When we were children, my sister and I sat in our chairs, staring at the portable record player, completely mesmerized by the sounds that wafting through the air. We were listening to "Peter Pan." My sister, aged 5, memorized the entire record, and was able to recite it by heart for her Kindergarten class, playing all the parts, and singing all the songs. My favorite part was when we, [...]
Our minds remember the grand events--the life cycle events--births, deaths, wedding days, graduation days. But what about the magic that happens on a daily basis in life's smaller moments? What about the events of our every day lives that are amazing, life-affirming, tender...but maybe not so memorable, simply because they were not 'grand'? These are the moments that inspire me most to compose music. Something I know [...]
It was too good to be true, but there it was, all in the commercial. Palisades had the rides, Palisades had the fun and in just thirty seconds it was clear that there was no where better to be than this place: Palisades Amusement Park in Palisades, New Jersey. The commercial aired quite a bit, but for some reason it would crop up whenever my parents were NOT in the [...]
