This was the hardest decision. I know I’ve already made that statement about Stevie Wonder, who I love, but this was even harder with Donny Hathaway. Why? Because I love Donny Hathaway. I really love Donny Hathaway.
Read MoreWhile the other songs have been chosen for their objective beauty and ability to touch anyones heart regardless of musical ability, I selfishly chose this one because it titilates my ears as a musician. I find this piece to be a testament to the power of the human voice, and the depth of color that can be created when many people sing together.
Read MoreThis was a hard decision. I knew that with any piece on my favorite songs and songwriters of all time I would have to put in a Stevie Wonder song (because, um, duh? He’s only one of the greatest songwriters of all time), but picking one was extremely difficult. Ultimately I chose this song because of its beauty and simplicity in context with the rest of his music.
Read MoreThis is going to be a relatively eclectic list. While Mahler is not someone who I would always list among my favorite composers of all (he’s absolutely phenomenal, don’t get me wrong, just not someone who I always think to listen to) but this piece, and this movement in particular, always gets to me. Mahler’s incredible orchestration combined with the Rückert’s heart wrenching poetry creates an absolutely unforgettable aural experience.
Read MoreNina Simone is simply one of the greatest artists of our time. Trained at Juilliard in classical piano, only starting to sing later in life, she embodies a true renaissance musician to me: someone who loves all genres of music and is interested in being a part of all aspects of it.
Read More