Whilst these recordings have been broadcast in various regions around the world, now seems like the perfect time  for me to release in this personalised way, in my own homeland.

I bid farewell to copyright and to contracts that restrict uploading of these compositions.

I release all compositions at grass roots level. 

I love the fact that I can share in this manner.

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I am in inspired by the multiple projects of pianist Tanya Gabrielian,  I resonate with her work and messages.

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"...The role of artist as citizen,

finding a modern relevance for music in today’s society. Through passion for music and dedication to bringing communities together through the power of art". 

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Tanya has exemplified the role of artist as citizen, finding a modern relevance for music in today’s society. Through her passion for music and dedication to bringing communities together through the power of art, Tanya has used the piano to bring a vision of love and beauty to the hearts of audiences on a variety of stages

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PROJECTS

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MUSIC WELLNESS WORKSHOPS

 

Through a collaboration with Pro Musicis, Tanya has presented a series of workshops at the Lighthouse Guild, a center addressing the needs of people that are blind or visually impaired, specifically those with multiple disabilities. Musical examples are used to explore emotions, focusing on the inherent strength of music to convey tension and release, creating a safe space to allow the participants to accept, express, and explore feelings in a healthy way.

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STORY

Despite starting piano lessons at the age of three, Tanya never felt the calling to be a musician as a child. Growing up in California, she graduated early from high school as valedictorian and accepted a spot at Harvard University to study biomedical engineering. On a whim, she took a gap year and went to London to study at the Royal Academy of Music, where she felt out of place. She found solace by studying kung fu and trained intensively in Zhuan Shu Kuan, a northern Chinese style of martial arts.

 

When Tanya was eighteen, she was sparring and had an accident that would change her life. Slipping on a puddle of sweat while kicking, she fell forward, and instead of protecting her head with her hands, she consciously pulled her arms back so she wouldn't have any injuries to prevent her from playing the piano.

 

Falling on her head and twisting her spine, Tanya spent the next month hospitalized, shuffling between nine hospitals and two operating rooms. A teenager maneuvering through a foreign medical system, Tanya felt isolated and alone during her hospitalization and turned to music as a distraction. For the first time in her life, she was able to experience music as a spectator, elevating her from her own discomfort.

 

After this experience, Tanya felt no reservation and chose to dedicate herself to music. Overwhelmed by the power of music to provide encouragement and hope, she committed her life to bring the same joy to others  

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In addition to the traditional concert stage, Tanya is passionate about inspiring new generations of musicians and music lovers in diverse settings, dedicated to community engagement, education, and activism through art. 

 

Projects have included collaborations with the National Alliance on Mental Illness in programs featuring composers with mental illnesses, highlighting the stigma around mental health issues; founding an interactive performance series for patients at the New York State Psychiatric Institute; an installation with the artist Fran Bull for the exhibit In Flanders Fields: A Meditation on War; and a multidisciplinary collaboration combining Haydn’s Seven Last Words of Our Savior on the Cross with final statements from executed death row inmates. For her work, Tanya was awarded the Pro Musicis International Award and the McGraw-Hill Robert Sherman Award for Music Education and Community Outreach, and she has held Artist-in-Residencies at Guild Hall and 23Arts

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Existential doubts and fears have plagued mankind throughout history. Through the darkness, art can triumph as a symbol of hope. Rather than yet another means to separate people into distinct socio-economic classes, art has the ability to promote unity. Artists throughout time have always returned to the same fundamental issues, showing that all people feel the same emotions and go through the same personal struggles, regardless of age, sex, race, or religion.

 

Reading a book of conversations with Howard Zinn, Tanya was inspired by a chapter titled “Resistance and the Role of Artists.” Zinn speaks about the role of the artist in relation to social change. Because art comes from great passion and emotion, artists have the ability to be powerful forces in social discussions. 

 

By inviting the audience into the creative experience to become active participants, listeners become empowered to question the status quo, inspired to voice opinions, and think about the matters that make us human. Music is used as the starting point for further discussion and can then serve the community at large as a vehicle for change and compassion.

Tanya has focused on building partnerships with schools, institutions, and diverse venues to educate audiences of all ages about the history and contemporary relevance of the arts, all while inspiring new ways of listening to and playing music. 

 

The benefits of arts education are irrefutable; not only do students learn how to express themselves, but they also perform better academically and show improved self-esteem, cultural awareness, inventiveness, inclusivity, and decision-making when engaged in the arts. 

 

Tanya feels just as comfortable with new audiences as experienced concert-goers, particularly enthusiastic about reaching out to schools, marginalized populations, and unusual locations. She has developed various projects and associations that focus on creating connections within communities, grounded in her strong belief that everybody can create and benefit from self-expression through art.

PROJECTS

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- Peninsula Reviews

Tanya has exemplified the role of artist as citizen, finding a modern relevance for music in today’s society. Through her passion for music and dedication to bringing communities together through the power of art, Tanya has used the piano to bring a vision of love and beauty to the hearts of audiences on a variety of stages.

 

Working to break down the barrier between the performer and the listener, Tanya was compelled to find a new

 

the power of music to unite us.

- Leslie Tremaine, National Alliance on Mental Illness

Tanya has developed a platform to address the stigma around mental health. Even though artists are notorious for dealing with mental illness, this program breaks from the cliché that art comes from tragedy. Playing repertoire by composers with mental health issues, art becomes a celebration of life by demonstrating that every person, regardless of personal circumstances, can contribute beauty to the world.

 

Living near the New York State Psychiatric Institute, the same hospital where Rachmaninov was treated for depression, Tanya developed an interactive performance series for in-patients, bringing concerts to the hospital and engaging in conversations about music.

 

Tanya has also collaborated with the National Alliance on Mental Illness to bring in new audiences to promote understanding through the power of art. Through this partnership, tickets are distributed to people in local service programs who could not otherwise have had the opportunity, art created by people affected by mental illness is exhibited, and a display of educational/resource materials is available for the audience.

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MUSIC ILLUSTRATED

Through workshops at schools, art and music are brought together for a creative showcase featuring artwork by students and a concert performance. Music serves as direct inspiration for students' drawings, acknowledging the historical link between the two disciplines. The students are then presented in concert, either at the school or at other local venues. The artwork created during the workshop is projected on stage during the relevant repertoire, creating a multisensory performance around a unifying subject.

 

MUSIC FOR FOOD

Founded by Grammy-winning violist Kim Kashkashian, Music for Food is a musician-led initiative for local hunger relief. The concerts raise resources in the fight against hunger, empowering all musicians who wish to use their artistry to further social justice. Tanya has worked to pair the New York City branch performances with local food banks, creating partnerships, raising funds, and increasing awareness

 

.MUSIC WELLNESS WORKSHOPS

Through a collaboration with Pro Musicis, Tanya has presented a series of workshops at the Lighthouse Guild, a center addressing the needs of people that are blind or visually impaired, specifically those with multiple disabilities. Musical examples are used to explore emotions, focusing on the inherent strength of music to convey tension and release, creating a safe space to allow the participants to accept, express, and explore feelings in a healthy way.

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MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS

"Working with Tanya in my role as county Mental Health Director was a highlight of my 35+ years in public mental health administration. The performance itself still stands out in our community as a vivid reminder both of her gifts and the power of music to unite us. The combined impact of her music and message brought a greater awareness and understanding of mental illness in ways that still resonate for us."

- Leslie Tremaine, National Alliance on Mental Illness

Tanya has developed a platform to address the stigma around mental health. Even though artists are notorious for dealing with mental illness, this program breaks from the cliché that art comes from tragedy. Playing repertoire by composers with mental health issues, art becomes a celebration of life by demonstrating that every person, regardless of personal circumstances, can contribute beauty to the world.

 

Living near the New York State Psychiatric Institute, the same hospital where Rachmaninov was treated for depression, Tanya developed an interactive performance series for in-patients, bringing concerts to the hospital and engaging in conversations about music.

 

Tanya has also collaborated with the National Alliance on Mental Illness to bring in new audiences to promote understanding through the power of art. Through this partnership, tickets are distributed to people in local service programs who could not otherwise have had the opportunity, art created by people affected by mental illness is exhibited, and a display of educational/resource materials is available for the audience.

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LISA STORY

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I  originally wrote  Peace for Every Child  for a little Australian born Chinese girl whose father was killed in a spiritual war. We bonded through music and she touched my heart so much as she seemed so determined as a really little girl to travel the world to appeal to peoples hearts to care for children.  She endlessly appeals to help care for innocent children that are left without parents. So a project began and gained massive momentum. Over years, I burn numerous batches of CD's for her to give away to those she seeks out. With supervision she also goes to schools all over the world and shares her experience. She provides them with the manuscript and CD music to reach them. Some schools in Europe have learned the piece with the entire school singing this during assemblies. I cannot express the process in words really-it is just so very precious and certainly a reminder of the purity  of intent in children and indeed the responsibility we have to care for them.

 

It is no secret that I am an openly spiritual person. In the most simplistic of terms it is my journey to try to be a decent, good person in this world. Within this, I feel the need to give and to do what is right to do at my level of understanding. I am an artist whom, whilst  not brilliant by any means, is passionate and dedicated to using my work to give where I can. It is my intention to make positive contributions to our society and the only way I know, is music.

So, having said this, rather than technical expertise, I have to rely on the heart within my music. The beautiful thing is, that in many circumstances,  there seems to be a place for my works and this is indeed a relief and a privilege.

 

Well, enough said. For some reason I just felt that the need to share this with you Maria.  I applaud you for taking the time to be a part of so many charitable events.  Don't hesitate to contact me -I  may not be able to help with what you need but I will be open to try to,