MICHELE MCLAUGHLIN: Dedication

Michele McLaughlin

Dedication

© 2008 Michele McLaughlin (634479670510) (format: CD-R)

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Beautiful, relaxing solo piano music.

notes

Michele McLaughlin was born in 1974 and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was drawn to piano music from early childhood and would play her favorite songs by ear for friends and family. Michele took piano lessons for a very short period of time, but quit when the lessons took the fun out of playing. Shortly afterwards, when she was 8 years old, she was introduced to the music of George Winston and was instantly moved and inspired by his remarkable talent and style. She would listen to his music, and then play his songs by ear. It was during this time that she began composing and recording her own songs.

In the winter of 2000, Michele released her first album, Beginnings, which included 18 of her favorite compositions she had written over the years. The response she received from friends and family after the release of Beginnings was an overwhelming eye-opener for Michele. She was so moved by the positive feedback and response that she was inspired to work on her second album, Elysium. 

This album was a critical turning point on Michele's musical path. It was due to the encouragement and support she received from friends and family that she made it her goal to try to release an album once a year around Christmastime. She has since produced a total of eight albums (Beginnings, Elysium, The Journey, A Change of Color, The Beginning of Forever, After The Storm, Reflections 2000-2005 ~ The Best of Michele McLaughlin, and Christmas ~ Plain & Simple) and is currently working on her ninth, which is due for release in December 2007.

Michele’s music can be heard on several online radio stations, including Whisperings Solo Piano Radio (http://www.whisperings.com) with artists such as David Nevue, Jace Vek, David Lanz, Suzanne Ciani, Wayne Gratz and many others as well as Sky.FM – Solo Piano Radio (http://www.sky.fm) In addition, she can also be heard on Music Choice Soundscapes, the digital music station via local digital cable and satellite providers. She someday hopes to be heard on local and national radio stations as well.

Michele's musical influences include George Winston, Jim Brickman, Paul Cardall, David Nevue, Silvard, George Skaroulis, Jon Schmidt, Kevin Kern, Suzanne Cianni and Lori Line. She has been particularly inspired and moved by the music of George Winston. 


In March 2005, Michele performed her first piano concert in a small venue. She now performs at the Grand America Hotel in their Lobby Lounge, and recently performed with pianist/composer Gary Girouard. Her upcoming performances include a concert on November 24, 2007 at Baldassin Pianos in Salt Lake City, UT with her friend and musical colleague, composer/pianist Jennifer Thomas as well as a concert with her Whisperings colleagues in Fall 2008. It is Michele's dream to someday play in a large concert hall.

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  • Biographical Piano Solos!
    author: Kathy Parsons

    “Dedication” is pianist/composer Michele McLaughlin’s ninth album to date and contains an assortment of fourteen original piano solos that were inspired by major events and the special people of everyday life. A mostly self-taught pianist who quit piano lessons when they took the fun out of playing, McLaughlin has an energetic and often dramatic style that indicates how personal this music is to her. Her melodies are always interesting and engaging and range in mood from quiet calm to rather turbulent. “Dedication” begins with “When You Were Still Around,” a piece begun as a memorial for McLaughlin’s recently-deceased grandfather and mother. When her grandmother passed away this past spring, McLaughlin was asked to play for her funeral and decided to finish this piece. Along with a sense of loss, the piece also conveys hope and the comfort of happy memories. “Drifting Through Antiquity” has a melodramatic, old-world charm, and was inspired by McLaughlin’s honeymoon in Greece and Italy. “Music Box Angel” has a hauntingly beautiful melody, but the left hand plays the same three notes for the whole piece. It can probably be argued that the bass part in a music box is very repetitious, which it is, but I’ve never seen or heard a music box that can play at the exact same speed for more than four minutes. To me, the left hand is too mechanical and detracts from the lovely, flowing melody on the right hand. “The Eternal City” was composed after a short visit to Rome. One of my favorites on the CD, this piece has a strong energy and sense of movement - almost a dance. The right hand has several cross-overs into the deep bass that heighten the drama. “Brandon’s Song” is a sweet love song to a beloved son. “Learning To Fly” is another favorite. Visualizing the struggles of a young bird being coaxed to leave the nest during a nasty storm and its struggles to succeed in order to please its parents, McLaughlin has set to music the challenges of overcoming our own fears and also of parenthood. I like the energy and passion of this piece a lot. “Palamidi Fortress” is a bold, dramatic piece inspired by a castle on a hill in Greece that was made up of five smaller fortresses so that if one was attacked the others could defend the castle as a whole. Conveying strength as well as vulnerability and beauty, this is a powerful piece. “A Sad and Sorrowful Goodbye” is about loss and the difficulty of saying “goodbye” to someone you love. Graceful and expressive, it’s a very touching piece. “Dream Come True” is about the happiness gained by following our dreams and reaching for the stars. “Dedication” is a charming collection of biographical piano solos.

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