Behind the Keys Blog

Dance Until You Find Yourself at the Center 

Greetings of the Winter Solstice 2023!

I must be the luckiest soul alive!  Seated right here in the midst of a beautiful tapestry of humanity playing a lovely Steinway piano during Bellevue Square's seasonal cultural celebrations!  Whether our traditions are called Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, Dia de los Muertos, Halloween, Diwali or the Chinese New Year / Spring Festival, a myriad of Pacific Northwest peoples and cultures are honored at Bellevue Square all throughout the year. 

From behind the keys, I can…

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The Unfathomable Persistence of the Human Heart 

                              For hope, look to Nature and the unfathomable persistence of the human heart

Wishing all my friends a bright and peaceful season of light!  It’s good to be back after taking a much-needed break of travels and opportunity. 

‘Tis the season, indeed!  It was with great joy that I kicked off the holiday piano music on December 1 at Bellevue Square with one of my favorite seasonal songs, “Carol of the Bells," written by Mykola Leontovych, a Ukrainian composer.

I discovered a…

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Sandra on Steinway: Reflections on Performing at the Bellevue Collection 

      FROM WHERE I SIT on a familiar piano bench at Bellevue Square, I can't help but notice that my solo piano shows bring joy to most everyone, including me!  But Sandra on Steinway entails so much more than just pressing piano keys, dear friends.  

     While we know about the positive benefits of music education upon developing minds, what also holds true is that the frequencies and cadences of live music evokes human feelings, memories and associations, and has the power to bring people together. 

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Brave Boys at the Top of their Lungs 

“Hey, can you play hip-hop on the piano?” asks one and then another, “How about the theme from Minecraft?”  Hmmm. Generational divide or not?   I turn it around: “Hey, do you know ‘Let It Go’ from Frozen?”  Without missing a beat there’s a resounding “YES!” and I launch into the intro.   After first giggling a bit, and then signaling with each other that it’s cool,  the 4 teenagers begin happily singing at full vocal capacity, their changing voices sometimes erupting into unpredictable short screams. Who…

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I Play Especially For You 

Hello!  Thank you and big hugs to new and old listeners for your support and appreciation.  As we sang at Girl Scouts camp, "Make new friends but keep the old ... one is silver and the other gold."   Your love is returned!

After 13 years I still enjoy performing at the Bellevue Collection on four different Steinway pianos.  Each has its own personality, just like people do. Among the constant and diverse stream of amazing folks who pass by the pianos, I very much enjoy YOU ...

... someone who takes time…

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Airplay & Press Notes  

2010

Sandra is featured in the West coast arts mag Big Fun as a "Best Singer in the Sound."

The soulful jazz waltz Rainy Days on her GIRL GONE JAZZ CD received airplay on Jim Wilke's KPLU 88.5 Jazz NW Program.

Solo Concert of Original Songs 

Hi, check my calendar, on June 28 I'll be at the Hiawatha Community Center in West Seattle, performing a concert of original songs.  See you there!

El Gaucho June Appearances 

Check my calendar!  The month of June marks happy first appearances at the El Gaucho restaurants in Seattle and Bellevue.  Will be filling in for friends, the fabulous Junie Tonkin and the amazing Daniel Davis.  Both restaurants have beautiful bars with great Happy Hour offerings.  See you there!

New York APAP Trip Sponsors 

Association of Performing Arts Presenters Convention

Many thanks to friends from Seattle, Ohio, South Carolina and Canada who helped make this NY dream come true possible!

Dee Dickinson

Dr. Kathleen Clark

 Jim Locklear

 Joe Malecki

 Therese Charvet & Tere Carranza

 Wendell & Fran Clark

 Resha & Stanley Sabre

  Kathyrn Stueckle

 Dianne Konoski

 

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