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Stories from Portugal – Blue Wolf Reviews

Stories from Portugal

REVIEW BY Janet Mawdesley June 12, 2021, 5:13 pm

Every place is filled with stories, everyone has their own story to tell which adds to the rich tapestry of life surrounding the many places we all love and enjoy as a part of our life journey. Stories from Portugal from Suzanne Herman are a rather interesting collection of stories delivered in solo piano narrative.

Commencing the tale with Coimbra’s Legacy she weaves a tale around the often overlooked city of Coimbra, a place that was once the capitol of Portugal, to be discovered on the banks of the Mondego River, its medieval architecture a well-kept secret, found only by those who choose to take a pathway less traveled.

Dancing across the keyboard the notes of A Conversation Under the Stars will take you to places only you can discover as you have your own conversation with the magic of the night skies; Herman’s music moves from dancing, twinkling stars to a the more sombre spaces that act as a majestic backdrop for the twinkling enchantment of the night skies.

Another interesting composition is Journeys, Encounters and Unanswered Questions something we all have in our backstory of life, but perhaps never more so than when traveling in different worlds, cultures and histories when there is always much to be pondered. Deep and almost melancholy, the song is lifted with a light melody running through the piece. Calçada Portuguesa is an intriguing title for a piece as it refers to the wonderfully tiled pavement seen throughout Portugal made from small, flat pieces of stone in a technique first bought to Portugal by the Mesopotamians.

The final song the Breadmakers Dance, something that is a tradition through Portugal, as it is to do with the making of bread, the kneading of the dough; when the dough is slammed onto the boards then pushed, folded and repeated again and again creates a type of ‘dance’, the rhythm of which is captured in this delightful song.

As do all journeys, so too does this one end with a flourish and the suggestion of bread baking in the oven to round out a tapestry story book, journeying through Portugal, enjoying the stories told along the way.

See the review on Blue Wolf reviews site

Announcing my newest album, Stories from Portugal

As summer quickly approaches, I’m excited to share my new solo piano album, Stories from Portugal. While traveling throughout Portugal in 2019, I was inspired by the country’s rich traditions, welcoming people, and natural beauty. Exploring the landscape and mingling with the locals served as a reminder that everyone has a unique story. We carry our personal stories with us wherever we go. Likewise, wherever we venture in this world becomes part of our personal stories. Stories from Portugal will be released worldwide on all major listening platforms, including Spotify, Pandora, Apple Music, and YouTube, on May 24, 2021. I hope you find comfort and enjoyment in this music!

If you are a pianist or piano teacher, Stories from Portugal songbooks (printed books or PDF downloads) are now available at my website www.SuzanneHerman.com . These enchanting piano solos are perfect for late-intermediate and early-advanced pianists. The alluring harmonies, delightful rhythms, and captivating melodies create an engaging musical adventure! Happy learning!

Have you ever wondered what it’s like in a recording studio? The latest video on my YouTube channel is titled Live Piano Solo Studio Recording Session. It’s a live, un-edited video showing part of my studio recording session; the name of the piece is A Conversation Under the Stars from the new album Stories from Portugal. If you enjoy this video, thank you in advance for a thumbs-up

You are invited to a live Facebook concert

Spring is definitely in the air, and exciting things are happening.

First, it’s an honor to join renowned composer, pianist, and producer Joe Bongiorno in presenting a Facebook concert. This live online concert will be filled with beautiful original solo piano music and the stories that describe the inspiration behind the music. Please join us this Sunday, March 14 at 8:00 PM, ET (the first day of daylight savings time). We’ll be streaming from the Piano Haven Recording Studio in Sedona, Arizona. Join the concert at Facebook.com/pianohaven

The individual sheet music downloads for my soon to be released album, Stories From Portugal, are now available at Suzanneherman.com. These pieces hold a special place in my heart. You can read about the inspiration behind the music on my homepage Suzanneherman.com.

“Music evokes and creates emotions. It calms, excites, and helps us push through. Music celebrates our joys and triumphs; it helps us during our greatest sadness and grief. Music inspires and heals.”

5 Must-Know Business Tips for Professional Pianists in 2020

For piano composers, players, and teachers, creating a sustainable business can require more than talent and musical knowledge. Professional pianists can better manage their work from advertising to production with these tips based on my decades of experience as a piano instructor, performer, and composer.

1. Continue to educate yourself. Music theory and composition have existed for centuries, and the music industry is constantly evolving. Make sure that your final product is both enjoyable and beneficial by staying up to date on industry breakthroughs and trends, as well as researching how fundamental principles can be applied to your music in new, exciting ways.

2. Spread the news. Composing, playing, or teaching piano without marketing efforts is like opening a business and not telling anyone. Consider building a website and/or a social media platform so that you can advertise, share updates, and, most importantly, sell your music or lessons.

3. Assemble a team. This is huge. Having other professionals in your corner will allow you to focus more on your music and ensure that your business as a whole is as highly functioning as possible.

For example, if notating and editing your piano music is taking up too much time, consider hiring a music editor. Cover art made or edited by a professional graphic artist can help ensure that your albums and songbooks will make the stellar first impression you want them to. Also, recording studios and producers tend to specialize in particular genres; do your research to find the ones with the exact expertise needed for your music. And if building or maintaining your own website or social media page sounds tiresome, hire a marketing consultant or social media manager; that way, you can focus on your music without leaving behind the people who want to hear or learn it.

Many of these professionals offer their services on a freelance basis, making your relationship more collaborative and the final product more in line with your goals and specifications. Check out LinkedIn or other reputable job sites to find qualified individuals that you can work with (and pay) directly, which could help minimize your expenses.

4. Copyright all of your music. Copyrighting any and every piece you compose creates a legally binding record of ownership with the federal government. Once you register a copyright, no one else will be able to say that your music is theirs or profit from it as if it were, and you can take legal action against anyone who does. Visit the U.S. Copyright Office’s website for details.

5. Join a performing rights organization. Groups like BMI, ASCAP, and SESAC are great for networking and learning about industry updates. They can also help you understand and defend your rights as a professional pianist, should you ever need to demand payment for services, protect copyrighted piano music, or otherwise enter the legal arena for professional reasons.

Managing your music studio or piano performance career can truly be a labor of love, whether you’re an established instructor or just starting out as a professional musician. One thing is certain, though: it is possible to build a successful business around the pursuit of your passion, and music is perhaps one of the most dynamic industries to do it in.

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4 Ways Music Helps You Manage Stress

People often feel that music is a major part of their lives, regardless of whether or not they’ve had any technical training. And it’s no secret that musical elements, like pitch, tempo, and dynamics, affect our emotions and minds.

So what does that mean for us in the midst of a pandemic, when our everyday lives have been thrown into disarray? Music is more than sounds in your ear or symbols on a page. Here are four science-backed ways that music can help you navigate stress.

Better Sleep

Tired of waking up feeling tired? Stress can impact the quality and quantity of our sleep, but so can instrumental music. The British Academy of Sound Therapy found that listening to melodious, lyric-free music for as little as 13 minutes helped 82% of people feel restful and ultimately get a better night’s sleep. Imagine waking up feeling more refreshed and ready for a new day because your body and mind actually, truly rested!

Greater Clarity

Feeling irritable, “foggy”, and less productive can be side effects of stress. These feelings might be especially counter-productive if you’re transitioning to working from home or helping your kids adapt to virtual schooling. Thankfully, studies have shown that harmonious, meditation-style background music may improve your ability to process and comprehend information. Play your favorite, most zen-like tunes to think more clearly, feel less overwhelmed, and stay focused as you and your family create new daily routines.

Stronger Immunoresponse

Your body’s ability to fight off viruses and infections can be influenced by how stressed you are. Playing a musical instrument lowers levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, which can impact your very DNA and how it tells your body to function. Music can also increase white blood cell activity by keeping them on high alert and ready to battle any infections or viruses that they encounter. So show your system some love and keep yourself healthy by playing or listening to your favorite music!

Happier Thoughts

If negative thoughts keep racing through your mind, stress might be the culprit. Combat it by actively listening to your favorite music, which can increase activity in both the reward and emotion centers of your brain. This type of brain activity can help you feel happier, calmer, and more self-aware. Plus, it gives you the perfect excuse to jam to your most-loved songs!

Want More?

Contemporary piano solo music is lyric-free and creates a more peaceful setting for meditation, working or learning from home, and general relaxation. Listen to my music on Pandora or Spotify, or download entire songbooks to keep you happily occupied at home! You can also subscribe to my newsletter for exclusive content delivered right to your inbox.

Music and Memories on World Cancer Day 2020

Most of us know at least one person who has been directly affected by cancer. What you might not know is that I am one of those people. Since World Cancer Day is this week, I’ve reflected on my own journey and how different it might have been without my music, friends, or family.

As a metastatic cancer survivor, each and every day that’s passed since my diagnosis has been a gift. I’m not sure where I’d be today without my brilliant team of doctors. While researchers and organizations try to reduce this disease’s impact, let’s do our part by sharing our stories and supporting each other through the process.

The Diagnosis that Changed Me

Receiving a cancer diagnosis is a life-altering event. My very identity was shaken in 2011 when my doctor told me that I had cancer. I felt frozen in disbelief and shock. How could my own body betray me like this? How will I continue as a piano composer and teacher? I thought about how I had entered the doctor’s office not long before feeling so normal. It’s a routine follow-up, I had casually told myself. But I left that appointment feeling like my individuality and independence had been replaced with the words cancer patient. And it was two just days before Thanksgiving.

Me, a Cancer Patient

By Christmas that year, I had broken the news to my family and friends, had two surgeries, and had my first chemo and radiation treatments. My oldest daughter was my substitute piano teacher when I was too sick to teach. My youngest came home from college every weekend to cook, clean, and grocery shop. Friends from the local church where I directed music were understanding and kind without pitying me. My then-boyfriend (now husband) took me to and from my appointments and checked on me daily.

Having a network of supportive people helped me get through each day with cancer. But music helped me feel more like myself and less like a cancer patient. I listened to music for relaxation and meditation throughout chemo and radiation. Music also helped me push through the pain and sickness long enough to fall asleep some nights. Playing and listening to piano music reminded me of who I was as a composer and teacher. No matter how sick I became, I had too much to accomplish to give up.

Life Beyond Cancer

By May 2012, just six months after an advanced-stage cancer diagnosis, doctors told me I was in remission. I became a cancer survivor. Even with some continued side effects from treatments, being a cancer survivor is a daily reminder of my faith and the value of each life experience. Every piece of music I write comes from a place of gratefulness: grateful for victories, happiness, even disappointments and sorrows; simply put, thankful for life.

Cancer changed a part of my identity forever. Going from a cancer patient to a cancer survivor has been a life-changing experience. It influences the music I create and how I live each day. I’ll always be thankful for my brilliant team of doctors, my friends, and my family. I learned to accept help from others and how to be more present with the people who matter most. It’s my desire that sharing my story will offer hope, encouragement, and faith to someone in the spirit of World Cancer Day.

Teaching Legacy, a Direct Lineage From Beethoven

A Tribute to Gray Perry: Master Piano Teacher, Musical Influencer

It’s often said that you can’t know where you’re going unless you understand where you’ve been. The same is true for me as a pianist, composer, and teacher. My journey through the music industry inspires musicians of all levels and continues to propel my own career forward.

I received incredible musical training at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and Bowling Green State University. There, I earned my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music, respectively. However, it was Master Teacher Gray Perry’s prolific knowledge and unique influence during my earlier years that taught me not just how to play piano, but how to truly make music.

As a young student, Mr. Perry’s low, gravelly voice, long gray hair, and undeniable pianistic ability fascinated me. Like a musical Einstein, he would hand-write finger exercises and demonstrate advanced practice methods that I had never seen in books. His expertise had clearly been handed down from teacher to teacher, or in my case, from generation to generation. Mr. Perry’s techniques and instruction provided the basis for my own teaching practice, and I still use his exercises today as a contemporary piano composer.

I studied under Mr. Perry for almost a decade. During that time, I realized that the depth and philosophy of his teaching originated from his own musical lineage. Isidor Philipp, whom many consider to be one of the greatest piano teachers in history, taught Gray Perry at the Paris Conservatory of Music. Philipp was taught by Camille Saint-Saens and by Georges Mathias, who studied directly with Frederic Chopin. Mr. Perry’s predecessor also learned how to play piano from Theodore Ritter, who studied with Franz Liszt. Perhaps Philipp’s most significant instruction was from Stephen Heller, who studied with Carl Czerny. Czerny learned from none other than Ludwig von Beethoven, who was taught to play piano by Franz Joseph Haydn.

Looking back, their influence was unmistakable. Mr. Perry insisted that I practice finger techniques in the Czerny tradition, and he was also a Claude Debussy scholar. I later learned that Debussy was a lifelong friend of Mr. Perry’s instructor, Isidor Philipp. Working from exercise and technique books by Philipp was a regular part of my musical training with Gray Perry. Like many of his forefathers, Mr. Perry continually emphasized tone quality, rhythmic exactitude, and articulation. He expected his students to play piano with relaxed hands, wrists, and arms and held his students to exacting standards.

Gray Perry embodied the educational philosophies of Isidor Philipp and each of his musical predecessors. Although Mr. Perry passed away in 1995, his legacy and influence as a Master Teacher live on. I’m grateful for the brilliant education I received from him and humbled to share it with my students and other piano composers.

Cascades of Time coming Soon

I’m incredibly pleased with the cover design of my next album and songbook, “Cascades of Time”. One of Jeff’s hobbies is photography. We were hiking in Grand Teton National Park when he took this spectacular picture. Then graphic artist, Chris Syracuse, designed the album and songbook covers. In fact, Chris has designed all of my songbook and album covers. He is extremely easy to work with and marvelously talented. To see his portfolio, visit https://csyracuse.site/

Thanks Chris for another job well done!

Florida Federation of Music Clubs Member of the Year Award

Congratulations to my mother, Marian Cox! She was awarded “Member of the Year” by the Florida Federation of Music Clubs (FFMC is a member of the National Federation of Music Clubs). This marvelous organization has been an extreme influence in my professional life today as well as when I was a child. FFMC and NFMC has also been an enormous influence for both of my daughters and for music students throughout our country. Through FFMC, Marian Cox has fostered music education, planned musical events and festivals, held offices, and organized conventions. She has been devoted to this great cause for DECADES and this award is an incredible honor. Congratulations to Marian Cox, my mother. We are so very proud of you!

Student Recital

This time of year always makes me reflect. You see, it’s recital season for my students. Each April, the Herman School of Music, in Lithia, Florida, has what I call our Spring Recital Celebration and Awards Ceremony. The students who choose to participate, perform on a large stage at the historic Friday Morning Musicale Building in Tampa, Florida. Week after week, students come to my teaching studio for piano lessons; they have played and practiced piano pieces, forged through frustration, persevered even though it’s difficult, and learned patience. They begin to see progress as talent unfolds; confidence begins to blossom.

Then…the performance! One by one these young pianists perform beautifully and as they bow, hearing applause, the expression and exhilaration on each face is priceless. It again becomes clear the many things we learn from the study of music.

No matter what our age, musical expression speaks in ways that words cannot.

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