The Big Sandy Library kicked off Library Card Sign-Up Month with the first of a series of live musical performances when Michelle Danreuther played piano for library patrons the afternoon of Tuesday, September 13th. The national La-La-La-Library Card Sign-Up campaign features musicians performing in libraries to raise awareness.
The Cascades by Scott Joplin, The Waterfall by Jon Schmidt, and Doctor Gradus Ad Parnassum by Claude Debussy were the three pieces Michelle chose to play for library patrons on Tuesday. As an audience member, the pieces sounded difficult and were played beautifully. This is her second library appearance, though last time (several years ago) she played the harp for local patrons. Locally, she also jumped in to play piano for the Montana Children's Theater production of Johnny Appleseed last year. Michelle explained that playing for crowds is something she has a lot of experience with. She viewed the opportunity to play in the library as a sort of "practice session" since it was a low pressure gig.
Michelle has been playing piano her whole life "My mom started teaching me when I was two. Then I took lessons from my from my pastor's wife. She taught me for about five years, and then I went on to another lady in Denton. I took lessons from my aunt, who was also in Lewistown. And then I went to a gal in Great Falls for my last four years of high school. I've played piano a lot of years, and I studied it in college." In College at MSU-Bozeman, she studied Music Education and piano, as well as voice. Michelle explained that the piano was her primary instrument and voice her second primary. She has been playing flute and harp since the 5th and 6th grade. Though she explained that the piano is "by far" her favorite. She describes her training and background as classical, though in the years since, she has grown to love jazz, ragtime, and other types of music. " I play popular music hits, country and classic rock as well as jazz and ragtime in piano and some on the harp." The growth in her musical tastes has impacted her approach to teaching as well. "And it's newer to me, because it's not something I grew up with. I was always trained classically. So now when I teach students, I try to implement some of those other styles because I feel like it closed me off to a lot of lines of other music. It's just like the harp. People think the harp is for church music. You can play a lot of things on a harp. It's not just church music you can play. You can also play jazz, ragtime, and classical."
Michelle plays gigs occasionally, mainly weddings, funerals, and church events. She did record an album many years ago as a high school student, though the experience was not a positive one. She occasionally improvises her own music while playing. She acknowledges that she couldn't play any of it the same way a second time around. She also teaches piano locally, though she is currently teaching as many students as her time will allow.
One of her first Big Sandy musical experiences took place not long after moving here. She played on two occasions with the Men in Black for Charlie Danruther's funeral. She describes playing with Rusty, Larry, Chris, Matt, and Josh. "Oh man, that was a blast. That was so fun." Her stint with the band went on to include a wedding for a relative in Highwood.
The Big Sandy Library will be featuring local musical talents every Friday at 11 AM for the rest of La-La-La-Library Card Sign Up Month. Check in with the library staff for more details. Michelle will be playing at the library again on the 27th at 1.
