Miramuse is happy to finally announce the release of the instructional guitar DVD, “Philippe Bertaud: On the Music of Heitor Villa-Lobos.” After shooting this three-camera video production in Gary Powell’s studio, the release had been stalled in the ever-deepening abyss of securing the synchronization rights for the usage of Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos’ music. The process of securing the rights took thirty months of research, complete with many dead-ends, confusion, and the kind of bureaucratic communication of which only a snail could be proud.

This is the first release for Miramuse to be distributed worldwide by Carl Fischer Music in New York. My special thanks to lifelong friend and musician, Rae Moses and to Chris Scialfa for his steadfast support, and of course, the charming Frenchman, Philippe Bertaud, for his undeniable patience.

Filed by Gary Powell at 8:37 pm under Miramuse
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by Gary Powell

My lifelong friend and movie producer, Cynthia Coury of Poppy Productions, offered me the opportunity to write a song for her movie, “You’re So Cupid!”. She suggested that Malese Jow, who plays the role of Megan, sing the song. Good choice. Malese had early success in her life in front of the camera and is known world-wide for her role as Geena Fabiano in the hit Nickelodeon show “Unfabulous” and more recently as Anna in the popular TV series “The Vampire Diaires” seen on CWTV. I’m happy to welcome Malese to the collection of talented singers who work in my studio.

For the first time, Miramuse is offering an “Instrumental Version – No Lead Vocal” for those singers who wish to sing the song themselves. Miramuse is a cooperative recording label only for the releases of producer and owner Gary Powell and his clients.

“The Perfect Love” – Now Available for Worldwide Download from These Stores:

Filed by Gary Powell at 10:59 am under Miramuse
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by Gary Powell

In 1995, I gave an interview on Austin’s NPR radio station, KLRU. During the interview, the moderator, John Rogers, played a recording of a composition I had written for the vocal group I had directed ten years earlier at the University of Texas, Ensemble 109. I recorded “Kryie Eleison, Christe Eleison” in 1986 with five studio singers, two of whom had been former students of mine at UT.

When I came home from the live interview, I had received messages on my home phone from two of Austin’s artistic directors, Lambros Lambrou of Ballet Austin and Greg Easley of Austin Contemporary Ballet, who were both listening to the interview and both heard “Kyrie Eleison” at the same time. Both, also, made calls to me within minutes of each other without each other’s knowledge.

Although I would have welcomed the chance to have worked with Lambros Lambrou, Greg Easley had a more immediate need in mind. He explained how AIDS had taken it’s toll on the dance community at large and how he felt that my “Kyrie” had spoken to his own sense of loss. Then Greg asked, “Would you be interested in expanding your “Kryrie” to look more deeply into loss itself, not directly as an AIDS piece, but because all of us live with loss everyday?” Thus, the bigger idea for the ballet was born, entitled “Rhapsody of the Soul,” and performed at Austin’s Paramount Theatre on February 9th, 1996.

“Rhapsody of the Soul” – Now Available Online for Worldwide Download from These Stores

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Filed by Gary Powell at 5:40 pm under Miramuse, Rhapsody of the Soul
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by Gary Powell, Composer/Pianist

I’m proud to announce the worldwide digital release of “Thunderstorm in Mentone,” a spoken-word album featuring author and speaker, John Lee.

Composers are often called upon to interpret life in solitude. This project, however, was by its nature a collaborative effort. I found that musically interpreting the intimacy of John Lee’s words and voice was a wonderful and enriching creative experience. My intent was not to simply provide a musical bed for John’s rich baritone. Instead, I chose to score the music both tightly and programmatically to his poetry’s honest imagery. My wish is that you will experience this integration of poetry and music as deeply as I have and find the solo piano transparently merged with John Lee’s beautiful performance.

When Gary Powell and I first talked about him setting music to my poems I thought, ‘What a compliment,’ and ‘Sure, let’s try it.’ Then when I heard his first composition I could hardly compose myself. The sound coming out of this talented, gentle man’s soul stirred my own. Now after listening to his music embrace my poems, I want to write more poetry and be a better poet and say, ‘Let’s do more.’ And we will. – John Lee, Poet and Writer

Filed by Gary Powell at 10:40 am under Miramuse
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