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Who am I?
Professional Information:
I was a music teacher and choral director for 34 years in a small, rural school district in Pennsylvania. My duties included General Music grades k-8 and all choruses grades 2 through 12. I have a B.S. in Music Education and a M.M. in Music Education from West Chester University. I've been involved with church music since I was a child in one form or another as vocalist and handbell director.
I have no degree in composition. I started writing for my own pleasure back in high school when the guitar was popular and everyone was a folksinger. I always thought of myself as a singer-songwriter, not a composer.
With the age of computer publishing software, I suddenly felt more enabled to put down on paper all the sounds that were in my head. Now my scores were legible! If you are familiar with the Finale program, you will see that I have learned the program gradually on my own. Some of the older scores don't play back correctly, some have unconventional spacing...I'm still learning.
I started this website in 2005 and intended it to be a sheet music only site. In 2008 I added a few mp3 files of solo pieces we recorded that summer. These were recorded by a friend with a two mic set up in a two-and-a-half day recording session simply to be used as samples. The most recent additions to the mp3 library include recent pieces recorded here at home using "Garage Band". They are not slick production recordings but just a sample of recent work. Again, I am teaching myself to use the software with no one checking levels as I do these "live" with two mics. Who knows what's next......
My Mission:
How many times in scripture do we hear ourselves called? I have fought with asthma and allergies my whole life, yet He made me a singer with a singer's heart. I heard his call through scripture and meditation but didn't know what good I was able to do here in my remote environment. The songs kept coming and yet only some of them were performable here with the resources available.
I have a very wonderful friend who regularly takes his music ministry to other churches and camps, proclaiming the word with bold, passionate assurance and a wonderful gift of wit and humor. I feel the need to share...the call to share....but not possessing the same gifts was at a loss for how to go about giving my music ministry.
Yes, I tried the whole "send the music to the publisher route" encouraged by friends, but you know how that goes: "It's not what we need right now". The fact is that I am not young with a promising career ahead. I am not in need of making money on this music. I have lived a very full and blessed life and the music has always seemed like it was given to me rather than something I created.
So, I started this website hoping that someone, someplace would be able to use this music in their church or even school setting and now perhaps even non-musicians could listen and find some nourishment here. Maybe my music will feed someone, somewhere as I have been filled. That's my prayer. That's my mission. In the mean time, if anyone is inspired to want to "pay" for the music, perhaps it can be done by physically feeding others. Make a donation the feed the Hungry. I have some suggested links but perhaps you have a local food bank that needs your contribution.
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