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Here’s to a March filled with rainy days, unexpected sunshine, and the quiet joys that make Spring my favorite season — the first bloom of flowers, the lengthening of daylight, long walks and getting this year's vegetable garden started. I hope this message finds you doing well!

Lots to share with you, but first of all, THANK YOU. For your connection to me and my work, and for your interest in music!

So long, socials.
I'll be taking a big break from social media starting on the first day of Spring. And YOU are subscribed to Nay's News, so we will stay connected! Thank you. Write me back anytime. :)

For even more connection, join my Patreon community! There's even a free option, and everything I would have shared on socials will now be there.

New Singles To Stream TODAY, March 7, 2025:

My daughter Luci's first single from her debut record released today! She's coming out swinging with this one - this song is MASSIVE. I'm so proud of her. It starts simple and then goes epic! She did all the vocals and the main guitar part. And of course, she wrote the song. Lots of sweet teenage angst in this one! Much thanks to Tim Karplus for engineering and playing additional electric guitar and bass, Ji Tanzer for playing drums, and Jeanot Lewis-Rolland for mixing and mastering!

**"At Last (Piano & Vocal)"** **by Naomi LaViolette**

I've used the Prelude in F Major from the 2nd book of Bach's Preludes and Fugues as a base for my piano part in this cover of "At Last." I've always leaned toward a more romantic approach to playing Bach. Baroque purists might criticize me, but hey, isn't music supposed to be fun and enjoyable?!? Learn it the right way, and then do it your own way, I say! The intro, outro, and instrumental solo are taken almost exactly from the prelude. In the solo it seems like Bach goes off into another world harmonically. I hope it can be a musical expression of being lost in love. The cover art for "At Last” was made with a photo of Mount Hood submitted by Patreon patrons Michael and Melissa Goodwin.

Upcoming Releases:

“Evergreen Fog” is the 6th release of the Lucente Skye Oregon Landscapes album, accompanied with beautiful artwork by Lindsay Gilmore, releasing March 14. It drifts between parallel major and minor, creating a shifting and “foggy” key center. Check out this Patreon post to listen, download the track, check out the score and learn the story behind the composition. I hope you're enjoying these solo piano songs inspired by the beautiful state I’m lucky enough to call home. You can listen to all of them at the Lucente Skye profile on streaming platforms. Are you a piano player, too? Get all the scores HERE!

***Covers (Piano & Vocal)*** **by Naomi LaViolette**

The full album of covers that I recorded during the pandemic lock-down releases March 21. Patreon folks truly have been at the center of this project, and it means so much to me! They helped me pick all the songs and provided the photos for each songs’ artwork. In the final album cover artwork, I included all their photos as if they were pinned up on a corkboard! It was so fun involving them in this way. Remember, all are welcome in Patreon!

UPCOMING SHOWS - hope to see you!

Saturday, March 8, 7pm
Song Suffragettes PNW
A celebration of women singer-songwriters on International Women's Day
The audience is invited to wear the colors for International Women’s Day (purple, green and white) to the show!
McMenamin’s Kennedy School in Portland, OR

Saturday, April 12, 8pm
The Cider Janes
A just-for-fun harmony-singing trio with my friends Aliyih & Heather
McMenamin's White Eagle Saloon in Portland, OR

Recent Highlights

What a blast to visit the Silverton High School Choir last month and do a composer clinic on "Melancholy Flower," the piece I co-composed with Steven Goodwin. If you are a conductor working on one my pieces, please reach out about a Composer Clinic! I do them over Zoom and in-person.

Just in case you missed it last month, Oregon Arts Watch posted a profile piece on my musical career called "At the intersection of empathy and creativity: Naomi LaViolette." Thanks again to Daryl Browne for this beautiful article.

What a fun show with neuroscientist Dr. Larry Sherman and the Portland Chamber Orchestra on Feb. 14!

It was heavenly to sing alongside the buttery-smooth vocals of Marilyn Keller. And then to perform Stevie Wonder’s “Sir Duke” with one of the most eclectic ensembles ever! Watch show videos in a FREE Patreon post. And here’s a Link to the Oregon Arts Watch review.

CHORAL COMMISSIONS

I'm so thrilled to now have THREE choral commissions due in the next year and a half. Wahoo! So happy to be creating what I love.

Find out about commissioning

Thank you so much for your interest in all these new releases, shows, and my creative journey. This upcoming break from social media has me a teensy worried that I’ll lose touch with some people, but we’ll still stay connected through Nay’s News. I also will miss watching reels of funny doggies. Oh wait, I can just be entertained by my funny doggy at home!

With Women’s History Month here, I’m feeling inspired by all the amazing women in my life. Although the challenging political climate sometimes feels like an evergreen fog we all get lost in, I’m hopeful that by lifting up the women around us and in places of leadership, we can find our way through it.

Wishing you a March full of sunshine and music!

Warmly,
Naomi (Nay)

P.S. – my dorky doodle dog Joy, always on the watch for signs of Spring... or squirrels:

Nay's News March 2025