Dogs Are People Too

Jan's mom died two months ago. We took Riley with us to the cemetery earlier this week. Normally, when confronted with an expanse of grass like one finds at a cemetery, Riley becomes a whirl of ceaseless activity, sniffing every blade of grass in sight for yet another place to mark his territory.

When I patted the grave and told Riley that Meme was there, he became very still, and lay beside her marker until we left to go home.

Jan's parents had lived with us, and Riley loved having them there. He flew down the stairs to their apartment twice every day to get snacks from MeMe. After Buddy died, he started spending a lot more time with Meme. It was as if he knew that she needed him to be there with her.

But since MeMe died, Riley has refused to go downstairs. He normally follows my every step like a shadow. But now, whenever I go downstairs, he refuses to go with me. He will lie at the top of the stairs and wait for me to come up.

Somehow, he knows...

My friend Jeff Bjorck (www.purepiano.com) said that, although the Bible says nothing about our pets going to Heaven, it doesn't absolutely forbid it. That's a good thought; I would like to see Riley there. As it is, when he dies, I will have to go to grief counseling...

Riley at the top of the stairs

What Matters

Sorry I haven't updated my blog in a couple of weeks, but read on and you'll see that I have been otherwise occupied...

I've always told Jan that I love her more than anything in the world EXCEPT THE PIANO. Hey, I'm supposed to be honest, right? I mean, music isn't just something that I DO; it's a part of me, like my heart or my arms or my liver.

During the past few weeks, though, I've discovered that the reality of my life is
something else altogether...

Jan had a biopsy several weeks ago, and the surgeon told her that he was 95% sure that the pathology report would prove to be cancer. A week later she had a lumpectomy, followed by another path report to wait for...

Cut to the studio, where I was supposed to be working on my new CD, which is already way behind schedule. But was I working on the CD? No, all I could do was walk through the halls, mumbling "God help me" over and over, as I contemplated for the first time what life would be like without my Jan. Not that I expected her to drop dead all of a sudden, but just to look over the edge of that void that life would be like without her...

It was then that I realized that, without Jan, there IS no music in me. The part of me that hears and creates music would just cease to exist.

So what Jan hears from me now is "...more than anything. Period."

By the way, the surgeon was wrong. Totally benign!

Listen Free

Another Saturday at the studio...Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to have a normal job, just go to work for 8 hours, then have a LIFE!

The release date of the new CD is September 28th. You can listen to 4 COMPLETE SONGS on the home page of the michaeldulin.com website. Be sure to listen to Sicilian Song - it is a wonderful melody, and I am really happy with the way it turned out. Kathy Parsons of mainlypiano.com, one of the most respected critics of new music, is reviewing the songs as I finish them. Her review of Sicilian Song is printed below.

Sicilian Song

Michael Dulin

Timeless II 2010/Equity Digital

5:01

Sicilian Song is an adaptation of Siciliano from JS Bach's Flute Sonata #2 and is one of the highlights of Michael Dulin's Timeless II. Although Dulin's arrangement is very true to the piece's classical roots, the addition of strings and other orchestration to Dulin's piano gives the piece a more contemporary sound and feeling. Played slowly and soulfully, this piece is absolutely gorgeous!

The pieces starts out fairly simply with the piano carrying the melody with strings in the background, setting the tone of the piece. In the second variation, the orchestra carries the melody as Dulin improvises with light, sweet, nimble passages. The third variation is the most dramatic with full orchestra, tympani, and Dulin's marvelous piano. The fourth variation returns to a quiet mood and brings Sicilian Song to a gentle close. Bravo!

Coming to a Town Near You....

I'm appearing in concert with fellow Solo Piano Radio artists Joseph Akins and John Albert Thomas on September 25th, in Memphis. Tickets are available HERE.

Be there or be nowhere!

Meme

Lucille Bailey Renfroe (Lou)

1926-2010

We lost Jan's mom last week. She died last Wednesday, July 7th. She was 84. Lou was the kindest, wisest, finest person you could ever hope to meet. I was so very proud to be a member of her family. Our sweet girl will be forever missed.

Lucille is described so perfectly in Proverbs 31:

Who can find a virtuous woman?

For her price is far above rubies.

The heart of her husband doth safely trust her,

So that he shall have no need of spoil.

She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

She is like the merchants' ships;

She bringeth her food from afar.

Strength and honour are her clothing;

And she shall rejoice in time to come.

She openeth her mouth with wisdom;

And in her tongue is the law of kindness.

She looketh well to the ways of her household,

And eateth not the bread of idleness.

Her children rise up, and call her blessed;

Her husband also, and he praiseth her.

Many daughters have done virtuously.

But thou excellest them all.

Young Lucille Renfroe

Music on Hold

Take a look at the beautiful cover for Timeless II. Matt Strieby of New Leaf Design has once more amazed me with his artistry.

On the music side, not much to tell this week. Jan and I are spending most of the time in the waiting room outside intensive care. In fact, I am writing these lines from the hospital, and I haven't been to the studio at all today. Today is 9 days after Lou's bypass surgery, and she is still in ICU on the ventilator. I had really hoped they would take that horrible tube out of her throat today, but it looks like it may be tomorrow or even the day after. She is MISERABLE.

Jan and I were supposed to leave yesterday for a 10-day vacation, but obviously this not going to happen.

Timeless II has to be released by September 1st to be eligible for Grammy nomination. God willing, I will meet that deadline. The piano tracks are all finished, just have to finish the orchestration, mix, and master. Now that the cover is done, I'll get the individual songs to iTunes as soon as each one is finished.

I'll be performing in concert in Memphis on September 25th, more details later. I'm also working on dates in Little Rock and Jackson, MS.

Sorry I haven't updated the blog the last couple of weeks. Virginia was in Paris and then Meme had her heart attack...

Thanks!

Timeless Tutu

Okay, Timeless II, song 2

While we're waiting for the Timeless II cover, and for reviews from ZoneReporter's RJ Lannan, take a look at the review by Kathy Parsons of song #2, Alone, which is based on Chopin's E minor prelude.

Click the link to hear a 30-second preview of Alone.

ALONE

From Timeless II

Michael Dulin

2010/Equity Digital

Michael Dulin continues his quest to breathe new life into classical pieces, giving them a more contemporary styling while staying true to the original intent of the composers. Alone is nothing short of stunning. Based on Chopin's "Prelude in E minor, Opus 28, " Dulin begins the piece with an introduction (a prelude to the "Prelude"! ) that rapidly accelerates up the piano keyboard and then slowly comes back down in a mysterious mood that hints of a crisis or emotional tragedy. He then plays the prelude through as written before repeating it with strings playing the right hand melody as Dulin plays the left, adding his own amazing touches with his right. The result takes the music to an even darker place than Chopin did with his original. Chopin's Preludes are among my favorite pieces to play, and I really didn't think there was any way to improve on this one. Dulin has proven me wrong. A pianist with an incredible background that includes competing internationally in the classical music field, Dulin's interpretation of this gem is right on the money. I'm sure Chopin is looking down from the heavens with a tear in his eye and a smile of approval.

Kathy Parsons

MainlyPiano.com

6/5/10