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Born into a musical family, Maria fell
in love with the sound of the flute. With passion, she searched
and collected flutes from all around the world for all the
voices of the flute. She now has over 100. Their individual
voices became her passport and connection to the soul of
many cultures.
Preparing for a career in classical music, Maria entered college as a music scholarship
student and was in the master classes of Jean Pierre Rampal and James Galway.
Bitten by the jazz bug, she later studied with jazz flutist James Newton. Maria’s
travels and personal explorations into various cultural and spiritual traditions
moved her to expand her musical direction to include her work as a composer,
sound healer and workshop leader. Her experiences with indigenous peoples inspired
her to further develop her abilities in the performance and recording of world
music as well as music specifically created for healing the mind, body and spirit.
Maria is a recipient of three California Arts Council grants as Artist in Residence,
2000 to 2003. In 2002, she was also one of 24 California artists awarded a grant
from the State of California to teach energy education through the arts. Maria
was able to incorporate much of what is of great importance to her including,
music, musical composition, singing, dancing, writing, and Native American culture.
Musical performance has brought Maria around the globe to concerts, international
conferences, universities, museums, retreats, and hospitals. Her unique blend
of ethnic flute textures and compositions has contributed to several multi-media
projects. Maria has provided an eclectic mix of classical jazz and contemporary
world and new age music using flutes from her 100-piece international collection
in solo and ensemble performances including: Concerts, Conventions, Conferences,
Musicals and Plays, Retreats, Workshops, School Assemblies Festivals, Yoga and
Dance events and Specialty Cruises. Her clients range from medical practitioners
to teachers, to executives and celebrities.
Maria has composed CDs for specific events she has been asked to perform for. “A
Time for Peace” contains selections released under “The Breath of
Yoga,” a CD originally composed for the Yoga Journal’s 2003 Caribbean
Cruise. “The 5 Minute Hour” was originally composed for 25,000 members
of the California Association of Marriage, and Family Therapists 2003 annual
conference. Both CDs have been released along with two other recordings through
Maria’s company, Flutes of the World. She has also composed several commissioned
works, including a CD for the World Presidents Organization. Maria has been a
featured performer in the workshops of many renowned authors. |
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