June Newsletter from Growing Azalea Music
Growing Azalea Music
With the cold weather that we have experienced recently, it is hard to
believe that June is here already and that children will be home for
summer vacation later this month. It is also the month in which we
celebrate fathers everywhere. Although not all of us have the
opportunity to be physically with our fathers, we can remember valuable
lessons that they have taught us along the way.
This June is a bittersweet time for me as I remember my father in the
one-year anniversary of his passing. I owe much of my appreciation of
the arts and involvement in education to my Dad who passed these
important values to me at an early age. As a dancer, dance instructor
and choreographer, he was a pioneer in the world of dance, paving the
way for many more dancers to come. As part of an ongoing celebration of
his life, which included a beautiful dance tribute performed by former
students last October, we are adding to his website,
www.Harrybernstein.com, this month. Within a few weeks, you will be
able to see photographs from the tribute as well as read about his
life.
Several of my friends, including many of you whom are reading this
letter, are fathers. I know that some of you do not have the
opportunity to see or be with your children as much as you would like,
for whatever reason. But whatever your individual circumstance may be,
I know that you have an important place in the hearts of your children,
wherever they may be, and that they are who they are partly because of
you. I think that the responsibility of being a father in 2006 has its
rewards and challenges and a lot more expectations attached to its
title than when I was living with my father over thirty years ago. And
you have all risen to the occasion, with strength, with courage, and
with love. I applaud and thank all of you Dads who strive to make a
positive difference in the live of our children.
Before I close with this month's edition of the Growing Azalea
Music newsletter, I would like to once again, thank you for being a
part of my life as well as sharing an interest in my music. As I head
out to California at the end of the month for the first time in six
years (Previous attempts to visit had been thwarted by family illnesses
and emergencies), I look forward to seeing many of you soon-on one
coast or the other.
I hope that you are enjoying the beginning of summer and the
warmer weather!
Much love to all of you,
Margaret Bernstein
Growing Azalea Music
www.gamusic.com
JUNE NOTES AND NEWS
Margaret in the media
Margaret Bernstein will be featured in an interview for The Meter, the
on line newsletter for TAXI, the world's leading independent Artist and
Repertoire Company, in July. As previously mentioned in our monthly
newsletters, Margaret has had over two dozen compositions forwarded by
TAXI to various independent publishers and music libraries throughout
the United States for consideration in film and television placement.
To date, six of her instrumental compositions featured in her two
independently released solo albums have been signed to publishing
deals. In addition, Margaret and music video co-producer Steve Nealey
were recently featured in the April 28th issue of the Albany Times
Union, the major press for New York's capital area, during their break
from a pre-production meeting at professor Java's Coffee House in
Albany, NY.
"Bricks in the Wall" album update
The majority of Margaret's debut singer-songwriter CD, "Bricks in the
Wall" will be completed by the end of this month as Margaret
continues a twice a week recording schedule with engineer Mark Dann in
his Woodstock, New York studio. Please view our project page to see
photos from the recording sessions.
"Bricks in the Wall" Music Video Update
The pre-production meetings have begun for the "Bricks in the Wall"
music video, which is currently scheduled to be filmed during the early
part of October in New York State. Margaret Bernstein and Director of
Photography Steve Nealey have been working together creating a
storyboard for the music video and look forward to begin scouting
specific locations for the shoot soon. In addition, Margaret, along
with Azalea Blossom volunteers, is in the process of planning a fund
raising dinner to be held this August.
News from Azalea Blossom Inc.
Azalea Blossom Incorporated is Growing Azalea Music's sister 501c not
for profit organization aimed at preventing Domestic Violence and abuse
through the use of music and multi media. Recently, Margaret has been
busy writing Grants for the "Bricks in the Wall" music video
project, which will be released as a DVD to accompany the "Bricks"
CD next March. The video, as well as the accompanying CD, aims to
promote awareness of the more subtle and less publicized aspects of
domestic violence. Proceeds from the album will be used towards the
SAFE program, an educational program geared towards urban middle school
students to help prevent and increase awareness of domestic violence.
Recent grants submitted include Tom's of Maine and Target Stores.
Please refer to the Azalea Blossom website at www.AzaleaBlossom .com to
find out how to contribute to the video project as well as to subscribe
to the Azalea Blossom mailing list.
Margaret to perform at Bird Festival
Margaret will perform excerpts from literature for the flute depicting
birdcalls at the Huyk preserve on Saturday; June 3rd. please refer to
the performance page for more info.
Inspiration Person of the Month
In honor of father's day and the one year anniversary of his passing,
Margaret would like to feature her father, Harry Bernstein, as the
inspiration person of the month. As the first male dance graduate from
Juilliard, Harry's contributions to the dance world include over twenty
years of chairmanship of Adelphi University's dance department.
New Feature-Inspiration Place of the Month
Please check out our inspiration page to learn more about the special
places of inspiration that have contributed to Margaret's life and her
music. This month's feature is Camp Glenbrook, Margaret's childhood
camp located near in New Hampshire's Monadnock region. Margaret and her
son visited the camp during memorial weekend for a reunion.