Dream Within A Dream
Anna Schaad

Anna reemerges on her fourth album, Dream Within a Dream, having adapted herself to studio technology, using MIDI keyboards, drum loops, and samples, as well as downloading sound files from www.freesound.org, all to create instrumental beds for her compositions. As on her last album, The Journey, her chief human accompanist is percussionist Lauri Lyster, who adds even more unusual sounds to the computer-sourced ones. The result, while still remaining generally within the New Age genre, is a collection of music that borders on contemporary jazz, not to mention trance and trip-

Amazon Reviews:

INSPIRING MUSIC — I instantly loved this music when I heard it featured on 90.5 WCBE NPR radio. It is so inspiring and there is variety on the CD. I like to know the story behind the music. — Amanda Diane

GREAT MUSIC — a very talented musician, and I love her style. Her albums are always a good listen, entertaining, and enjoyable

The Journey
Anna Schaad

“The Journey” draws upon Schaad’s own imagination, and reflects her belief that imagination has been neglected and disenfranchised in the adult world. In her prologue, Schaad describes how her experience of growing up was laden with the message that imagination was meant to be left behind as “a relic of childhood.” According to Schaad, “I have never been able to leave it behind; it has never faded nor could reality discourage it. It has led me unfailingly to the best places that I have found in life. And what I have learned is Reality is founded on Imagination – all the brilliance, all the beauty, and all the miracles of Life were first conceived of in a realm where anything is possible. Reality is merely our lives outward expression of the vast Universe of Imagination.” We are able to travel with Schaad on “The Journey” and experience for ourselves the magical wonder of transforming our reality through the world of our imagination.

The Raven Project
Anna Schaad

“The Raven Project”, Anna Schaad’s solo debut album, soars with her original compositions as well as joint works with multi-instrumentalist David MacVittie. The project was designed to showcase her custom built electric five string viola, and combines this unique instrument with bouzouki, violin, slide guitar, saxophone, African drums and Highland bagpipes.

Showcased on the BBC’s “Archie Fisher’s Travelling Folk” radio show, “The Raven Project” was featured on an American/Celtic special broadcast on Thanksgiving across Scotland, Ireland, and Northern England. Selections from “The Raven Project” have also been featured on Robin Rilette’s “New Vistas in Music”, Dan Maher’s popular Saturday program “Inland Fold” on NPR, and Fiona Ritchie’s “Thistle and Shamrock”.

Review

“Ms. Schaad’s solo fiddle on “Maria” tells of masterly technique, traditionalism and classical influence. — Victory Music Review. May, 1998

“The Raven Project is a very satisfying CD. (Anna) can pull real emotion out of that custom five-string. — The Every Other Weekly. May, 1998