"My love for music always seemed clear to me, regardless of the style or form, but there was a disconnect for me as a young writer. I had the desire to compose, having an opera and another multi-media project in my head at age sixteen, but I had massive anxiety over not knowing how to make the music come to fruition. I was overwhelmed by my insecurity, thinking I didn’t know how to do it “right.” I had no mentors to guide me in compositional vision. I didn’t even know what to ask for. I was a suburban teenager with no family background in music, attending piano lessons each Tuesday and practicing four to five hours a day in secrecy from my rock-n-roll friends. The training I received was very traditional and I loved it, but it also intimidated me. Perhaps that intimidation is endemic to the culture? A lot of feelings weren’t clear to me until many years later when I analyzed my own relationship to music."
​Link to the rest of the​ New Essay on New Music Box. 

Photo by Angela Castaneda

Shortly after my record, Element 115 (Uup) came out, my then-boyfriend was diagnosed with cancer. His name was James Atkins. He was my biggest cheerleader in putting my record out myself after Fin Records folded. I will always be grateful to him for that particular encouragement. Unfortunately James lost his battle with cancer on Feb 27th. We poured his ashes in Puget Sound last weekend and I am trying to get on with my life. New Music Box, specifically Frank Oteri, asked me to write a blog series last autumn, shortly after the record came out. I wasn't able to do anything during this time except care for James, which was pretty much a full-time job. Frank got a hold of me a month ago, following what little I published about my life on Facebook and asked me if I would like a perhaps well needed distraction from cancer and death to write that blog series. So here is the first installment. I hope you like it. Thanks Frank! Next one coming out Monday May 16th.
The Slow Listening Revolution