“Children need lullabies and they need to
be exposed to classical music, so we combined the two,” explains Susan
Davis, who with her husband, Eric, recorded the album NOW I LAY ME DOWN
TO SLEEP featuring Susan on violin and Eric on acoustic classical
guitar. “But unlike previous albums of classical music for
children, we decided to select only legitimate lullabies written by
traditional classical composers.”
Possibly the first recording of its kind,
NOW I LAY ME DOWN TO SLEEP contains classical lullaby melodies by some
of history’s most-renowned composers -- Johannes Brahms, Peter Jlyich
Tchaikovsky, Robert Schumann, Edvard Grieg and Felix Mendelssohn.
In addition, the Davis duo selected two
modern-day neo-classical tunes – George Gershwin’s 1935 classic
“Summertime” originally sung by a mother to her child in the famous
musical “Porgy and Bess,” and Richard and Robert Sherman’s “Hushabye
Mountain” from the stage and screen musical “Chitty Chitty Bang
Bang.”
There also are rediscovered classical
lullaby melodies by less-famous composers such as Edward Jakobowski,
Manuel de Falla and Carl Maria von Weber. NOW I LAY ME DOWN TO
SLEEP is available in quality book and record stores nationwide as well
as online at sites such as amazon.com, childmusiconline.com, digital
download locations and the record company’s verdictentertainment.com.
“Instead of simply selecting pretty, soft,
classical music pieces, we did some in-depth research to specifically
find music composed as lullabies or with children in mind,” states
Susan. “Some of the song titles, even when in a foreign language,
make the composer’s intention clear. Brahms’ ‘Sandmannchen’ means
‘The Little Sandman.’ Schumann’s ‘Traumerei’ means ‘Dreaming’ in
German, and his ‘Kind im Einschlummern’ is ‘Child Falling Asleep.’
Brahms titled one piece ‘Wiegenlied,’ which means ‘Cradle Song’ or
‘Rocking Song,’ and Schumann’s ‘Wiegenliedchen’ is simply ‘Little Cradle
Song.’
There also are tunes titled ‘Berceuse’
which similarly in French means ‘Rocking,’ as in rocking the
cradle. And, of course, we included Brahms’ famous ‘Cradle Song’.”
Even though the various pieces were
composed for piano or ensembles, this acoustic contemporary instrumental
CD features Eric and Susan’s original arrangements for guitar and
violin (no other instruments appear on the recording). “Although
the sound of these two instruments blend beautifully, you don’t hear
them together by themselves that often, especially performing classical
material,” explains Eric.
NOW I LAY ME DOWN TO SLEEP was foremost
created for young children, to relax and calm them, keep them still
during “quiet time” or to help them fall asleep (the purpose of
lullabies throughout the ages).
This classical music also can be played for
babies (in the womb, new-borns and crib-kids). Another benefit is
that this music helps introduce youngsters to hauntingly-beautiful
classical music melodies that will probably stay with them their entire
lives and may influence them to either become classical music lovers or
musicians.
But this album has an additional important
aspect to it. Since this is not “cartoonish kiddie music,” it can
be equally appreciated by listeners of all ages which is especially
important for caregivers whether parents, relatives, teachers, day-care
associates or babysitters. For this reason, the music can be
played again and again, no matter who is listening, without falling prey
to the “adult burnout factor.”
It makes sense that Eric and Susan
carefully thought-out this concept because they have been educators and
have taught music to children both privately and in public
schools. In addition, both are well-educated in classical
music. Eric was the first guitarist to ever graduate with a
Master’s Degree from the prestigious Juilliard School in New York City,
while Susan has her Master’s Degree from the Aaron Copland School of
Music at New York’s Queens College.
When not performing with Eric, Susan
teaches string quartets; chamber, string and symphonic orchestra; and
Fiddles on Fire (a fiddle and folk music group) at a Long Island, New
York, high school. Eric primarily works as a New York City session
musician, but he taught elementary school children to play orchestral
string instruments for several years. In addition, after college
Eric and Susan toured England extensively with their group Serenata (a
violin, guitar and flute trio).
Eric studied under highly-respected
classical guitarist Michael Lorimer for several years. Eric also
took classes from and performed for author and classical guitar
pedagogue Aaron Shearer, classical guitar master Christopher Parkening,
legendary 12-tone composer Milton Babbitt, and Juilliard guitarist and
department head Sharon Isbin.
Eric has played with James Guffee (The
Tories), Stanley Banks (George Benson), Christian McBride (Roy Hargrove,
Freddie Hubbard), Nina Gordon (Veruca Salt), the Partch Ensemble, and
the Juilliard Opera Center Orchestra under the direction of Julius
Rudel. Eric has recorded with folk-singer Lucy Kaplansky, Leslie
Clemmons (toured nationally in “Les Miz”) and CJay Philip (starred in
“Hairspray” on Broadway). Acclaimed composers Christian Jost
(Berlin Philharmonic) and Eric Funk have penned pieces specifically for
Eric. He has performed throughout the United States, Europe and
South America including tours as a soloist and with recording artists
Trio Sonata (guitar, flute and oboe).
Susan, who also is a singer, studied opera
at Indiana University, studied with vocal teacher Dan Marek (New York
City Opera and the Metropolitan Opera House) at both Syracuse University
and the prestigious Mannes College of Music in New York City, and
earned her Bachelors Degree in vocal music performance from Stony Brook
University. In college she performed and recorded under John
Mallia. Susan was a member of Manhattan Virtuosi (one of New York
City’s top chamber orchestras under the direction of Marlon Daniel), and
worked under conductor Wendy Bobbitt Cavett (Broadway’s “Scarlet
Pimpernel”).
Susan also has performed with singer Leslie
Clemmons. Susan played in “Hogan’s Goat,” an off-Broadway Irish
melodrama at the Nat Horne Theatre that featured her performing
considerable Celtic fiddle music.
Susan, who grew up on Long Island, was
singing from an early age. She also began piano lessons at age
five, started studying violin when she was nine, and pursued vocal
performance throughout her school years.
As a teenager, she was selected to attend
the New York Summer State of the Arts program that included coaching
from members of the Philadelphia orchestra, performing under the
direction of Russell Stanger, and appearing at the Saratoga Performing
Arts Center.
Susan’s classical inspiration comes from
classical composers such as Brahms and Dvorak, and modern performers
that include violinists Itzhak Perlman, Isaac Stern, Joshua Bell and
Midori. However, Susan also admires composers like George Gershwin
and Cole Porter, jazz violinist Stephane Grappelli, and singers
Manhattan Transfer, Barbra Streisand, Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughan.
Eric, born and raised in Portland, Oregon,
was the son of a trumpet player and professional band-leader (his father
also was a music educator and music store owner). Eric first
picked up an acoustic guitar when he was five and started taking lessons
at seven.
A few years later he joined his school’s
jazz band, began classical guitar lessons as a freshman in high school,
played in rock bands, and earned money performing in his father’s big
band on weekends. Eric earned his Bachelor’s Degree in music
performance at San Francisco’s Conservatory of Music studying under
David Tannenbaum. Eric’s love of Brazilian music led him to study
the Portuguese language by living with a family in Ipanema for a
year.
Eric gave guitar lessons to actress Tatum
O’Neal and tennis pro John McEnroe. Eric’s varied influences
include Brazilian musicians The Assads, Caetano Veloso and Antonio
Carlos Jobim; jazz players Joe Pass and Oscar Peterson; rock acts from
the Police to U2; and classical guitarists Parkening, Lorimer, John
Williams and Julian Bream.
Well-educated in classical music, Eric and
Susan Davis also enjoy performing jazz, bluegrass, folk and pop
music. With his session work, Eric has expanded his musicality to
include playing steel-string acoustic guitar, electric guitar, mandolin,
dobro and banjo on both country and rock recordings.
In discussing NOW I LAY ME DOWN TO SLEEP,
Eric says, “This is music we like personally, but it translates to a
relaxing and enjoyable listening experience for children. On a
practical level there is always the need for lullabies, for bedtime
music that is soft-spoken in nature. This music also is a good
match for our instruments. Violin and acoustic guitar together
create a very warm and intimate sound, delicate, quiet, gentle, but
deeply moving. This instrumentation really lends itself to the
performance of lullabies.”
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