Dear Friends,
Many people told me that April sped by them in a whirlwind of activity, and that’s pretty much what happened to me. I hit the ground running in mid-March after returning from Nashville and have only just this week been able to get my head above water for a few days. Meanwhile, lots of exciting things are happening, so I’ll get right to the news!
It seems like the winter term only ended a couple of weeks ago (actually, it did!) but OASIS classes begin again next week, with Showtunes rehearsals starting the last Tuesday in May. Watch for me this summer not only at OASIS, but also at both Osher campuses: in Albuquerque at the University of New Mexico, and in Bernalillo at Del Webb Alegria.
In June and July I’m presenting a four-week class for adults entitled For the Love of Music at the New Mexico School of Music, Nob Hill Campus. This light-hearted introduction to music history and appreciation is designed to emphasise the enduring importance of music in the world and to help students acquire a deeper understanding of music in general. We’re going to have a lot of fun, and I’m really looking forward to the class! If you’re interested in joining us, please call the NMSM Office on 505.266.3474.
Three of my songs reached the Broadjam Top 10 Best Indie Song Chart for New Mexico this month, and two of them are still there: Raindance at number 5 and Garden of Memory at number 6. Speaking of Raindance, I was thrilled when Organized For Life (org4life.com) licensed it for use in a promotional video for their amazing service. You can see it here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0zRTfFQ-UY.
Keyboardist Wilma Gantz, a long-time supporter of my work, played my arrangement of Be Still My Soul on April 19th for a communion service at La Vida Llena Healthcare, in Albuquerque, NM. Work continues on the commission for Claribel, the internationally renowned Belgian clarinet choir, as well as a duo piece for accordionist Dan Wright. Next month I’ll be able to announce a new choral commission, as well as taking a crack at solving the mystery behind the “cold, wet nose”. There are rumours of a possible Canadian premiere this year as well. I’d love to tell you more, but you’ll need to wait one more month!
Many of you on Facebook know that I exceeded my goal of 100 fans on my professional page! I’m now trying for 125, so if you’re using Facebook, I would love for you to “like” my page; it can be found at www.facebook.com/Composer.Jane.Ellen. Meanwhile I’ve just joined the family of All Media Artists (AMA); it’s a wonderful place for listeners to discover new music and for artists to get their music out into the world. My AMA link is: all-media-artists.com/Jane_Ellen/.
In April I began blogging again and am really enjoying it. I hadn’t realised how much I’d missed writing, and I’m looking forward to writing on a variety of topics. You can access the blog from a link on the front page of my website, or directly from the wordpress address: janeellenmusic.wordpress.com (no “www” required).
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See you next month!
Follow your heart,
Jane
