Shirley Film Fest

I’ve produced many events through the years, but a film festival is a first. Community oriented events appeal to me. There’s a fun factor – albeit some seriousness is getting the right programming – in creating a new experience and opportunity that wasn’t previously available.

What started out as a simple request to be part of the Shirley Meeting House Committee has evolved into, once again, being a community producer: a person that makes something grow. I hope it has wings.

Have a look at our schedule and come if you can – for all or part.

Nancy

Marula – Video Release

I traveled to South Africa a few years ago, right in the middle of a terrible drought. Water rationing was imperative and prayers for rain were on everyone’s lips. I learned about the Marula Tree during my time on safari – not only does it survives drought, but also becomes a source of nourishment and medicine for animal and human alike. I hope you enjoy my newest production – “Marula”, as I try to capture the spirit of my journey through this beautiful country. (Marula features African artist – Spirit-T – please check out his amazing work!)(Also, big screen and headphones or stereo speakers recommended:)

 

“Life is a Mantra” Video Release

In the stillness of Shiva’s cave, I sat in silence. It was very dark, just a single candle glowing on a stone altar adorned with a picture of his likeness, flowers, herbs and other such offerings. I waited and listened. And there it was, as if never lost or forgotten, shiny and new, from the deep place where spirit meets source – music. Song. My retreat partners, and the Children at Ramana’s Garden sing along with me in this video. We all hope you enjoy our song.

Nancy

“Into the Heart of Yoga Retreat,” – Rishikesh, India with Madhurai Sumhara

Ramana’s Garden Children’s Home – Donations welcome

Mid-Atlantic Song Contest Finalists

Moonlit Pond Artist, Jan Blaising, has been recognized for TWO of her songs in the prestigious 38th Mid-Atlantic Song Contest. The competition is one of the largest and most distinguished in the country with multiple categories and thousands of entries from around the world. “Cradled by the Moon” and “Mountaintops and Oceans” have been recognized for excellence in songwriting. Both songs were co-written by Jan Blaising and Nancy Beaudette, and included on Jan’s EP, “Faith, Hope and Love,” which was released last fall and available for purchase on Jan’s website, and on itunes and spotify

Congratulations, Jan, on this tremendous honour!

 

 

“Mountaintops and Oceans” Video and Single Release

Moonlit Pond Records is pleased to announce the release of “Mountaintops and Oceans” by Jan Blaising Music. 

Jan’s new single, “Mountaintops and Oceans,” is a song Jan wrote to honor her Mom. The song tells the story of a woman who overcame significant obstacles in her early life through love and faith. It describes the ways Jan’s Mom brought gifts of grace and grandeur from her early home in Washington state to the Indiana plains, where she met and married a minister and raised a family. “Mountaintops and Oceans” is a timely song to honor mothers everywhere.

“Such a beautiful song ~ like a fresh mountain stream ~ and your voice and the production are impeccable!”
~ Beth Nielsen Chapman (bncmasterclasses.com)

Co-written with Nancy Beaudette. Video produced by Moonlit Pond Records.

SongCRAFT – Spring Workshop

Want to write your first song? Want to write your 100th song? Want to write better songs? I’m so dang proud of this book and the accompanying workshops, and they are really making a difference for so many writers. What are you waiting for? 

Open to writers of all levels of ability. 

What are Workshop Attendees saying about this course?

“This is such a unique songwriting technique. I’m really surprised that no one else have ever taught this method. This workshop will definitely take my writing to the next level. Absolutely amazing.”

“Caring, insightful and useful songwriting tools & tips.”

“This workshop was great fun. Nancy and Laura do a great job of presenting the material and making the workshop interactive.”

“This is an innovative, accessible approach to writing that I haven’t seen anywhere else. Brilliant. Brava to the authors.”

Register today.

SongCRAFT Songwriting Winter Workshop

Join Nancy Beaudette and Laura Zucker for one hour each week for five consecutive weeks ONLINE on ZOOM.

Wednesday
January 13, 20 & 27, and February 3 & 10
8:00pm to 9:00 – ET

    • Nurture your creative process
    • Learn to find ideas from personal experiences
    • Write fabulous and meaningful songs
    • Find out why having a special creative room is important
    • Recognize and avoid common mistakes
    • How to find an audience to perform your song to
    • Leave the critic behind and write your best work

Open to writers of all levels of ability. Register today.

Jacelyn “Dovetailing” CD Release

 

JACELYN is a Canadian singer-songwriter, actor and entrepreneur best known for her sultry jazz vocals and music that is a melange of the classic and elemental sounds of jazz, blue-eyed soul, and pop, which offers a dynamic and refreshing contemporary twist. Moonlit Pond Records staff writer, Nancy Beaudette, co-penned “Someday” along with Connie Mims, Sherry Kuybus and Jacelyn after meeting in Nashville.  It is an an emotional song questioning whether a new love will last:“Sorry that we never found the words to make it better, It’s plain to see that baby you’re not the one, Someday ain’t gonna come” . 

 A versatile artist and actor, JACELYN has spent the last decade taking chances which has led her to successes one after another. Her Kickstarter campaign for Dovetailing reached $60, 000 ($30, 000 in just 16 hours) and became #1 in the world out of close to 60, 000 music campaigns. It was also featured in the top 10 Jazz campaigns ever to exist on the crowdfunding site alongside Quincy Jones and Paula Cole. JACELYN was able to bring together some amazing musical minds to support the creation of Dovetailing. She partnered with internationally recognized and critically acclaimed pianist and composer Amina Figarova to co-produce the album and worked with two-time Grammy-award winning audio engineer Max Ross from Systems Two in New York City. Dovetailing is out now and charting on radio across North America. 

Visit Jacelyn’s website to purchase the CD.
Join Jacelyn on Facebook
Follow Jacelyn on Instagram

The Kerrville Folk Festival Foundation Announces The 2020 Grassy Hill New Folk Songwriting Competition Finalists

The Finalist Concert for the GRASSY HILL KERRVILLE NEW FOLK SONGWRITING COMPETITION FOR EMERGING SONGWRITERS will be held during the 49th Annual Kerrville Folk Festival Oct. 8 – 18, 2020. Out of a more than 700 entries, 24 songwriters have been selected as Finalists. The 24 Finalists will perform at the Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Finalists Concerts on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 9th & 10th. During the evening Kennedy Theater show, Oct. 10th, the 6 New Folk Winners will be announced. The following day, Sunday Oct. 11th, the 6 New Folk Award Winners will each play 20-minute sets of original material during the Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Award Winners Concert. All New Folk concerts will be staged at the Threadgill Theater from 1-4 PM in the Quiet Valley Ranch campgrounds, 9 miles south of the city of Kerrville on TX Hwy 16. All 24 New Folk Finalists will receive prizes, the 6 New Folk Award Winners will receive additional prizes including $650 in prize money! 

Nancy Beaudette, along with contemporaries Susan CattaneoLouise Mosrie CoombeClint Alphin, are all finalists. For the complete list, click here.

Great American Song Contest Finalists

New Moonlit Pond Records Artist – Jan Blaising – has been writing with Nancy Beaudette for a couple of years now.  Currently, Nancy (along with collegue Connie Mims) is co-producing her first CD. “It’s a real joy to watch Jan blossom as a songwriter and even a bigger thrill to have seen her reaction when I told her she won a songwriting award!” 

Last spring they wrote an incredible song together about Jan’s mother, a woman who grew up on the west coast and then moved to the central plains to take up residence as a minister’s wife.

Nancy secretly entered “Mountains Tops and Oceans” in the Christian/Inspirational category of the Great American Song Contest last fall, and March 31, 2020, it was named 2nd Place Finalist. 

The CD, which will be called, “Faith, Hope and Love”, will be released in the coming months. Moonlit Pond Records is really excited for you to hear all of the songs included on this project. We will keep you posted.