Dancing at the Gate
“One of the finest debuts of this or any year” ~ Steve Ryals - Music Critic, Fresh Tracks
Introduction
Dancing at the Gate is almost an hour of inspirational and serene solo piano music that invites the listener to a place of reflection and peace. In writing and performing this music, my intention is toward cultivating a greater sense of the present moment, and helping the listener to open more fully to his or her own experience.
Dancing at the Gate is a musical offering which comes from this experience we call life - exuberance, sadness, joy, anticipation, deep longing, love.
As the poet Rumi says,
This being human is a guest house,
every morning a new arrival ...
treat each guest honorably ...
be grateful for whoever comes,
for each has been sent as a guide from God.
"It has become clear to me over the years that whatever our experience is in the present moment, no matter how beautiful or painful, it can be for us a Gate - a pathway into the larger Presence, that deep reservoir of Love for which we were made. It is my prayer and hope that this music invites you to a stillness that awakens you to that larger place within." - Dana Cunningham
Compositions
- Light on Water (3:58)
- Above the Canopy (4:34)
- Surrender (4:38)
- Jam & Bread (3:22)
- Unfolding Journey (5:08)
- Welcome to the World (Song for Ava Grace) (2:51)
- Breath of the Holy One (3:52)
- Wild Geese (in accordance with the poem by Mary Oliver) (6:28)
- Leaving Home (2:32)
- Soul Poem (1:45)
- Night on Water (4:11)
- Presence (5:26)
Credits
Dancing at the Gate was created:
In celebration of Ava Grace and Dallas Dane
With deep appreciation for Rob Richardson
And for the many friends throughout my life who are present within each note and space
For the gift of life and the gift of faith, and for their steadfast love, I thank Tejan and Ella.
Recorded by Declan Young at Skedaddle Music, Nashville
January 20-27 and March 9-13, 2001
Produced by Dana Cunningham
Consulting Producer: Tom Thiel
Mastered by Kurt Lundvall at Lundvall Audiophile Recording & Mastering, New York.
Cover Artwork by Clare Joseph
Special thanks to Wiley Beveridge for his inspiration and support, and to the Reverend Peg Custer, St. Andrews Episcopal Church, Tamworth, New Hampshire
And of course, my unending thanks to Peg, Pete, Ann, Janey, Tejan, Ella, Theresa, Margee, Norma, and Melissa - without you this offering would not have been possible.
About the Recording:
The tracks for Dancing at the Gate were captured by a single pair of reference microphones and stored and mastered at a 24-bit word depth x 96 KHz sampling rate with state-of-the-art equipment and processes for extremely high musical fidelity. The Lundvall ultra-fidelity mastering process is optimized toward preserving the acoustic and spatial subtleties of the original performance event. CD manufacture is by Optical Disc Solutions.