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Margaret Maria's Double CD Release

Margaret Maria's Double CD Release

Saturday, December 2 @ 8:00PMSat, Dec 2 @ 8:00PM

Annette Studios , 566 Annette St, Toronto, ON M6S 2C2, Toronto

Margaret Maria and pianist Bill Gilliam (Marbyllia) invite you to a double CD release event! 'Marbyllia' will be releasing their very first CD 'Uncountable Spheres' and Margaret Maria and Bill will play some spontaneously created music for you! Margaret Maria's 15th studio album, 'Goddess of Edges' will also be celebrated.

The ticket price includes both CD's. Don't forget, they are worth way more when the artists sign them 😊🎶💕

There's a pay bar on the premises and the seating will be informal bistro and tables. So come to enjoy, hear some interesting new creations, and help us celebrate this wonderful moment.

Our CD's will also be online (links tba). If you prefer to buy digital only versions of our music without CDs, you can order tickets for our Sat Dec 2nd CD release event for a discounted price of $20 (or PWYC) at annettestudios@gmail.com or pay at the door.

We look forward to seeing everyone there!

With Love,

Margaret Maria and Bill Gilliam.

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BIIMA Creativity and Improv Retreat in Italy

BIIMA Creativity and Improv Retreat in Italy

Monday, July 17 @ 7:00AM — Monday, July 31 @ 7:00PM (CEST, UTC+02)Mon, Jul 17 @ 7:00AM — Mon, Jul 31 @ 7:00PM (CEST, UTC+02)

Breno, Italy , Breno

Award-winning composer and cellist Margaret Maria, came to composing in a unique and unorthodox way. Join a group of peer artists (composers, music producers, writers, choreographers and musicians) and explore the depths of your imagination with Margaret Maria guiding you. Her unique approach will help you find your unique signature, or expand your concept of it. Wherever you are on your journey as a musician or creator, regardless of genre or arts discipline, this retreat will unlock the true artist within. Participate in a groundbreaking process that taps into your authentic creativity and expands your horizons. Unearth ideas and sounds of all kinds on 'inspiration walks' throughout Breno, gallery tours, and other unique excursions. The group will refine their skills and work together towards a mutual goal: spontaneous creation.

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Mar25

Improv By Night

Saturday, March 25 @ 8:00PMSat, Mar 25 @ 8:00PM

tbc, Ottawa

All instruments and levels welcome (you can also be a beginner with just a few scales under your fingertips to participate)! We will be improvising, playing with drones, rhythm machines, creating ' Music of the Future', making soundscapes in a live setting. Stay within your comfort zone and gently venture into more sharing as you feel comfortable. The second hour will be a guided 'Spontaneous Orchestra' experience. Let your imagination and creativity out, hone your listening skills, become aware of your heightened responsiveness and just come out to have fun creating free improv.

There will be 4 classes scheduled, one every month!! Your improv chops will develop over time, so I will post the classes as the dates are confirmed. Bring a friend who is either experienced or new to improv and I will work the varying experiences into the classes.

$20 is the suggested donation for the class...and it is pwyc (pay what you can). If you are interested in donating to support the program and the rental of a larger space for future classes, your donations will be greatly appreciated.

See you there!!!

Margaret Maria.

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Strings of St. John's - Ottawa

Strings of St. John's - Ottawa

Sunday, March 5 @ 2:00PMSun, Mar 5 @ 2:00PM

St. John's Church , 154 Somerset Street West, Ottawa

Margaret Maria's new work 'Through Glistening Eyes', commissioned by the Strings of St. John's, will have its World Premiere March 5, 2pm in honour of International Women's Day. Admission by donation, PWYC, suggested donation $20.

Program Notes:

‘If I could write anything, what would I write? This commission presented me with a challenge. 'Who am I' and what is my purpose as a composer. I could write anything…but what I really needed to write was a reflection of my experience as a spirit living in this world and to paint a picture of my world for others to see a glimpse of what I feel and sense about the world today.’

‘The theme is simply a statement…it’s not from the past or the future…it simply is. Maybe it is life…and the music is formed around this theme. I didn’t understand the simplicity of the theme at first…but it hinges the work together as new spaces open and close.’

She doesn’t understand the real world, not in the way others can live in it. Its pacing, its timing, how things unfold…they feel foreign to her. She sees it all but it doesn’t make sense. Only living through music, seeing the world through music does the world take on a sheen, a colour…energy and waves, melodies and emotions ebb and flow…her experience of the world is through emotions and sensing the energy of individuals and of collective energies…

She sees lights, and from high above she soars…she comes down to feel the energy thrumming and she dances…she can’t capture time, but only in the music can she be captivated by it…

She feels great love; floating and basking in powerful energy…and for her children, family, friends…for the world...for that which came before and will remain eternal…living life through hope and love and music…

She feels invigorated by energy…and yet finite time presses upon her. She feels the transience of time…the transience of the human form as it dissipates into music…she is music…she is not a theme anymore, but a wave of sound…

Her eyes cannot hold all the intensity…they glisten like stars in the never ending night sky.

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Imaginary Familiars and Marbyllia

Imaginary Familiars and Marbyllia

Sunday, November 20, 2022 @ 8:00PM — 10:00PM (EST, UTC-05)Sun, Nov 20, 2022 @ 8:00PM — 10:00PM (EST, UTC-05)

Array Space , 155 Walnut Street, Toronto

Pianist Bill Gilliam presents his solo, spoken word improvisations “Imaginary Familiars” for voice and prepared piano. These short pieces are inspired by familiar archetypes such as ghosts, trolls, demons, protectors and others who are actively demanding our attention, haunting and inspiring our worlds.

In the second set Marbyllia, a new collaborative duo with cellist Margaret Maria and pianist Bill Gilliam, will explore creating their spontaneously improvised compositions.

$20 or PWYC donations for in-person concert or livestream viewing. Thanks for your support!"

"Here is the Livestream link for our show" https://youtu.be/jGrlk-uItAw

If you want to view the livestream and would like to contribute $20 or a PWYC donation, please ensure the livestream is working first! Thanks.

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Creativity and Improv Retreat

July 17-31, 2023 Breno, Italy

Come on a creative holiday retreat with me in Italy this July!!

For the first time, I am guiding a group of the curious and the creative on a journey into the heart of creativity and finding one’s own inner muse (the muse lives within us, they are not external, although we gather externally the energy we need to create internally!)

Not only will you share two beautiful weeks of incredible food, majestic walks in the Alps, Italian language lessons, daily meditations, but also be immersed into my ‘Seeds of Creativity’ course and ‘Spontaneous Creations’ ensemble! As a musician I will also offer 'The Creative Performer' which explores our heightened choice making and creating a unique sound signature, and I will also be featuring the innovative and transformative, Alice Kay Kanack's 'Creativity Ability Development Method (CAD)' for all levels of experience. 

We will be highly experimental and free form, curating our experience as we go, finding where our ideas are emanating from, exploring our own ‘cycle of creativity’, consistently ‘making something out of nothing’ and being open to everything around us as inspiration for ‘what comes next’.

Just bring your curiosity and energy, along with an instrument if you are a performer, a writing pad if you are a writer, your dance attire if you are a choreographer or dancer, your open mind if you are a novice creator or just want to find out more about living your life through the creative lens.

Visit BIIMA website for more details and registration

BIIMA

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PWYC donations to support this event are welcome and appreciated

Marbyllia

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imaginary Familiars and Marbyllia

Featuring the newly formed duo 'Marbyllia' - spontaneous improvised creations by Bill Gilliam (piano) and Margaret Maria (cello).