailed all of my fans in the St. Louis area, but if you have been left out for some reason, please let me know and I will give you the details.

Isn't she cute?

Mike with Sam and Delores Howard