Hi! I’m Rebecca Hass, a pianist and composer in St. Paul, Minnesota who has been obsessed with Brazilian music for the last 15 years. I’ve been a pianist for almost 30 years, but even 2 years ago, you wouldn’t have seen the word “composer” in my bio, though I was writing original music pretty regularly. I kept pushing myself further and further out of my comfort zone, and eventually I was writing daily, sharing it online, and completing original pieces in Brazilian styles (my favorite work that I’ve ever written!)
I really believe that we can give ourselves the permission we need to make whatever we want to make! So, here I am, getting ready to make my first album!
“Your pieces are so much fun to listen to!”
“Everyone should hire Rebecca - she does a wonderful job playing, composing, and providing engaging informational nuggets about the wonderful world of Brazilian music!”
In 2013, when I was most comfortable playing classical music, I tricked myself into arranging two Brazilian choros for solo piano by signing up to do so for a faculty recital at MacPhail. (Deadlines are motivating!) I fell in love with creating my own interpretations, so over the next few years, I wrote more Brazilian arrangements. Also, thanks to attending California Brazil Camp so many times, I’ve been able to get more authentic with Brazilian rhythms, and more importantly, my own voice.
Last year, I shifted entirely to original composition as I did 2 life-changing 100-day projects of daily composing and sharing on Instagram, which taught me so much about my creative process, and most importantly, allowed me to create original work that I was proud of.
My music is really fun, with infectious rhythms that make you move in your seat (or hopefully more than that!) I have had enough material to fill up an album for a year now, and it’s time to stop sitting on it, and share it with all of you!
I was honored to receive a grant this year from MacPhail Center for Music that covers some of the costs of making the album, but in order to complete the project, I need your help. I will be joined by a few amazing collaborators - Tim O’Keefe on percussion, Laura Harada on violin, and Jenny Klukken on marimba, who of course deserve to be compensated handsomely for their work.
Since Kickstarter is all or nothing, we need to reach the goal of $7000 by June 19 - I invite you to pre-order the album, or backing at one of the other reward levels described below!
In exchange for your support of my album, I've created some reward packages with art, songs and other cool items. Some information about these rewards is below. Select a reward level from the right column to support this project!
ART PRINT: This is a 5x7 piano art print, drawn by me!
ENAMEL PIN: A 1 inch pin, designed by me!
MAKE YOUR MUSIC PACKAGE:
1) A new, extended (14 day) version of my 5-day email course of bite-size composition prompts. You get daily emails with a easy-to-complete prompt that will help you start writing a piece of music. (examples below)
2) All of the sheet music for the songs on the album (some fully notated piano pieces, some lead sheets).
RINGTONE / WAKE UP ALARM: I will compose a custom wake-up alarm / ringtone / custom short and beautiful song, just for you (about 20 seconds long). I’ll send you a list of adjectives, you pick a few, and I’ll create something that fits that mood - calming, peppy, whatever you like!
LESSONS: No matter where you are in the world, you can improve your piano skills - all levels welcome. I offer many styles, including classical, jazz, Brazilian, pop, etc. Lessons take place over Skype unless you're in Minneapolis/St. Paul, then we might be able to do it in person.
CUSTOM COMPOSITION: I will compose a custom 2-3 minute solo piano piece, especially for you (for your personal use)! You get to choose the topic/mood, and we'll work together to create a song that fits your ideas. (Note: I will still own the rights to the piece.) If you have questions or ideas you're wondering about, feel free to get in touch before the end of the campaign.
HOUSE CONCERT: I’ll come to your house or venue, and play all of the music from the album, as well as some other fantastic Brazilian music. I’ll even take a few requests from you (to be determined ahead of time). Contact me directly about pricing outside of Minneapolis-St. Paul.
Here's the breakdown of costs for this project:
I can’t thank you enough for being interested in my music - I truly appreciate every single word of support, and I hope you’ll consider supporting my album, too!
Risks and challenges
This is a pretty low-risk project - all the music has already been written, and most of the recording plans are already in place. Of course, illness and manufacturing delays could always be a problem, but I've assembled a great team and timeline to make sure we're ready for everything.
Because this project is partially funded by a grant, I'm required to stick to my original timeline (completing recording in July, manufacturing CDs in August, and presenting my work to the community in the fall) - I'm highly organized and stick to my deadlines, so you can be sure I'll follow through!
I've also enlisted Angela M Webber of Doubleclicks Records, an experienced Kickstarter manager, to help me make and stick to a timeline and budget for this project.
Learn about accountability on KickstarterQuestions about this project? Check out the FAQ
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Funding period
- (21 days)