I’m writing to you a bit early this month; I had hoped to wait until after a few mid-month events, but I’ve had a lot of questions about upcoming activities which I will try to answer.

Linda Bairstow’s The Mystery of the Cold Wet Nose, for which I composed songs and [...]]]> Dear Friends,

I’m writing to you a bit early this month; I had hoped to wait until after a few mid-month events, but I’ve had a lot of questions about upcoming activities which I will try to answer.

Linda Bairstow’s The Mystery of the Cold Wet Nose, for which I composed songs and instrumental music, premieres this weekend at the First Unitarian Church of Albuquerque (3701 Carlisle NE). Admission is $5, but additional donations for the continued work of Animal Advocates will be gladly accepted. The show is family-friendly as well as educational, and promises to provide a lot of fun for all! Performances are Saturday (April 14) at 6pm and Sunday (April 15) at 4pm, with a reception following in the social hall after each performance.

I’ve had many questions about Saturday morning’s programme on the Titanic, entitled Music for a New Age. I will be speaking not only about the music heard onboard the ship, but the heroic efforts of the musicians after the iceberg was struck. The programme begins at 10.30am, April 14th, on the actual anniversary of the disaster and is being sponsored by the Albuquerque branch of OASIS. Open to non-members as well as OASIS students, the class will be held at UNM Continuing Ed, Room G. There’s still time to register for the class by calling 505.889.0927.

Yesterday the OASIS Entertainers concluded their winter string of performances with a terrific show at Brookdale Place (Valencia). It’s been another amazing term for Singing the Showtunes; just when I think the singers can’t possibly get any better – they do! In the summer the Entertainers will be gearing up for a new show featuring the music of Jerome Kern.

Last, but not least, Claire Roth and I will be attending the premiere performances of our work Enchanted Land in May. Commissioned by The Albuquerque Civic Chorus, under the direction of Verallen Kleinhenz, Enchanted Land celebrates the 100th anniversary of New Mexico statehood. The concerts will be held May 19 (First Christian Church, 10101 Montgomery NE, 7.30pm) and May 20 (Asbury United Methodist, 10000 Candelaria NE, 3pm), and will feature other works by composers celebrating New Mexico. Admission is $10; children age 5 and younger are free.

Recent performances include Just for the Folk of It on March 29, as performed by the accordion duo of Dan Wright and Dick Steichen at Rio Rancho (NM) Presbyterian Church.

Follow your heart,
Jane

It seems nearly everyone I know is finding the new year increasingly hectic; here’s hoping that we are all able to step back from our busy work schedules in order to enjoy spending time with family and friends.

Lectures for the winter term are in full swing, and I’m particularly looking [...]]]> Dear Friends,

It seems nearly everyone I know is finding the new year increasingly hectic; here’s hoping that we are all able to step back from our busy work schedules in order to enjoy spending time with family and friends.

Lectures for the winter term are in full swing, and I’m particularly looking forward to a special presentation on April 14: Music for a New Age: 100th Anniversary of the Titanic. Presented by OASIS, this 90 minute programme is open to non-members as well as OASIS students. You can get more information by contacting the Albuquerque OASIS offices at 505.889.0927.

I was delighted to hear from organist Debbie Fingas shortly after she gave the Canadian premiere of my Danse des Esprits (March 11, St Peter’s Church, Cobourg, Ontario). She reported an audience of about 100 for the recital and told me that my piece was well received. In celebration of the premiere I have been making the score available to Facebook friends, free of charge, for the month of March. I would like to extend the same offer to my newsletter readers; my only request being that if the piece is to be performed, you contact me with details in advance. Drop me a line if you’d like to receive a copy of the organ score to Danse des Esprits for yourself, or your favourite organist, and I will send a .pdf copy to you via email.

My cousins in Texas wrote to tell me that my piano piece Memories of Erin was played at the March 17th wedding of Kevin and Erin Wilkens, during the seating of the parents. It’s always a special joy to know that my music was used during a family celebration.

Linda Bairstow’s The Mystery of the Cold Wet Nose opens next month at the First Unitarian Church of Albuquerque (3701 Carlisle NE). There is a nominal $5 admission charge, but additional donations for the continued work of Animal Advocates will be gladly accepted. Performances will be held April 14 at 6pm and April 15 at 4pm. Since I have not been able to go to any of the rehearsals for either the actors, or my music, I am very excited about attending both performances and seeing the final result.

Frequent collaborator Claire Roth and I will be attending the premiere performances of our work Enchanted Land in May. The Albuquerque Civic Chorus, under the direction of Verallen Kleinhenz, will present their commissioned work at concerts on May 19 (First Christian Church, 10101 Montgomery NE, 7.30pm) and May 20 (Asbury United Methodist, 10000 Candelaria NE, 3pm). Admission is $10; children age 5 and younger are free.

See you next month!

Follow your heart,
Jane

Here in New Mexico the weather is playing games with us; one day it’s warm, sunny and spring-like, and the next day we see three inches of snow on the ground. I’ve heard that variety is the spice of life, but this is somewhat extreme!

I was only able to give a [...]]]> Dear Friends,

Here in New Mexico the weather is playing games with us; one day it’s warm, sunny and spring-like, and the next day we see three inches of snow on the ground. I’ve heard that variety is the spice of life, but this is somewhat extreme!

I was only able to give a hint in my last newsletter, but it’s now official: organist Debbie Fingas will be giving the Canadian premiere of my Danse des Esprits on March 11 at St Peter’s Church, in Cobourg, Ontario. The performance will be part of a Royal Canadian College of Organists recital in recognition of International Women’s Week. All of the pieces on the programme will be by women composers, and I’m thrilled and honoured to have my piece included in this special event.

Linda Bairstow’s play, The Mystery of the Cold Wet Nose, for which I wrote incidental music and songs, has been cast, and rehearsals are in full swing. Performances have been scheduled for April 14 at 6pm and April 15 at 4pm at First Unitarian Church of Albuquerque (3701 Carlisle Blvd NE). Donations will be accepted in lieu of ticket sales, with proceeds going to benefit the Animal Advocates; the play, of course, is not only entertaining, but child-friendly and fun! I will be attending both performances and hope to see some of you there.

I continue to hear wonderful things from Albuquerque Civic Chorus members about their commissioned work Enchanted Land. Mark your calendars now for May 19 and 20; when I have more information about the Albuquerque premiere concerts I will be sure to let you know.

It looks like another terrific year in store for the OASIS Entertainers, who participate in Singing the Showtunes each term. As of last month’s writing, we had yet to move into our new rehearsal venue, and I was more than a bit nervous. The National Dance Institute studio space at the Hiland Theatre, however, has been a brilliant and extremely welcoming facility, and with 60 singers on the roster, all nerves have definitely been allayed! This term we’re presenting a medley from Guys and Dolls, and the summer shows will feature an all Jerome Kern programme.

Recent performances include Dream Vacation with lyrics by Claire Roth, for a Quodlibet concert entitled The Truth About Women on November 19, 2011. Bonnilyn Neyens performed several of my pieces for the 2011 Christmas services at St Martha’s Catholic Church in Wayland, Missouri and at First Christian Church in Fort Madison, Iowa. Bonnilyn also played my Green Hills of Eire for a memorial service in Ft Madison in January.

If, for any reason, you wish to stop receiving these newsletters, simply reply to any mailing with the word “unsubscribe” written in the subject line. Your wishes will be immediately respected. If this newsletter has been forwarded to you, and you wish to join the monthly mailing list, send an email to jane.ellen.music@gmail.com with the word “subscribe” written in the subject line.

See you next month!

Follow your heart,
Jane

Happy New Year! I hope that 2012 is treating you kindly thus far; for my part, it’s certainly begun with a lot of musical excitement. This newsletter has taken a rather prolonged and somewhat unexpected hiatus, but I look forward to being back in touch with you throughout this new year.

Last [...]]]> Dear Friends,

Happy New Year! I hope that 2012 is treating you kindly thus far; for my part, it’s certainly begun with a lot of musical excitement. This newsletter has taken a rather prolonged and somewhat unexpected hiatus, but I look forward to being back in touch with you throughout this new year.

Last October I had the privilege to be a guest on the radio show Peace Talks, hosted by Paul Ingles. The resulting effort, The Peace Message in Classical Music, aired on KUNM 89.9 FM Albuquerque on October 28, and was subsequently picked up by several other public radio stations in the United States. You can listen to the show here: prx.org/pieces/68447-the-peace-message-in-classical-music-peace-talks

The choir of Faith Bible Church (Alb, NM), under the direction of Irma Reeder, gave the premiere of the cantata God’s Perfect Love, December 18. This work featured narration and lyrics by long-time collaborator Claire Roth, and was written expressly for the FBC Choir. It was exciting to work with the singers in rehearsal last autumn, as well as to serve as pianist for the performance.

Last year the Albuquerque Civic Chorus (abqchorus.org) commissioned me to write a piece celebrating the centennial of New Mexico statehood. The resulting piece, Enchanted Land, also with lyrics by Claire Roth, was successfully completed in December, and I’ve already received some wonderful comments from choir members. The premiere is scheduled for mid-May, and I will publish dates and locations in advance.

Auditions and rehearsals for Linda Bairstow’s play, The Mystery of the Cold Wet Nose will soon be under way at the First Unitarian Church (Alb, NM). I was asked to write the songs and incidental music and completed them earlier this month. The play is an intergenerational production sponsored by First Unitarian’s Animal Advocates which addresses environmental issues. Performances will take place in April and the show is bound to be a lot of fun!

Last, but certainly not least, the promised piece for Belgian clarinet choir Claribel is finally nearing completion. It has been a remarkable journey, and I can only hope that the result will be well-received. There will be more news about it in next month’s newsletter, along with the possibility of a Canadian premiere of another work.

Recent performances include a re-broadcast of the KUNM Radio Theatre production Christmas Eve at the Mermaid on December 25, (a Shakespearean-themed comedy for which I served as musical arranger and director in 2010); a performance of The First Snowfall (SSA choir and piano) on December 10, by the Moriarity (NM) High School Choir; and a performance of my piano arrangement of Love Divine on November 15, by Wilma Gantz, for the music ministry at La Vida Llena Healthcare.

My lecture schedule will soon be in full swing again, and you can find all of my lectures and appearances listed on my website at janeellen.com, on the activities page. My blog will also be springing back to life at janeellen.net, and I hope you’ll stop by when you get chance.

See you next month!

Follow your heart,
Jane

This month’s newsletter will be brief, as I’ve been spending most of my time writing without much in the way of other news to report. The commission for Belgian clarinet choir Claribel is proceeding nicely, and I’m very excited about it. I’m also working on a short Christmas cantata for a [...]]]> Dear Friends,

This month’s newsletter will be brief, as I’ve been spending most of my time writing without much in the way of other news to report. The commission for Belgian clarinet choir Claribel is proceeding nicely, and I’m very excited about it. I’m also working on a short Christmas cantata for a local church, have started sketching the piece for Albuquerque Civic Chorus celebrating the 100th anniversary of New Mexico statehood, and am playing with ideas for the inter-generational musical The Mystery of the Cold Wet Nose.

You may remember I mentioned having seen both Spirit Family Reunion and singer-songwriters Eric Brace and Peter Cooper in Nashville last March and how impressed I was by these fine musicians. I’m thrilled to let my friends in the ‘burque area know that Eric Brace (redbeetrecords.com/eric-brace), and two singer-songwriter friends, Phil Lee and Tom Mason, will be making two local stops in August during their current tour.

Monday, August 8th, Eric and friends will be at The Range (505.867.1700) in Bernalillo at 8pm. The Range is the most popular restaurant in Bernalillo, so you’re guaranteed a great meal as well as amazing music! The following night, Tuesday, August 9th, there will be a special all-acoustic performance from the East Nashville Rambling Revue at Apple Mountain Music in Albuquerque (505.237.2048). This will be Eric’s first time in Albuquerque, so I hope you’ll come out and make these brilliant musicians feel welcome!

I’ve received some nice comments about my review of Tim Fatchen’s CD Dark Sparkles that was posted in my blog, and I want to let you know that I’ve also reviewed the new album by Victoria Woodworth, Bread and Flowers. I’ll be writing more about music as the year goes on, so be sure to stop by and let me know you were there. You can find my blog by visiting my website, janeellen.com or go directly via janeellenmusic.wordpress.com.

Thanks to the kindness of my friend Chris Dale, I’m finally getting some of my works uploaded to YouTube. You can find links to my YouTube channel, my Twitter feed, Facebook, and all my networks on the front page of this website. I’m always happy to hear from friends old and new!

See you next month!
Follow your heart,
Jane

It’s officially summer (in this hemisphere,) and I hope that you have many wonderful activities lined up for a refreshing and productive season. For those of you in deep mid-winter, you have both my sympathy and rather a lot of envy as my thermometer heads toward 100F.

I have two new [...]]]> Dear Friends,

It’s officially summer (in this hemisphere,) and I hope that you have many wonderful activities lined up for a refreshing and productive season. For those of you in deep mid-winter, you have both my sympathy and rather a lot of envy as my thermometer heads toward 100F.

I have two new music projects to announce, and I’m very excited about both of them. Firstly, Verallen Kleinhenz, director of the renowned Albuquerque Civic Chorus, has commissioned a piece celebrating the 100th anniversary of New Mexico Statehood which will be performed on tour throughout 2012. Secondly, I have been asked to write several songs for The Mystery of the Cold, Wet Nose, an inter-generational musical with book and lyrics by Linda Bairstow. This project of the Animal Advocates of the First Unitarian Church in Albuquerque and their supporters is scheduled to premiere in April 2012. As with most artists, it always seems to be feast or famine, and I’m blessed to be enjoying a feast of compositional work at the moment.

Many of you are familiar with my OASIS classes, but I wanted to let you know that I have two four-week series presentations beginning in July for the Osher Lifelong Learning Foundation. For the first series I’ll be giving a class on the music of Colonial America (UNM campus) and the second will be entitled Rock ‘n Roll Renaissance, exploring the work of a surprising number of rock and pop musicians who also write classical music (Bernalillo at Del Webb Alegria). Both classes still have openings, so I hope to see some of you there!

In addition, there’s still time to sign up for the July session of 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.

In other news: Bonnilyn Neyens wrote to tell me that she performed my arrangement of Finlandia on Memorial Day weekend at both the First Christian Church of Ft Madison, Iowa and St Martha’s Catholic Church of Wayland, Missouri . . . I was happy to receive a congratulatory note from Marquis celebrating 10 years of my biography being listed in various publications, including Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in the World . . . and last (but certainly not least!) I am thrilled to have received a copy of Australian composer Tim Fatchen’s new CD Dark Sparkles, which I will be reviewing on my blog. I intend to review one new album each month as I get my blog up and running again, so I hope that this will be the first of many.

See you next month!
Follow your heart,
Jane

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. [...]]]> 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).

If, for any reason, you wish to stop receiving these newsletters, simply reply to any mailing with the word “unsubscribe” written in the subject line. Your wishes will be immediately respected. If this newsletter has been forwarded to you, and you wish to join the monthly mailing list, send an email to jane.ellen.music@gmail.com with the word “subscribe” written in the subject line.

See you next month!
Follow your heart,
Jane

There isn’t a lot of news this month, but I’m determined to keep in touch with you on a monthly basis this year, so I’ll get right to the news.

Last week I was fortunate enough to spend several days in Nashville, meeting up with good friends and enjoying all that [...]]]> Dear Friends,

There isn’t a lot of news this month, but I’m determined to keep in touch with you on a monthly basis this year, so I’ll get right to the news.

Last week I was fortunate enough to spend several days in Nashville, meeting up with good friends and enjoying all that this beautiful city has to offer. I was truly amazed at how many things we were able to do for free (from Israeli folk dancing, to an exhibit of historic Egyptian artefacts and replicas, to a collection of Fabergé treasures of Tsar Nicholas II and Alexandra, to an onstage concert with members of the Nashville Symphony). We also attended a taping of Music City Roots at the Loveless Café, where we heard an amazing new Americana band, Spirit Family Reunion, and enjoyed singer-songwriters Eric Brace and Peter Cooper, in addition to other acts. Needless to say, I can’t wait to go back, and am looking to make contacts in the city.

Social networks seem to be a love/hate relationship with nearly everyone I know. Many musicians seem to dislike them, but I really love them, and in particular, Facebook. Currently I’m trying to build my artist page on Facebook; in recognition of my 25 years as a published composer I’m giving away free tracks and CDs throughout the year. 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. I’m hoping to reach 100 fans this month.

Jay Hill emailed me to let me know that one of the special arrangements I created for him (a modern re-write of a Patsy Cline hit) was very well received at his performances this month at the Rainbow Vision in Santa Fe. I feel very fortunate to be able to write for this amazing singer and look forward to writing more arrangements for him in the future.

My lecture schedule is bursting at the seams until mid-May. In addition to several performances with the OASIS Entertainers and the regular lecture schedule there, I am lecturing at both Osher campuses, presenting programmes for the Albuquerque Unitarian Fellowship, speaking to the Friendly Philosophers, teaching Keyboard Symphony for the New Mexico School of Music, and helping out with a Palm Sunday musical for a local church. The activities page on my website is constantly updated, so that you can easily find where I’m appearing.

See you next month!

Follow your heart,
Jane