Marcia has been awarded 2 “Silver Medals” by the Global Music Awards ("Debut Album" and "New Age | Native American Album"). These awards were judged by a panel of twelve people. For more info visit: GlobalMusicAwards.com A new video for the song, "Yellow Leaves Moon". Watch below or on the Official YouTube Channel. Review by BT Fasmer. Direct link to Review. Reposted courtesy of NewAgeMusic Guide. Take a musical journey into the heart of the night on “Woodland Moons”, the premier album from Native flutist/multi-instrumentalist Marcia Watson Bendo. The title, “Woodland Moons” was inspired by the lunar cycle and full moon names of the indigenous Northeastern Woodlands people of North America. The full moon names vary across geographic areas and symbolize a seasonal event or activity during that moon cycle. About the artist The impressions of classical music came at an early age for multi-instrumentalist Marcia Watson Bendo. The vibrations of strings and the air movement of woodwinds caught her attention and she decided that music would be an important part of her life. That and maybe being a scientist. At age seven it was 88 keys, and through the years, violin, the clarinet, and the Native American flute. Recently she learned to play the harp. It is that never ending curiosity and desire to learn that has inspired her continued pursuit of a long career in the music industry. Marcia’s formative years were spent playing the violin, during which she performed with the Tulsa Philharmonic Orchestra, The Tulsa Opera, and The Tulsa Ballet strengthening her classical roots. She went on to perform with notables such as Sammy Davis Jr., Doc Severinsen, and Ella Fitzgerald and with conductors Skitch Henderson and Arthur Fiedler. She continued her career as a free-lance violinist playing with Tom Jones, Don Williams, and she appeared in an Osmond Productions concert on HBO television. During this time, her professional career followed a tangent in psychology and law. She earned degrees in law and a Ph.D. in psychology. It is a certainty that her experiences influenced her future vocation, i.e. communicating with people with her music on an emotional level. Bendo picked up the Native American flute in 2011 and her career changed. She began composing for the flute and piano, honed her recording skills, and composed an album called Woodland Moons that featured flutes accompanied by light orchestral elements. Currently retired and living in Plano, Texas with her husband, Marcia lives each day to focus on her music. Her joy is in the journey. She gages her success not on celebrity, but in the potential exchange with her listeners. It is the little things that she appreciates; learning new material and breathing life into her music. Her current music embraces several genres such as classical, traditional folk and World genres with unique instrumental textures not typically heard in Native American Flute recordings. What gives her the most pleasure is connecting with her listeners on many levels, both musically and spiritually. She has many goals for her music, but on a personal level, she believes it’s important to be informed about evolving issues affecting the music industry, artists, and creators. She hopes that the technology which allows people to create, record, share, and collaborate with others worldwide will retain the human element in its evolution.
Of her music Marcia Watson Bendo says, “I strive to artistically create music that resonates with people by expressing an emotion, an image, a story, or reviving a memory. I enjoy exploring the melodic nuances and musical diversity of the native flutes with tenderness, poignancy, energy, and whimsy. It’s my hope that listeners will experience the qualities I love to convey with all the instruments and connect emotionally with my music.” Review by Dick Metcalf / Editor c/o Contemporary Fusion Reviews. Direct Link to Review Reposted courtesy of Dick Metcalf Marvelous Native flute premier album Marcia Watson Bendo – Woodland MoonsMarvelous Native flute premier album Marcia Watson Bendo – WOODLAND MOONS: What truly sets Marcia’s wonderful playing apart from all the others is the plethora of instruments she plays on her marvelous debut release… the highly engaging visuals in her trailer video are the perfect introduction to a new talent you’ll be hearing much more from in the future… …though you won’t find a lot of videos on her channel, be sure to subscribe on YouTube – because I anticipate seeing a lot more of her enchanting songs posted there soon! The promo sheet says that her “joy is in the journey“, and as you listen to the unique percussion and lush strings she has woven into the 6:08 “Forest Moon“, you’ll easily feel the elation she projects through her sensitive playing… she also plays piano on the album (she’s a “true” multi-instrumentalist), and the percussion provided by Rafael Pereira makes the magic come alive (particularly during the intro to the song). Though simple in structure, this is one of the lushest compositions I’ve listened to (yet) in 2018. Marcia’s music gives the listener a sense of “connection” that many other players just can’t realize, no matter how much musical education or experience they may have, and the songs she has created here are as rich in diversity as possible… one of the best examples of that broad range is the “heavy” sounds you might expect with a tune titled “Big Bear Moon“… it’s not hard (at all) to imagine woodland encounters with a lumbering, furry creature… and yet, there’s a gentleness about the piece that makes it very attractive for the long term… this one will be getting a lot of replays – I wouldn’t be at all surprised to find this composition being nominated for (and WINNING) an award! Of the dozen aural adventures Marcia offers up, it is (without a doubt) the intricacy and “down-home” feeling realized on “Maple Sugar Moon” that made it my personal favorite… once again, her mastery at “weaving” various instruments into a full-blown orchestral experience makes her stand apart most enchantingly.
I give Marcia a MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, with an “EQ” (energy quotient) rating of 4.99 for this sonic textural wonder! Get more information on Marcia’s website. |
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