good to be home

it's good to be home after 2 long days in the recording studio. what
weekend?

studio time 2

i really appreciate everyone who has been asking about my recording project and praying for me.

this past recording session was a huge success and a major step forward towards getting started on these two records. we were able to lay all the bass and drum tracks for my entire album and EP.

the EP should be released in late may/early june, maybe earlier and after that it's full steam ahead to finishing the album.

here's a picture of a few talented people i've been working with...bass, drums, me & my producer

piano recital may 29th

we're coming up to that time again where all our hard work is put on display. This is a great time for my students to prepare some of their best songs and play them for their friends and family who come and see them preform.

Most students who learn to play piano will at some point in their life perform in front of a group of people, this is a great platform for them to get performance experience that they'll be glad they have later on in life. Please mark this date down and invite friends and family to support these hardworking piano students.

Piano Recital, May 29th, @ 7pm
Fair Oaks Church (Floyd White Chapel)
4601 West Ox Road, Fairfax, VA, 22030

More details will follow later,
or email any specific questions you may have to joel@shinypiano.com

dear julia

thank you for your thoughtful question, "Do you like living in America or do you miss Australia?"

i do like living in america very much, but i haven't always felt this way.

when i moved here nearly 6 years ago i was very homesick and sad for a very longtime. after being here for six months i almost moved back home because my visa, the documents from the united states that gave me permission to stay in the country, was about to run out. on the last week my work visa, which allowed me to work at my church was approved. i was very disappointed that i was allowed to stay and even though i could have moved back to australia anyway, i felt strongly that God wanted me to stay here for an important purpose. maybe it was so i could meet you and be your piano teacher!?

i have learned that being obedient to God is the most important thing in life; it may not always be easy, but He will always give you the strength to endure.

i enjoy living here very much now, but occasionally i wonder what it would be like to live in australia again near the beach and close to my family. maybe one day i'll move back there with holly but until God tells me to do so i'm going to wait and see what He has in store for me here.

Julia Orejuela

What is your name?
Julia Orejuela

How old are you?
7 years old

What is your favorite color?
Pink

How long have you been taking piano lessons?
Almost one year

What's your favorite song you know how to play?
Star Quest

If you could play any song in the world what would it be?
Sponge Bob square pants theme song

Do you play (or want to learn to play) any other instrument besides piano? if so, what instrument?
Guitar

What do you want to be when you grow up?
A piano musician

If you were banished to a desert island and could only choose one kind of food to eat for the rest of your life, what would that food be?
My mommy's noddles

Who is your favorite person in the whole wide world (beside Mr. Joel...that's a given)?
Jack, my dog

If you could ask Mr. Joel any question in the world it would be?
Do you like living in America or do you miss Australia?

studio time

I'm really excited to be heading into the studio this weeks to start working on my first CD with the hopes of releasing a 6 song EP while finishing up the full length album.

I'll be working with a great engineer/producer who works directly with Dave Matthews and other big names in secular music, it's already been cool to hear his ideas for my songs to take them from a solo artist feel to a full band sound.

I'm also working with studio musicians (Drums & Bass) who are awesome players.

This has been a lifelong dream for me to record my songs so others can hear them, up until now the only way of hearing them have been when I've preformed live.

I'll keep you updated throughout the whole journey as I take forward steps and even hit some speed bumps along the way...not to many I hope.

Please keep me in your prayers especially this week.
Godbless

dear shane

thanks for your question concerning that brown stick in the corner of my piano room.

the brown stick is called a didgeridoo, it's an aboriginal wind instrument from australia. my friend gave it to me as a 21st birthday present and i decided to bring it with me when i moved to america.

you put your mouth on it and blow like a trumpet which gives a droning sound. the hard part is not in getting the sound to work but to get a continuous sound, this is achieved by circular breathing.

circular breathing is when you can breath through your nose while breathing out of your mouth at the same time, this is means that you don't have to stop playing to breath. this is not a very easy thing to do, and i don't do it very well. check out this video below to watch a real pro.

hope this answers your question, shane.
mr. joel

didgeridoo video