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ACOUSTIC STORYTELLING With attentive listeners and black and ivroy keys as her microphone, Robin Spielberg uses the piano to share her life stories By Sarah Peterson
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Before Robin Spielberg talked, she played the piano. Today, with a catalog of songs form 10 albums and another tour underway that will reach Rocky Mount on April 18, she uses words to tell audiences the stories behind her music. "I like to tell stories to songs," Spielberg said. "For me, songs are like little soundtracks. It won't be one of those stiff kinds of concerts. I call it my one-woman piano show." Spielberg writes about everything--from her cats to the birth of her daughter, Valerie. Spielberg recently played to a capacity crowd at the Berrie Center for Performing Arts at Ramapo College of New Jersey. "Knowing the stories behind the piece gives you a different perspective of the music, " said Jane Stein, director of the Berrie Center. "The stories she tells really enhance the experience for the audience." Her concert at NC Wesleyan College's Dunn Center for the Performing Arts will be her first performance in North Carolina, and she said she is looking forward to coming. "She has fans in the area and wanted to play," said Jan Zarr, executive director of the Dunn Center. "I think she does beautiful stuff". Stein said Spielberg's fans are devoted. |
"One of the things that sticks out in my mind most was that she had this following, and I think every p erson that came out of that room had a smile on their face," she said. "That says a lot about an artist." Spielberg's passion always has been for the piano. "I just think it's the most beautiful instrument out there," she said. "There's so much you can do. It's so expressive. I found the piano, of all the instruments, to be the most irresistible." By the age of 10, she composed 50 songs. One of her influences came from frequenting Broadway musicals. Her newest album, "With A Song In My Heart," is a collection offamous songs--some from Broadway--that she arranged. "I love melody, and I think it came from those early days of going to Broadway." Spielberg said stores often place her music in the New Age section. She calls it 'new acoustic'. "It's new music for piano," she said. "It's really a blend of who I am."
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"It was one of the most memorable experiences of my life," she said. Playing at Carnegie Hall and smaller venues is not much different, she said. "Carnegie Hall has that mystique--it's in your head," she said. "I really enjoy it no matter (the place). It really is the same". Recently Spielberg and her husband Larry Kosson started their own record label. "Dreaming of Summer was the first album she recorded for the label and also her first solo record of all original music since 1996. "It's very freeing to really create the music in my heart,"she said. It's been really fun to stir up this whole other enterprise." Her albums will be available to purchase at the concert. Tickets for the 7:30pm concert are $12 each. For tickets or more information call 985-5197 or go online to www.dunncenter.com |
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| PERFORMING: Robin Spielberg will present a concert in Saugatuck on Saturday. | ||||||