John Albert Thomas Solo Piano

CONCERT: June 18, 2011 – Franklin, TN

Whisperings Solo Piano Concert

Whisperings Solo Piano Radio Concert Series returns to Nashville this year with Joseph Akins, John Albert Thomas and Philip Wesley. Enjoy an evening of spectacular piano music from these three pianists as they perform their original compositions as heard on Whisperings.com. Door prizes will be given away! Autographed CDs and sheet music will be available. Meet and greet with the artists. Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 day of show. To purchase advance tickets, call 1-800-838-3006 or go to Brown Paper Tickets to purchase online.

Location: Miller Piano, 539 Cool Springs Boulevard Suite 120, Franklin, TN 37067

CONCERT: May 21, 2011 – Salt Lake City

John Albert Thomas & Michele McLaughlin
Saturday, May 21st at 7:00pm

Cozy Corner Concerts in Salt Lake City, Utah
$10 per seat (30 seats available)

TICKETS: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/171277

WATCH ONLINE: http://www.cozycornerconcerts.com/

Scheduled to perform: John Albert Thomas and Michele McLaughlin

Michele McLaughlin’s “Cozy Corner Concert Series” featuring renowned piano artists from around the world. These are in-home concerts, up close and personal around the piano with the artists in Michele’s living room. If you’ve never attended an in-home concert before, they’re a real treat. We love performing this way because it is so intimate and personal, the energy at these concerts is unlike anything else. They’re so much fun! Come share in these intimate and cozy concert experiences with Michele and her special guests.

Each concert has 30 seats available at $10 per seat. Shows start at 7:00pm, doors open at 6:30pm. Refreshments will be served. There will be a free CD giveaway, CD’s and sheet music will be available for sale, and you can mingle and visit with the artists during intermission and after the concert. Additional donations and tips are always appreciated.

We also broadcast these concerts LIVE on the internet. If you cannot come, but still want to watch, you can enjoy the music from the comfort of your own home. It’s the next best thing to being there in person. The broadcast can be viewed at www.cozycornerconcerts.com Help us spread the word about the broadcasts by inviting your friends to watch as well. We really appreciate the support

Come share in this intimate and cozy concert experience with John and Michele in Michele’s living room. Between their two beautiful styles and their haunting & captivating compositions, this will be a soul warming concert you don’t want to miss.

John’s music can be found at http://www.johnalbertthomas.com/

Michele’s music can be found at http://www.michelemclaughlin.bandcamp.com/

Additional concert details and videos can be found at http://www.cozycornerconcerts.com/

NOTE:

• Seating is general admission and is limited to 30 seats.
• Venue doors open at 6:30pm.
• There will be a meet & greet with the artists during intermission and after the concert.
• CD’s and Sheet Music will be available for sale.
• This is an “in-home” concert in a residential area. There will be plenty of parking on the street.
• Additional donations/tips are appreciated.

 

Reflections on 37

Yesterday I turned 38, and I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the adventures of the past twelve months.  God has been so good to me and my family that I needed to share these with you.

On October 10, 2009, I released my third solo piano album, Zuzu’s Petals, with a piano concert featuring fellow piano composer Kirk Dearman.  Here’s an excerpt from that performance:

It was a time of celebration, but behind the scenes we ran out of funds to continue my attempt to become a self-employed musician.  Becky and I had many emotional discussions, having differing views of what to do about our situation.  We spent a lot of time in prayer, seeking God’s direction.

Honestly, I was determined to make it work at all costs, but in the end I had to humble myself, accept my wife’s assessment of the situation, and trust that God was leading me through her conviction that I needed to go back to the corporate world.

You know what?  She was right.  On Oct. 26, I started contract work for Vanick Group doing website development, a trade in which God has always prospered us.  It felt like my dream died, but I had to trust God with our future.

On January 12, 2010, I received an email from a good mentor, David Nevue, that two of my tracks from Zuzu’s Petals were added to Whisperings: Solo Piano Radio, the #1 solo piano radio station on the Internet.  Not only was my music being played around the world, but I was warmly welcomed by the Whisperings artist community.

In February, Becky and I spotted our dream house for sale and we began to pray for it.  We knew we couldn’t pursue it until I had a permanent, salaried position.  Hopefully Vanick would be able to hire me after my contract expired.  However, we were dismayed when I finished my contract early, and we were once again without a sustainable income.

A week later I showed up at Vanick based on a misunderstanding, however, it was the same day that another developer gave his notice that he was leaving.  Providentially, the door opened for me and I was hired immediately!

Becky and I were so full of joy that we began to explore the possibility of obtaining our dream house.  The family was even willing to swap houses to make it happen.  There was a problem, though.  In the period of six months, our houses had dropped 15% in market value.  We would have to short sale.  In the end, we decided to stay put.

We see now that God was protecting us from biting off more than we could chew.  We have some upcoming medical expenses that we need to pay for, and we have a mountain of debt leftover from my attempt at self-employment last year.  I don’t recommend using debt to start a business.  Now we’re living on cash and spending less than we earn.  Such liberation!

As for my music career, I now give my music away as a ministry, letting people pay what they can/want.  All of my music can be downloaded from http://music.johnalbertthomas.com.  You don’t have to pay, but any money you give will help fund my next project, which you can read about at http://nowisleepproject.org.

On the night before my 38th birthday, I had the honor of performing my debut Whisperings: Solo Piano concert with fellow artists Joseph Akins and Michael Dulin.  We played at Lane Music in Germantown, TN, and here is a video of our final act, which was a fun, improvisational piece played by all three artists:

In summary, I hope you catch a glimpse of God’s goodness to the Thomas family. He spent the year chipping away at my self-centered mind, re-minding me of His unconditional love and acceptance, allowing me to find joy and delight in the blessings He already gave me through Becky, Ainsley, Abby, Emma, and Will.

Sometimes, we have to let go of our dreams to enjoy our reality.