Melissa Axel: Updates

Awarded a scholarship to WOMAD Summer School in the UK!

The World of Music and Dance organization, founded by Peter Gabriel, has generously made it possible for me to study songwriting and African polyphonies at WOMAD Summer School held July 28 to August 2 at Bath Spa University in the UK! I'm honored and very excited to return to Europe to spend time with some of the world's most vibrant and accomplished performing artists, as well as reconnect with friends abroad.

CAN is coming...

Meanwhile, WHAT ABOUT ME?

Workshops and concerts and trips, oh my! As is probably obvious from the ever-increasing show dates posted here, it seems like I'm now in the event planning business.

The monthly Songwriters' Workshop I've been co-hosting up at Coupe Studios in Boulder has developed into a wonderful community for music, feedback, and support – what a great group of music pros up at Coupe, not to mention the amazing, diverse artists coming out to share their new songs!

I've also put together a few events at the wonderful Dazzle: an open jam/networking social May 19th sponsored by Berklee College of Music's Colorado Alumni Chapter (current students, those interested in attending Berklee, and friends are all welcome to join us!) and a June 5th Songwriters Night featuring some wonderful new talents.

Then, we'll finally unveil the new Colorado Artist Network on July 11th (7–11!) with an all-star lineup providing a full night of music, inspiration, and fun in Swallow Hill's Tuft Theater – tickets go on sale May 1st. I'll be on the air talking about it all, as well as performing, on KRFC's Live@Lunch so tune in at noon on June 2nd to get the full scoop. For more info in the meantime, visit the shows page.

We're off to LA for now and then Austin two weeks later, so check back next month for more news. Hope all is well with you and keep in touch!

Oscars get it right for ONCE!
Congratulations, independent music. This time, you win. ;-)

(For more, please see this article about Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová's recent Denver, Colorado performance)

I happily consider the new year officially kicked off with song! We had two great performances and it feels really wonderful to be focusing on music once again. Jenn Grinels was absolutely fantastic, and it was very special for me to have Kailin Yong join me on violin for my own songs. Sharing the stage with SoundRabbit was also a long-awaited blast! All of these folks are just top notch musicians.

Our lineup was well-received and treated wonderfully by both our audiences and the venues (Swallow Hill Music Association in Denver and Avogadro's Number in Fort Collins), and we've been asked back to both places. Keep an eye out for summer dates with this same group of artists when Jenn makes her way back from the east coast, and I'll be setting up some shows with the other folks in her absence in the meantime.

Still in the process of finalizing certain details for recording my album, so stayed tuned for an update on that in the days to come. Other news too, but for now it's still under wraps. Soon, though – please check back, especially if you're a fellow artist. You'll be glad you did. 'Til then, lots of love and wishing you much luck, laughter, and fulfillment in the new year! Don't be a stranger...

On December 12, 2006, I sat on a panel for the Music Independence Summit Connection (MISC) on its first visit to Denver, CO. With a great turnout, key discussions, and a fantastic performance by Boulder's funky group 8traC, it was truly an empowering night to remember. The April 10th encore presentation (on my birthday, no less) was equally rewarding, with a whole new crop of local music professionals and aspiring artists coming together and the great additions of entertainment attorney Beth Patterson and Rob Case (New Pants Publishing/ASCAP) to the speakers' panel.

Pics & info from my Colorado debut performance at the Boulder Int'l. Fringe Festival!

The Human Adventure raised over $1350 in Lovewell arts/ed scholarships!
Everyone involved in our graduate production last fall donated their time and talents, and the results were bountiful, enabling several students to attend Lovewell Institute for the Creative Arts who otherwise would not have had the opportunity. Portions of CD, DVD, & T-shirt sales from The Human Adventure continue to benefit Lovewell students – order yours today!

Meanwhile, The Human Adventure limited release DVD debuted at our April 2006 screening party, to which many people actually showed up wearing their Human Adventure T-shirts! A good time was had by all, and we look forward to re-staging a not-so-new but very improved version of the show next year in Colorado - do get in touch if you're in the Denver/Boulder area and would like to be involved on any level!

Through original and familiar music, stunning multimedia visuals, intuitive dance, and interactive dramatic performance, The Human Adventure opens your eyes, ears, mind, and heart to the very personal journey that great thinkers like Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell have built careers exploring on behalf of all humankind – today’s modern “hero story” within us all.

The Human Adventure is an original artistic production featuring live music, multimedia visuals, dramatic expression, and dance – all centering around our personal search for self-actualization.

The show highlights key concepts of sociology, psychology, spirituality, and humanity made powerful, artistic, inspiring, and at times even humorous, by a host of creative intellectual talent, with original songs and script by Melissa Axel (Berklee College of Music, Heavy Rotation Records/Epic), professional technical production by Cassie Allen Barrett (NBC, ESPN, former Nightly Business Report director) and stunning visuals by broadcast graphics designer and artist Yvette Navarro (Univision, WPBT).

For master's graduates Axel, Barrett, and Navarro, the presentation of this show on October 14 & 15, 2005 in NSU's Rose and Alfred Miniaci Performing Arts Center was the final component of their studies in NSU’s Interdisciplinary Arts Program (IAP), whose mission is to educate, nurture, and facilitate visionary and conceptual artists by offering a nurturing learning environment, resources, and tools to expand their knowledge, skills, experience, and entrepreneurship in the arts. The co-directors chose to donate proceeds from the show to the Lovewell Institute for the Creative Arts Scholarship Fund – making it possible for youth to find their creative voices through the nationally recognized Lovewell Method used in its summer and after-school programs.

Click for pictures from The Human Adventure
Photos by Joe Bianco, Randy Garcia, Margarita, and Sandee Lewin Nye

My grad internship as Production Assistant for Nefertiti - A Musical Romance was a truly wonderful experience – a once-in-a-lifetime chance to work with producers on a musical from start to finish as the show prepared for Broadway. The show sold out opening night and received standing ovations consistently throughout its run at the historic Parker Playhouse. Today we wrapped the recording session of the orchestra at the famous Hit Factory (formerly Criteria Studios) in Miami and will be completing the cast album soon. Stay tuned for more news on upcoming plans for Nefertiti!

I am now

All the songs from my debut EP Free Time are now on iTunes for Mac and PC! Everybody knows jag älskar Apple (I love them), so this is a great partnership for me. Support independent music as it swims up the main stream... please download your favorite tracks of mine at just 99¢ each – and snag one from a well-known artist like Tori or Ani too so I will be cross-referenced with them and new people can find my music!

"Disappointment" is still #3 in the "Girl Power!" Playlist
This UNESCO-endorsed "New Songs for Peace" project is intended to encourage people to think about peace, talk about peace, and write a new song that we will collect and self-publish in a book. These new songs will promote peace, cultural acceptance and understanding for those who work towards peace throughout the world.

I helped to bring fellow Berklee alum BT (aka DJ/producer/film composer Brian Transeau) back to his Boston alma mater for a classroom visit and a standing-room-only clinic at Berklee College of Music's David Friend Recital Hall, where he demonstrated his amazing use of technology in creating some of the best electronic music in recent years.

After the clinic, BT & friends were invited by Berklee's Music Technology Dean and esteemed producer Stephen Croes to join several prestigious Berklee faculty members for dinner & some great conversation about music, life, and (if you know either of us, this won't be a shock to you) philosophy! On the following evening, I performed at Virgin Megastore Boston, inviting several fellow Berklee alumni guests such as Clara Lofaro and Svoy to showcase their original music as well.