Muriel Anderson

Muriel Anderson is a composer and award-winning guitarist and harp-guitarist.

Biography

Muriel Anderson was born in Downers Grove, Illinois. Her grandfather was a saxophone player in John Phillip Sousa’s band, and her mother was a piano teacher. Her musical heritage showed early when an inspired six year old Anderson began composing her own songs. Muriel Anderson studied classical music in college at DePaul University with Leon Borkowski. She later took master courses with classical virtuoso Christopher Parkening. In 1989 she became the first woman to win the National Fingerpicking Guitar Championship.

Anderson is founder & director of the Music For Life Alliance, which is a 501c(3) tax exempt, not for profit charity that facilitates the efforts of individuals and organizations making music learning accessible to young people who may not otherwise be able to experience the educational, psychological, and social benefits of making music. She is also the founder and host of the Muriel Anderson's All Star Guitar Night, which donates its proceeds to the Music for Life Alliance.^[1] Her music can be heard in Woody Allen's film, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, and her “Heartstrings” recording accompanied the astronauts on the space shuttle Discovery.^{[citation needed]}

Her recent project is "New World Flamenco", a collaboration with Germany's renowned duo, Tierra Negra.^[2]

Anderson's unique approach to the instrument has been said to virtually transform the guitar into a lyrical choir, then a marching band, then a Japanese koto, then a bluegrass band.^{[citation needed]}. She can be heard in concert and as a guest on radio shows across the globe performing her unique arrangements and original compositions.

She resides in Nashville, Tennessee.

Recordings and publications

Celebrating her depth as a guitarist, composer, and vocalist, Muriel Anderson has a released fifteen CDs, nine videos/DVDs published by Truefire, Mel Bay and Homespun, and guitar books published by Hal Leonard, Mel Bay, and Zen-On Japan. Her compositions include commissioned classical works for the Nashville Chamber Orchestra and Vox Caelestis Women’s Choir, as well as songs which have appeared as title tracks for three albums by various artists. Muriel Anderson is a member of the advisory board for Mel Bay Publications.

Discography

CDs

• Harp Guitars Under the Stars with John Doan, 2010
• New World Flamenco with Tierra Negra, 2010
• Harp Guitar Christmas, (pre-release November 2006)
• Wildcat, January 2006
• Uncut Gems, 2003
• New Classics for Guitar and Cello, 2003
• Theme for Two Friends (original release) 1999
• Journey Through Time [limited Release] 2003
• Music For Life (limited release), 2000
• Heartstrings, (Japan release) 1998
• Christmas in Nashville (Japan) 1998
• A Little Christmas Gift, 1995
• Le Duet, 1995
• Hometown Live, 1993
• Arioso from Paris, 1991
• Heartstrings, 1989

Compilations

• Further Beyond Six Strings"" 2011
• Brad Hoyt | Together Alone | Duets with Piano and Harp Guitar 2009
• Harp Guitar Dreams 2009
• Beyond Six Strings 2007
• La Guitara 2005
• Guitar Fingerstyle II 2001
• Guitar Fingerstyle 1997

DVDs

• Fingerstyle Guitar Essentials - Arranging in the Key of D - DATA DVD
• Innovations for Acoustic Guitar
• A Guitarscape Planet 2006
• Muriel Anderson Live in Europe, 2005
• Muriel Anderson's All Star Guitar Night 10th Anniversary 2004
• Muriel Anderson's All Star Guitar Night 2000, 2002
• Muriel Anderson's All Star Guitar Night, 1998, re-released 2005

Blu-Rays

A Guitarscape Planet 2006

Books

• Selected Guitar Works, 2000
• All Scales in All Positions, 2000
• All Chords in All Positions, 1996
• Muriel Anderson Hometown Live, Songbook/CD 1998
• Building Guitar Arrangements from the Ground Up, Book/CD, 1994
• Chord Constellations Creative Concepts 1990

Miscellaneous

• Instant Download- Fingerstyle Guitar Essentials - Arranging in the Key of D
• Instant download - Innovations for Acoustic Guitar
• The Larson Creations Guitars & Mandolins (recorded CD for book)
• Glenn & Holly Yarbrough: Family Portrait CD (produced by Muriel Anderson, Folk Era Records 1995)

References

1. ^ All Star Guitar Night website
2. ^ d'Souza, Jerry (2010-02-11). "CD/LP Review: New World Flamenco". All About Jazz. http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=35404. Retrieved 2010-10-05. 

External links

• Official Muriel Anderson website
• All Star Guitar Night website
• Music for Life Alliance
• Muriel Anderson Interview at allaboutjazz.com

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Name	Anderson, Muriel
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Date of birth	1960
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