Open Sky: The Story of the Album....

Within just a few short weeks, I'll be releasing my new album, Open Sky, to the world. This project has been a long, long labor of love.... and that is an understatement. I don't know that I have ever worked so hard on a project... or for so long. I am ready to release this puppy, let it go, and move on with my life.

That said... if this the last music I release to the world... then I'll be OK with that. This album really feels like a capstone. Like the final icing on a "David Nevue" cake. I don't know that I can ever outdo this.

I am so thankful to God for my life... and for filling my heart and hands with music. He has been so good to me... to my family. All around are blessings.

And so, now that we are only a month or so out before many of you begin to hear the music, I thought I would share the liner notes with you... this will give you a little insight into the album and the music it contains..

Enjoy...

Out Under the Open Sky...

I have always been rather prolific when it comes to writing music. No matter where I am in life or how busy I am, I can't seem to stop the flow of new material that comes bursting from my soul. So even though I spent most of my creative time between 2005 and 2009 arranging and recording hymns and praise songs for my Adoration and Revelation album projects, I continued to compose my own original music on the side. By 2010, I had a stockpile of original works that I was anxious to record and release.

Songs from that "stockpile" finally started to see the light of day in 2011 when I announced A Delicate Joy, a cheerful album of light, bright music. That album featured all the "sweet, peaceful, happily-ever-after" style tunes that I had composed (but not released) up to that point. Once that was finished, I was left with a dozen songs that didn't fit into the Delicate Joy concept... songs that were more driving, edgy, experimental and even melancholy. It's those remaining compositions (plus a few new ones) that now make up this album, Open Sky.

Open Sky begins with the title track, which to me feels a little like the "Wild, Wild West." It's a song about freedom, exploration and the exhilaration that comes from seeing and experiencing new things. I picture myself out on the open road, driving with the windows down, enjoying The Sound of Sunshine and the amazing landscape around me. It is a celebration of those "wide awake moments" when you feel truly alive, almost as if you were somehow standing a little closer to heaven.

Dragonflies and Butterfly Dance are basically musical paintings. Two flying creatures, two very different moods. When our family visited the Badlands in South Dakota, dragonflies flitted about everywhere, zipping to and fro. Dragonflies is an attempt to capture that cadence. As for Butterfly Dance, during a visit to Yellowstone, I watched a butterfly dance its way around a dozen boiling, steaming mud pits. That picturesque moment stayed with me. Butterflies are such carefree creatures.

For the Beauty of the Earth is a hymn arrangement and the first of four "cover songs" on the album. The tune just struck me one day and I started exploring it on the piano. It seemed appropriate to include. Forgotten Places takes me back a few years to when I took my family on a self-guided tour of abandoned churches and ghost towns in Eastern Oregon. There's something quite sobering about visiting places that have faded away into history. As you walk among the empty, broken buildings, you can almost feel the weight of time.

Undertow was composed in 1987 and was originally part of a soundtrack I wrote (on synthesizer) for a theater production of C.S. Lewis' book, "The Screwtape Letters." I've always liked the energy of the piece, and decided it was high time to reinvent it for solo piano.

I first performed Scarborough Fair as an improvisation with two other pianists at a concert in Albuquerque, NM. I liked what I came up with so much, I just had to keep working on it. It's really fun to play! As for Summer Rain, it reminds me of my time living in Colorado, and those summer afternoon storms that would quickly appear, pour down rain and lightning, and then disappear all in the space of about an hour.

Distant Thunder is an improvisation left over from my Revelation recording sessions. I've only ever played the “song” once and that was purely by accident. I just happened to be recording when the "accident" happened. When my wife heard the tune, she commented that she could hear distant thunder in the piece. I thought that was the perfect image for it.

Twister is a real challenge to perform. You can't fake your way through the song or play it half-heartedly. It only works if you go for it! One of my happiest achievements with this album was to finally get a recording of Twister that I was mostly satisfied with. Swirling and intense, it's a real finger-twister!

The Water is Wide is my take on the traditional English melody. I've always liked the tune. Haunting, dreamy and pensive.

Dark Afternoon was composed in the late 1990's. The tune was originally called Nails as it represents Jesus' dark afternoon on the cross. The composition was part of a musical Passion Play that I performed on a few occasions for Easter and Lent. An early recording of this song was released in 2002 on a short-run CD called Foreshadows. Only a few copies of that CD were ever made, so if you happen to own one, treasure it. It's very rare.

Echo Canyon is the newest piece on this collection, written just a week before I went into the studio to record this album. I was noodling around on the piano and my son walked in and said "I really like that... what is it?" I told him I was just messing around. Five minutes later my daughter walked in and said the exact same thing. At that point, I decided to try recording the song. The key to this composition working at all are the dynamics. They add a sense of mystery, power and purpose. To me, it feels like walking in a very ancient, remote place. Thus, the title.

Stargazing takes me back to a late night road trip across the Utah desert with my family. The night sky was as clear as I'd ever seen it, so I pulled off the highway onto a secluded road and woke up the kids. We all got out of the car and marveled at the starry, starry sky.

I started writing Eclipse around 2006. I was showing the chord progression to my friend (and fellow pianist) Joe Bongiorno when he joined me at the piano and began improvising a melody over the top of what I was playing. That melody stuck with me... and changed the tune forever. It left me with two variations of the song; my "original" version and a "four hand" version (as played with Joe.) In the end, I combined the two versions, arranging the piece so that it could be played with just two hands (otherwise, how could I ever play it?) This hybrid is the result.

Finally, I was asked to play Morning Has Broken for a wedding and worked up this rendition. While I've never been partial to this particular song, I sure enjoy playing this arrangement. It's got a little edge to it. A fitting finale for the album, I think.

That sums it up. I really hope you enjoy this collection. It's been a long, long labor of love.

- David Nevue, April 2013. 

Coming Fall 2011: Awakenings: The Best of David Nevue: 2001-2010

I am excited to formally announce the soon release of Awakenings: The Best of David Nevue (2001-2010). We just finished the concept for the cover art design and I wanted to share it with you all...

Here it is!

Nice, eh? I really like it as it looks so unlike any of my other album covers. I think it's very striking. The photo was taken on location at Shiprock in New Mexico by my lovely wife, Julie. The art design is by my good friend Matt Strieby of Newleaf Design.

At any rate, this album will be a collection of fan favorites from my albums Postcards from Germany, Sweet Dreams & Starlight, Overcome, Adoration and Revelation.

Here's the tentative track list...

1) Overcome
2) Eden Again
3) Big Snow in Salzburg
4) Winter Walk
5) As the Deer
6) In God's Hands
7) Treasure Falls
8) The Kindness of Strangers
9) The Lion and the Lamb
10) Sweet Dreams & Starlight
11) The Gift
12) Wonderland
13) Greensleeves
14) Broken
15) Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
16) Here I Am to Worship
17) Amazing Grace
18) The Amazing Accordion Man (Live)

I expect to release Awakenings in November... just in time for Christmas!

Also, my new album of original music, A Delicate Joy is on track for release on September 6th.

David Nevue
http://www.davidnevue.com

Advice to an Aspiring Pianist and Composer...

Recently a young man, a piano major at University of West Georgia, emailed me about his music. He's a composer, has written a few songs of his own and is hoping for a career in the music business. In particular, he hopes to someday compose music for film.

He had two basic questions for me.
1) "Can I continue with composition after I finish college?"
2) "How did you get started?"

I took some time to write him a fairly detailed response, so I share this with all of you in case this will be of some help to you as well. I'm pretty straight-forward with him. This business is exceedingly hard to make a living in, so I paint the most honest picture I can, while at the same time trying to encourage him to pursue his art and passion.

Here's my response...

Yes, of course you can continue composing music after college! If that's something you want to do, then do it. That's not to say, however, that someone is going to pay you for it. So you need to ask yourself... is composition worth doing even if you're unrecognized and not getting paid for it? Would you be happy just composing on the side, as a means to express yourself, even if it's not paying the bills? Do you love doing it that much? Because, really, that's what's required.

Making a living in the music business is extremely difficult to do. I graduated from college in 1987. It took me until 2001 to be able to support my family with my music... so that's 14 years of hard work to get just to that point.

However, I composed music simply because I loved doing it. I started composing music for piano during college, and the only reason I recorded my first album was because it seemed like the obvious thing to do. I had written eleven songs, and so what else is there to do with them, but record? So I asked for some studio recommendations, picked one (I recorded at the home of Billy Oskay of Nightnoise), saved up some money and in 1991 I recorded my first album, "The Tower." I didn't record the album because I hoped to sell a million copies... I did it just to have a permanent record of my work, and I figured I could share it with folks I knew and maybe sell a few copies.

So that's how I started. I played coffee houses here and there and sold my album. While doing that, I kept writing new music. After three years, I'd saved up enough money to record a second album (While the Trees Sleep), so I went back in the studio again. I kept playing the very occasional show (I played in public maybe only 3-4 times a year at that point). But I kept selling music and I saved the contact info for everyone I sold an album to. When I released my second album, I informed all the folks that bought the first one, and most of them bought my second, which made it easier to financially support my third album (and so on).

And that brings us to 1995... that's when I started promoting my music on the Internet, and that opened me up to a whole new audience. I kept writing and recording, and kept promoting my music on the web. I released new albums in 1997 and 1999... each album got easier to do because I was selling enough copies by that time that it covered my recording costs and more.

In 2001 I released my first "best of" album (Whisperings) and quit my day job. I was making as much money from selling my CD and sheet music on the Internet as I was from my day job.

But it took years and years to get there. No one helped me. In terms of the music industry, no one was ever interested in me or my music. I built my own fan base. It's only in the last few years that the music industry has taken much notice of what I do, and I think that's in great part because I've outlasted so many other folks and because I'm one of the very few musicians who has managed to build a successful music career (and make a living at it) using the Internet. Even with that success, I think most in the industry see me more as a curiosity than anything else. :)

So now, back to you...

I tell you all this just so you realize what's ahead of you. It's a lot of hard work, and you really need to do your art because you love doing it, first and foremost. And then just do it. Find a way. Realize you'll probably have to work a "normal" job for a very long time in order to support yourself and your future family. I don't know if you're a Christian or a believer, but for me, I very much feel like God has led me to where I am now. I look back and see His hand in everything. And honestly, although I've put in the time and work over all these years, God is the one who blessed it. I really believe that without God's leading, I'd still be working a day job. So there is that spiritual element to all of this. If you are a Christian, just walk with the Lord and trust him to guide your footsteps. If He wants you to be a composer, and if that's what He's made you for, then that's what you'll do if you follow His leading.

Aside from that, the advantage you have now that I didn't have in 1987 is the Internet. You can put your creations out there for all to hear. Plus, in 2010 we have digital music distribution that ANYONE can get into, and thousands of Internet Radio broadcasts you can market your music on. It's much easier in 2010 to sell and market your music than it was in 1987. Trust me on this. However, the one thing that is different today is that in 1987, people expected to PAY for music. In this day and age, many folks expect to hear it for FREE. So while it's easy to be heard, it's not as easy to get folks to pay for it! That being said, I just had a record month in CDs sold online... so there are still people out there willing to pay. :) Also making up somewhat for the fact that folks aren't buying music as much as they used to are the royalties than can be earned from Internet radio. I'm making a good income with that now, as well, so even when folks hear your music on Internet radio, you can make a little something. It isn't much for single plays, but if you are successful and tens of thousands of people are hearing (and requesting) your music online, it really adds up.

As for writing for film, the film industry isn't something I know a lot about. I do know that getting into that "club" is extremely difficult. One of my good friends, Jace Vek, is a brilliant composer and has won three Emmys for his work on film and television (documentaries). And yet, as far as I know, he still hasn't gotten access to the "major motion picture" world yet.

I've gotten my music on lots of little independent film projects, but in those cases, folks approached me about it, asking if they could use my music for their projects. Most of the time, it doesn't pay much. Most folks don't have the budget. However, I enjoy the additional exposure it brings to my music.

So... it's a tough road, but if you love music, and you love composing, it's something you do because it brings you joy. And if you do THAT long enough, and use the Internet to market and distribute your music, maybe you'll find a little niche for yourself.

I hope that helps. I know it's not a lot of "do step one, then step two, and then step three type of advice," but there really are no magic steps. It's just got to be something you do because you love it. And hopefully, others will love what you do, too.

As a reference, you might check out my book, How to Promote Your Music Successfully on the Internet." That will be a great help for you along the way.

David Nevue
Solo Piano Artist & Creator of Whisperings: Solo Piano Radio
http://www.davidnevue.com
http://www.davidnevue.com/listen.htm
http://www.solopianoradio.com
http://www.twitter.com/davidnevue

Sign up for my newsletter, "Notes from the Piano", at http://www.davidnevue.com/subscribe.htm

A Delicate Joy - A Sneak Peak...

My next solo piano album is called "A Delicate Joy." It is mostly recorded, with just a bit more to do. Mastering/Editing will start in June. I am hoping to release the album by October.

This album will be almost entirely made up of my original music. There are a couple of exceptions... most notably my arrangement of "Morning Has Broken" and (possibly) "Down By the Sally Gardens." It's my first album of predominantly original work since 2005. I'm so excited to release it! It feels so good to be writing and recording my original music again.

I wanted to share the cover with you. This isn't final, but is very close...



That's my little girl, Noelle, from a photo shoot we did with her at the Woodburn Tulip Festival here in Oregon. Our family goes every year. It's a family tradition!

Anyway, I thought you'd want a sneak peak at what's coming!

David Nevue
http://www.davidnevue.com

Seeking God's Will for Your Life...

Recently, I received an email from a young lady asking whether or not composing music was "God's will for her life." She was wondering because she was just starting to think about her college career, and she wanted to make sure she was following "God's will." She loved composing, thought she was good at it, but wanted to make sure she did what God wanted her to do when it came to her studies and her education.

I sent a response that turned out to be a real encouragement to her. So, I thought I would share that response here, for anyone else who might be seeking out God's will for their life. Perhaps my thoughts on this will be an encouragement to you in your own walk as well.


Here's was my reply...

"I firmly believe that if the Lord gifts us in a particular talent, AND if God puts the desire in our heart to use that gift, then that particular talent is something the Lord wants us to develop. To what extent is hard to say. God may gift someone in musical ability, but that doesn't necessarily mean that God desires that person to be a professional musician. It just may be that music is somehow important for developing that person in Christ.

So if composing is something you are gifted at, and it's something you earnestly want to pursue, then you should pursue it to God's glory. So long as you are walking with the Lord, praying daily, and abiding in God's Word, you don't really have to worry about what "God's will" is. You are already walking in it. You can just live your life in Christ, pursuing your Godly desires. God will direct your path along the way.

Often Christians stress too much about being in "God's Will" as if you can somehow miss it and then ruin your life or disappoint God because you're off track. Really, it's simple... just walk with Him. Stay in the Word. Pray. Fellowship with other believers. The rest comes naturally... and we need to rest in Him.

If we're doing the basic things with the Lord, we can be assured that we can't "go wrong." God has already set our path before us. We just need to walk with Him, and then trust Him to take care of the details. God doesn't need us to "understand" what he's doing in order to help us get there. He doesn't need us to "do our part" to make his Will come to fruition. God is the one who does the work.

So just rest in His grace and watch in wonder as your life unfolds.

David Nevue
http://www.davidnevue.com

My Avatar Experience - Is there more to Avatar than meets the eye?

I have an admission. After all the hype, I went and saw "Avatar" in 3D. I didn't really have a desire to see it, but the way everyone was going on and on about it, I decided to take an afternoon and see what all the fuss was about.

So off I went, and I have to say - it was the most stunning film I've ever seen. I haven't had a movie experience like that since I was a teenager. Something that so completely blew my mind, that so took me into another world.

But it wasn't too long after I left the movie that I became troubled by the experience. I was having these intense emotions - I was giddy. I felt like I had a serious "buzz" on, and that bothered me. After all, it was just a movie... so why was I behaving like - and this is the only way I know to describe it - like I just had my first kiss? I was "infatuated" with the film... at least, I was for a couple hours after seeing it.

After I came down from the Avatar "high" - and it did feel like a high - I sensed that I had been mentally manipulated. That seeing the movie somehow altered my mental state, though temporarily. Like I had been given a drug. And I thought to myself... did this movie somehow subliminally mess with my consciousness? It really seemed to effect my emotional state. Days later, I'm still feeling the effects. I desperately want to see the film again.... to experience it... and I want to bring others to see it with me. This is NOT something I normally feel - no matter how much I like a movie. It really bothers me.

Sounds crazy? I know, I know. But I've secretly wondered if underneath the "wonder" and the "beauty" that is Avatar, if there is something else going on. Maybe even something sinister.

I kept this all to myself, because it sounds insane. But then, tonight, I saw this...
http://bit.ly/6KCTLR

Hmmm...

With the dawn of this new age of 3D films, where the visuals are so real, lifelike, and wonderful, is it possible that somehow, deep in our subconscious, our minds are bypassing our surface knowledge that "this is just a movie" and beginning to respond to this visual stimulus as if it is, in fact, reality?

I mean, really, we don't understand all that much about the human mind. The brain is so incredibly complex, so amazing in it's capacity to process information. Perhaps we've tapped into something here... something that isn't altogether healthy. Physically, emotionally, spiritually.

I'm not a conspiracy nut, but perhaps in our quest for entertainment, we have stumbled onto something that may be harmful to our minds, to our emotions, and to our Spirit.

In the name of entertainment, we may be unwittingly walking into something wholly different and not as innocent as it seems.

I hear you saying... "it's just a movie... lighten up." I hear you.

I'm just saying... be aware. Be watchful.

And think carefully about what you submit your mind and Spirit to.

David Nevue
Solo Pianist & Creator of Whisperings: Solo Piano Radio
http://www.davidnevue.com
http://www.davidnevue.com/listen.htm
http://www.solopianoradio.com

December 2009 Newsletter....

Hey Everyone!

I want to get right to the point.

My new solo piano CD "REVELATION" is now available! You can purchase it right now from my web site at http://www.davidnevue.com/albums.htm

Buy as many copies as you want. Hey, 'tis the season. Great for gifts! Use the 5 CD Set Discount option at http://www.davidnevue.com/cdspecial2.htm and you can get 5 copies of REVELATION for just $50! or, you can purchase a combination of ANY 5 OF MY CDs and get the same price.

Want to preview music from REVELATION? I thought you might! You can do that at http://www.davidnevue.com/albums/revelation.htm . I've listed the songs there and put extended clips of each of the solo piano tunes for you to preview.

REVELATION is comprised mostly of praise/worship song arrangements and improvisations. It is a continuation of my previous album, "Adoration." About half the recordings on the album were improvised and/or recorded and arranged "on the fly" while I was working on the "Adoration" CD. This is my first album ever that is "improvisational" in nature. It is a soulful album. Quiet, peaceful, serene, prayerful. Great piano music to worship and study with. That's 19 tracks. The album runs just over 70 minutes! My longest album yet!

Now, I know not everyone digs what they perceive as "religious" music. If you fall into that category, guess what? You'll still love the CD. You may not know the songs, but it will still sound like the "David Nevue" piano music you've always known and enjoyed.

So... Phew... after two years at work on it, the new album is out! Yes!

Oh, and one other thing....


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WHISPERINGS: the SOLO PIANO SHEET MUSIC SONGBOOK!
I also just released the sheet music songbook of my solo piano album "Whisperings: The Best of David Nevue - 1985-2000"

The printed book includes sheet music from the entire album! It's spiral-bound, which means it will stay open on your piano without having to bend or put weight on the pages like so many other songbooks out there. The printed songbook is available for $24.95, and you can purchase that at http://www.davidnevue.com/albums/whisperings.htm

And don't forget, the songbook for my album "ADORATION: SOLO PIANO HYMNS" is available from my web site too!


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CREATE YOUR OWN Sheet Music Package! PICK ANY 4 for $11.95!

Ever wish you could CREATE YOUR OWN custom sheet music package? Well now you CAN! Pick any four sheet music transcriptions from my catalog and purchase them together for just $11.95. That saves you about $4.00 over purchasing them individually! For details on
how to do this, see http://www.davidnevue.com/sheetmusic.htm#Package

Want a different package setup? Perhaps more than four selections? Just email me at dnevue@rainmusic.com or david@davidnevue.com and I can create a special, unique sheet
music package just for you!


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TOUR PLANS....

As you know, I'm on the road a lot. After the holidays, I'm taking a much needed break from traveling. Well, mostly.

LOS ANGELES / SAN DIEGO... in JANUARY?
I have a conference I'm attending in the L.A. area the weekend of January 15th-17th. If you're in the L.A./San Diego area and want to book a concert in your home or church, get in touch with me. I know it's short notice, but we can iron out the details if you're interested. You can read up on booking info at http://www.davidnevue.com/booking.htm . Just email me at dnevue@rainmusic.com

CO, WY, MT, ND, SD, NE, KS
I am going to start actively seeking bookings in the above states in January for my Spring 2010 Tour. If you're in one of the above states and would like priority consideration for a concert in your home, church or school, or if you just have questions about the process, just email me at dnevue@rainmusic.com


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WHAT the FUTURE HOLDS...

I've already mostly recorded my next album, "A DELICATE JOY" which consists almost entirely of original music I've written. I'll start editing that in the Spring and release it around September 2010.

I've also got a "live" house concert CD in the works, plus "Whisperings: The Best of David Nevue - 2000-2010." Both of which will probably be released in 2011.

It's hard to say after that. I certainly have plenty to keep me
busy.

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FOLLOW ME....on TWITTER, FACEBOOK

If you want to keep track of what I'm doing every day, you can follow me on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/davidnevue . I'm also very active on Facebook and you can find my Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/davidnevue


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WHISPERINGS: SOLO PIANO RADIO

Have you checked out Whisperings: Solo Piano Radio yet? Tune in at http://www.solopianoradio.com for beautiful solo piano music 24/7! It's free, and you can listen via iTunes, Windows Media Player or even direct from the web site. The broadcast features
my own piano music, as well as music from over 150 artists from around the world.


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iTUNES and MP3 DOWNLOADS...

ALL my piano music is available at iTunes: Just visit http://www.itunes.com/davidnevue to open up iTunes and see my work in the iTunes Store.

If you prefer MP3 FORMAT, most of my songs are available at Amazon.com as downloads. Just go to http://bit.ly/4u2AfQ


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JOIN the DAVID NEVUE PROMOTION TEAM!

If you'd like to help promote my piano music, I would very much appreciate it! I get more support for my music via word-of-mouth advertising from fans than just about anything else!

Here are some promotion ideas for you...

1) Tell your friends about my music. Better yet, lend them a copy of one of my CDs! Warning - you might have a hard time getting the CD back! If they really like it, you can always get them a copy of the CD as a gift.

2) On Twitter or Facebook? Recommend my music to your friends! Direct them to my web site at http://www.davidnevue.com/listen.htm to take a listen to my solo piano tunes for free.

3) Write a blog about my music and talk it up. Post your thoughts on my music in any groups, forums or chat rooms (like Facebook, Twitter) you regularly participate in. Be sure to include a link back to my web site.

4) Watch and recommend some David Nevue videos. Go to YouTube.com, search for "David Nevue", watch some videos, rate them, and then email your favorites to friends. You can find
several videos at http://www.davidnevue.com/videos.htm

5) If you're into iTunes, go to http://www.itunes.com/davidnevue, pull up the details on an album and rate my music! Help encourage others on iTunes who find my music to take the plunge and purchase it!

6) Just like #5, do the same thing on Amazon.com and CDBaby.com . Search for my music and add some customer reviews! Encourage others to take a chance on the CDs.

7) Tune into Whisperings: Solo Piano Radio while you're at work. You can tune in at http://www.solopianoradio.com . If you have iTunes, just look under the Radio/Classical genre and you'll see it there. When people come by and comment on the music, give them the solopianoradio.com URL. If you REALLY like the station, sign up for Whisperings PureStream and support the broadcast.

8) If I'm playing a concert near you, invite all your friends and family. Make a big "piano" party out of it! Have a nice dinner, see a concert, and come say "hi" to me after. If you go out with your friends for dessert after the concert, invite me. I might come and hang out with you for awhile! Don't be shy!

If you have other ideas to help promote my music, email me and maybe I'll put it in my next newsletter!

That's it for this time. Merry Christmas!

David Nevue
http://www.davidnevue.com