I have released two full-length instrumental albums of original music, but for my third album project, I wanted to create piano-only, classical versions of famous pop songs. Because my employer (Mophonics) has a relationship with UMPG, I limited myself to songs which have publishing controlled at least partially by UMPG.
The end result was a four-song EP I titled Arrangements I–featuring piano-only arrangements of songs by Fleetwood Mac, The Beach Boys, Shania Twain and Dolly Parton. I intentionally chose songs with strong, recognizable melodies, but took creative license with the arrangements: changing chord voicings, expressing harmonies in different octaves, etc.
The arrangement process, since I wasn’t working from sheet music (except my own shorthand notes), was challenging but rewarding–each song was a puzzle that needed unlocking. I’m very proud of how these arrangements turned out.
The cover art was designed by the supremely talented graphic designer and artist Autumn Wilson, with whom I previously collaborated on “Amplify the Sound,” a virtual benefit concert we created on Instagram Live to raise money for the Autistic People of Color Fund. The album is available on all streaming services.
