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Introducing C.A.R.E. Channel Artist Jill Haley

Jill HaleyAs a composer and performing artist, the U.S. national parks have been an inspiration to me. It is difficult to describe how immense and beautiful these treasured landscapes are to someone who has not visited them.

Some artists choose words, others paint or use a camera. I choose music.

This journey began with a trip to Glacier National Park in Montana, which resulted in a collection of musical pieces written after I returned home in an attempt to convey the beauty of the places I visited. Out of this came” Glacier Soundscapes,” my 1st recording about a national park.

After visiting Glacier, I was interested in exploring a different climate, so I traveled to Zion and Bryce Canyon in Utah. I decided to share photos of the places in these parks that inspired the music on my 2nd release, “Zion and Bryce Canyon Soundscapes.”

During this time I was also presenting concerts with video so audience members could see the places that inspired the music they were hearing.

In an attempt to delve deeper in my national park experiences, I explored the possibility of becoming an artist in residence in a national park. Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado offered me the opportunity to live in the park while I created my art.

This was a life changing experience. I became closely attuned to the environment and the music that came from this residency reflects this connection.

Another artist in residency followed, this time in Badlands National Park in South Dakota. The music written during this period has wide-open chords and melodic intervals that I was not aware of until much later. The music truly reflects the wide-open spaces of the prairie and seemingly endless sky.

As a trained music therapist, I am familiar with the power music has to heal and provide comfort to those in need of emotional or physical healing. I also became more aware of how powerful the memories of visiting the national parks are from the comments of the audience members who attended my national park concert/video programs.

These two points led me to the realization that a combination of music and video about our national parks could provide relaxation, peace, and healing to those struggling with illness.

The C.A.R.E. Channel is a perfect way for people dealing with health issues to get a respite. When I heard about this programming, I recognized that it provides a perfect format for me to share my music with those who might benefit from hearing it.

To learn more about Jill Haley’s music, please visit her website.