Biography / Concerts

Biography

The music of composer and solo pianist Karen Marie Garrett has been described as classical, contemporary, minimalist, ambient, and deeply touching: the welcome sound in a hectic world. “There is an inner voice that comes out through the music. When words are ineffective, music becomes the voice.”

Week after week, her hauntingly beautiful and evocative music has kept her among the top-selling and most requested recording artists in the United States. Her early 2007 hit It’s About the Rose earned #1 CD of the Year – Top Contemporary Instrumental and New Age Recording of 2007, and was awarded the 2007 NAR LifeStyle Music Award for “Best Instrumental Piano Album - 2007”. NAR is the reporter of top charts for contemporary instrumental and new age music. Industry kudos aside, the true success of this album lies in the people it has touched around the world.

The prominent track from It’s About the Rose is Tally’s Lullaby which has inspired a varied number of special projects. Following the somber Virginia Tech tragedy, Garrett collaborated with Winter Robinson, (author consultant, therapist, and intuitive) of Maine in a spoken word meditation using Tally’s Lullaby as the musical foundation for solace and healing. New York State’s internationally acclaimed author, T M Wright was so inspired by the lullaby’s beautiful melody; he wrote an equally poignant response in prose; On Hearing Tally’s Lullaby appears in his latest book Bone Soup (Cemetery Dance) launching next year.

Most recently, Tally’s Lullaby has been used as the musical platform for a non-commercial video produced in Nashville to raise funds for cancer research, in conjunction with the American Cancer Society’s fund-raising campaigns.

Ms. Garrett is a friend to the Espy Foundation created in honor of author, Willard R. Espy (1910-1999), who was an active member of the literary arts community in New York City. Since 2000, Ms. Garrett has donated several concerts to benefit the ongoing mission of the Espy Foundation, which advances and encourages literary and visual arts through programs in which writers, artists, and students pursue new ideas and create new work.

A native of Washington State, Karen began her music study at age five and later trained under the guidance of Carolyn O. James of Sherwood Conservatory of Music. Her music began to assume its own unmistakable voice as she absorbed elements derived from popular music. Her successful recording career began when she was noticed by platinum record producer, Will Ackerman, founder of Windham Hill Records and early producer of George Winston. The collaboration resulted in her earlier 2005 hit Allure of Sanctuary recorded at George Lucas’ Skywalker Sound Studios. Top-selling cuts from this release include Tip Toe Dancer, Lake Ewok Muse, Allure of Sanctuary, Welcome B, Will’s Song, and Toll of War.

Karen is scheduled to return to Skywalker Sound Studios 2008 to record another new project working with producer Leslie Ann Jones, Director of Music and Scoring at Skywalker.

Concerts

Pianist and composer Karen Marie Garrett is available for public and private concerts.

If a piano is not at the desired location, Karen’s staff can help arrange to have a rental piano brought in for your event.

Please contact me for more information.

Testimonials...

“The moment you began playing the piano I laid my head on my husband's shoulder, closed my eyes and just let go. I felt transported to a place of beauty and calm.”

“A wonderful concert ... it was magical!”

“Listeners were captivated by the mesmerizing effect of your music and exceptional skill... I did not know it was possible to achieve such subtlety..... Absolutely gorgeous...”

“It was wonderful fabulous music... a lovely evening all around.... can't wait for your next event!”

“It was truly a Karen Marie Garrett evening. After listening to your cds so much it was almost surreal to see you actually play those songs that were so familiar. We never tire of your music and would love to hear you again in concert!”

"... elegant, we loved the event! ... the music was absolutely gorgeous.”

“Karen Marie Garrett owns the room! The audience was mesmerized... you could literally hear a pin drop when the music softened. She becomes one with the piano; and we laughed, cried, and loved with them. Amazing!”