AMY LAUREN
Born and raised in Wisconsin, Amy’s first keyboard was a chord organ that her parents bought her to see if she would actually like playing piano. She couldn't stop playing it, and it wasn't long before there was a real piano in the house. She started taking lessons when she was 11, and continued with lessons throughout high school, learning all of the technical ins and outs of music. After winning numerous contests and awards playing Bach, Mozart and everything in between, she realized she wanted to be more creative with the music. Choosing to forego formal classical piano training, Amy instead decided to write songs for her own enjoyment. After writing and playing at various local events for several years, in 1999 she compiled 15 songs on her first CD entitled First Dance. Mainly recorded to be used as music for her wedding, the popularity of it resulted in it being released to the public. Two of the songs off of that CD, I Believe and Capture the Dream, took second and third place in a national songwriting contest. Her next CD entitled Close Your Eyes, released in 2003, was a complete departure from the style on her previous CD. “I love technical difficulty when I write music, in fact, it seems to come easily to me. So, for my next CD I needed a greater challenge and, for me, that was slowing things down and creating VERY soothing music.” She definitely succeeded at this, as the lullaby CD has been extremely popular, both with babies and adults. This music is used worldwide in spas, various media projects, web sites and by photographers. The track “Aussie’s Song” was recently used by Aulos Media of Seoul, Korea in a compilation CD. Selections from the Close Your Eyes CD can be heard on various internet radio stations, including the popular solo piano internet radio station, Whisperings, at www.solopianoradio.com, where Amy is a featured artist. Amy’s most recent CD, releasing in July 2008 entitled Winter and Christmas, combines traditional Christmas music with her own original compositions to create a beautiful escape into this time of year. “I write music because it gives me a sense of contentment, enjoyment, and because I just love to be creative. It's a hobby of mine and I don't ever want it to become "work", as it is too great of an escape from life for me.” Amy lives in Wisconsin with her husband, Edward, their two Brittanys, Aussie and Brusco, and cat Chester.