The First Three Months
Hello!
It has been three months since David and I rented out our house and hit the road with our kids. The tour has stretched from Wisconsin to West Virginia, to Boston and Indianapolis, and many stops in between. Numerous new doors have opened since we began, including the opportunity to play for diverse music festivals.
I was honored to perform alongside some of the top names in Contemporary Christian Music this summer. Notable appearances were Lifest (Oshkosh, Wisconsin), EXCLAIM! (Toledo, OH) and the Diocese of Saginaw Youth Conference (Michigan). Because the style of my album “Interior Gaze” is soulful pop, I am able share my new songs in the secular music scene as well.
I'm pleased to announce that my song "Cleaning and Scrubbing" from "Interior Gaze" won the Pop Music genre in the international art competition “ArtPrize.” Every year, my hometown of Grand Rapids hosts this incredible event for a few weeks in the fall. Public vote determines the winner.
While the voting for the top art pieces continued until yesterday, the music portion concluded last weekend. I was shocked and thrilled to hear the announcement on live TV with my family (that means my parents, my six siblings, my husband, and our two kiddos. Whew.)
In addition to the fantastic publicity, the prize is $2000 in cash from the St. Cecilia Music Center, plus recording time from the Mackinaw Harvest Music Group. Not too bad, right? Thank you to everyone who voted, and to Keyboard World for sponsoring my concert on the Blue Bridge.
I will never forget playing a baby grand piano over the Grand River in front of a live audience. Here is a video of my ArtPrize performance at this phenomenal “Busking Station.”
Looking ahead to Sunday, October 13th, I will perform an “ArtPrize Encore” concert at Pietro’s Italian Restaurant in Grand Rapids. There is no cover charge. Please consider joining us for dinner at 6:00 PM, followed by music and a big announcement.
If you cannot make it to the ArtPrize Encore, I will post the exciting news online, soon after the event.
Peace and Happy Feast of St. Francis of Assisi,
Amanda