Donovan Johnson, New Age Composer And Pianist

What Is New Age Music?

2011-04-25T12:32:00.000-07:00

I'm considered a "New Age" pianist. That means I write New Age music. But what is "New Age" music? Recently there was some discussion online regarding this very topic, and the answers were quite varied from person to person. I found that each blogger had an idea of his or her own about what New Age music "was."I expressed some opinions , and then posted a song for the bloggers to listen to: Jon Schmidt's "Waterfall." Jon Schmidt is considered one of today's leading New Age pianists, witb a substantial following and many hours of radio airplay to prove it. "Waterfall" is a song that blends several styles, the most prevalant of them being an Irish style jig (back to back triplets and so forth).

The comments were interesting to read, as most of the bloggers did not consider the piece to be New Age. One of them noted that the piece was a jig, not New Age music. Another exclaimed that the song was an impressive piece of music, technically sound, but not New Age.I had to ask myself, "what IS New Age music?" Is it something different today than it was in it's beginnings?

And the answer that I came up with was a resounding "yes."New Age music actually began in several different forms. Reflective, solo piano was what was called New Age music at the time, and in addition you had the pioneers of the electronic keyboard compositions making "Space Music." There was also "World Music" which was music that combined many different instruments and styles from around the globe. But today, it seems New Age music has become an umbrella term for all of these styles, much like "Rock music" or "Country music" can each mean several different things.

New Age music has become a genra in and of itself, encompassing the piano, the keyboard, sometimes both and sometimes neither. It can be reflective and it can be powerful. It can be musically very simple and it can be musically very complex. It can create a mood that takes you to another world, and it can create a mood that leaves you right where you're at, in the present moment. So what IS New Age music?

New Age music has evolved. It's all of the above and more. It's the "Classical music" in today's world, and that means it will never stay the same or sound just "one way," because it's constantly evolving. New Age music can, stylistically, be an Irish jig if the music includes those influences. It can also sound very much like Chopin. The days where New Age music simply meant simple, reflective piano music are gone, and many New Age composers don't like being labeled "New Age." Neither did the Impressionists.

Donovan Johnson is a New Age pianist.
Win a free CD! Check out his website at:
www.donovanjohnson.net
Or his online radio station at
www.enlightenedpiano.com

Empowering Ourselves Through Music

2011-04-25T11:59:00.000-07:00

Life is made up of many different artforms. It's taken me a while to realize that everything we look at, think about, read about, and involve ourselves in is some form of art. From the food we eat, to the buildings we walk through, to the websites we visit, we're immersed in art the moment we wake up in morning. So what makes music any different?

Music isn't any different in that it is, of course, an art form. But it's different as and artform in that it involves the creation of sound. Music is a specific formation of sound waves used to create a work as opposed to creating something that we're able to see with our eyes, or taste with our mouths. This makes music different. We can use it to move our Spirit, or we can use it to relax. We can use it to laugh. We can use it to create a mood.

Certainly you've listened to a piece of music and been moved in some way. Try to think of a time when that happened. How did you feel? What was the piece, and why did it make you feel that way? Did it remind you of something specific? A person, or a time in your life? Or was the feeling that you got from it more elusive, something you experienced without really knowing the specifics as to why?

Music can evoke many different reactions from people. This is where musical taste comes into play. The music that you listen to is a direct reflection of the reaction that you're trying to evoke from the music. In my teens and twenties, I used to listen to a lot of Heavy Metal. I had a lot of angst, and the music helped me to relate to that angst. But even then, I liked to listen to classical music as well. It was calming to me, and varied in it's many different styles.

Today, I look for music to empower me. I think that many people do. But how can I empower myself through music? Listening to music that has a beautiful, powerful melody, or a sound big enough to fill Notre Dame-that's empowering to me. If I'm listening to music with lyrics, the words should be inspiring, hopeful, have a positive and meaningful message. That, to me, is empowering. Songs that address the injustices of the world and offer a solution, or simply say to us "wake up, it's not all about you" are, in a humbling way, empowering.

Music is capable of moving mountains and mindsets alike, but we have to be willing to allow it to. Want to move some mountains? Would you like to change your thinking to change your life? If so, then I put this question to you: What empowers you? Think this question over in an honest way. It's not a question that you'll be able to answer overnight, but over time. And you'll be delighted to discover that, should you find it, the answer to that question will set you free.

Donovan Johnson is a New Age pianist.
Win a free CD! Check out his website at:
www.donovanjohnson.net
Or his online radio station at
www.enlightenedpiano.com

So, you want to be a musician...

2010-05-25T21:04:00.000-07:00

I recently had someone say to me, "I think I'd like to be a professional musician." I of course bit my tongue and, after wiping the sweat from my forehead, proceeded to ask them a few questions.

"Do you love music?"

"Yes."

"How much do you love it?"

"...well"

"Enough to commit your life to it?"

I assured this person that I was not trying to talk them out of anything at all. What I was trying to do is remind them of the responsibility that lies in not only working for yourself, but working for yourself in the music biz. For someone who's fairly young and who has a passion to create, the dream of growing up to be a full time musician might seem very exciting. And it should! There's no greater reward than to be able to create something and share it with the world. This must not, however, overshadow some very real truths that come into play when someone makes a decision to follow their path to the stars...

1) It won't happen overnight

Instant gratification will lead to disappointment. This is an absolute. Those who "make it big on a whim" are few and far between, and have themselves paid their dues.

2) Nobody's going to do the work for you

Being a full time musician is hard work, and requires a lot of time and patience. In addition to maintaining your craft through practice, you'll have hours upon hours of lead fishing, office work, and bookkeeping to do. Be prepared, until you can afford to hire someone, to put in the time and hours necessary just to keep your lights on, which brings me to my next point:

3) Be realistic about how much money you'll make

Artists don't have to starve. In fact with the right amount of effort and determination, we can do pretty well for ourselves. This does not mean that we should expect to make millions of dollars per year. There is only one Hollywood, and it's small one.

4) You won't always be "doing what you love."

In a perfect world, one could just decide "Hey, I want to quit my job, write some songs, and make enough money to live on." But the truth of the matter is that being a musician is just like any other job in that you won't always be able to "do what you love." Do you love teaching? Office work? How about playing in a cover band or at the local community theatre to help with the bills? How about accompanying other local vocalists? These are all questions to consider. Maybe you love playing in cover bands, but you're not going to love every song that you play! Maybe you love theatre, but hate "South Pacific." And then your phone rings.

A professional musician doesn't have to do all that I stated above, but most will have to do a combination of sorts. That being said, if you're still on board with the idea then I'd say absolutely go for it. And give it everything you've got. The world needs to have the hard working musician, music teacher, accompanist, etc. in order to thrive, and frankly there aren't enough of us. It's a tough job that's equally as rewarding. If you decide to take that brave leap into the world of music, then I look forward to meeting you someday-and shaking your hand.

-Donovan Johnson is a New Age pianist and composer.

Win a FREE CD! Visit his website at: www.donovanjohnson.net for details!-

-Visit his FREE, online radio station at: www.enlightenedpiano.com

for the best in today's New Age music recordings.