a collection of melodic and reflective pieces that inspire the listener to be drawn in to listen and look inwards; these charming, short pieces range from classical to jazz to easy listening, without being strictly defined in any of those categories

11 MP3 Songs in this album (24:57) !
Related styles: Classical: Piano solo, Jazz: Piano Jazz, Featuring Piano

People who are interested in Eric Satie Frederic Mompou George Gershwin should consider this download.


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With this CD, Augusta Gross comes full circle, linking her love of music and her profession as a psychotherapist. Raised in a home where the arts were essential, Augusta began piano studies at the age of four. She earned a Ph.D. in Psychology from the New School for Social Research, and much of her work focused on young children and their ability to recognize the various and nuanced emotions expressed in language. Several of Dr. Grossâ articles appear on the WETA educational website LDOnline.



As a composer, Augusta Gross is guided by the belief that the piano, like the human voice, is both a natural and consummate interpreter of emotions. The works for solo piano on this disc, some almost miniature and others larger in scale, reveal numerous influences, particularly the music of Chopin and Debussy and various jazz idioms. A gamut of emotions rise to the surface and submerge again as do humor and whimsy.



Augusta Grossâ creativity extends beyond the keyboard to jewelry making and cartooning. Her drawings are featured regularly in NOON, a literary annual for new short fiction. An advocate for young composers and performers, a real joy for Augusta has been the opportunity to foster these relationships through the creation of new works. To date, she has commissioned four pieces through the aegis of Concert Artists Guild â two for solo piano, a piano quintet and a work for cello and piano. Always and at all times, the art of communication in its many guises is central to her pursuits.





Jazz pianist Janice Friedmanâs long list of achievements include appearances in every state of the union and practically all around the world. Venues of renown include Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center for the Arts, Dizzyâs Jazz Club, the Blue Note and Iridium. She has participated in the JVC Jazz Festival and toured with the Woody Herman Orchestra, been a guest on Marian McPartlandâs radio show Piano Jazz and recorded with musicians including Milt Hinton and Claudio Roditi.



While maintaining a rigorous performance schedule, Ms. Friedman is a much sought after teacher, serving on the faculty at Rutgers University since 1994 while she also maintains an active private studio. Her latest recording, Swinginâ for the Ride, showcases her talents as a composer, lyricist and vocalist. Janice is a graduate of the Indiana University School of Music.