Elizabeth Axford

Available

Elizabeth C. Axford has been a full-time studio piano instructor since 1984, on both coasts of the U.S., first in Miami, FL (1984-1992), then in San Diego, CA (1992-Present). In Miami she conducted keyboard clinics for Yamaha and Roland. She earned her MA in Musicology from San Diego State Univ., and BA in Music from the Univ. of Illinois. A published author, songwriter, arranger, poet, and producer, her products are used by music teachers and students worldwide. She is an active member of NSAI, ASCAP, TAXI, MTAC, MTNA, and a voting member of NARAS. Both her critically acclaimed books, "Song Sheets to Software - A Guide to Print Music, Software, and Web Sites for Musicians" and "Traditional World Music Influences in Contemporary Solo Piano Literature" can be found in libraries worldwide. Her "Keyboard Chops" articles appear online at www.indie-music.com. Her column "Songwriting and the Web" appeared in the NSAI Newswire. One of the original seven NSAI Workshop coordinators, she started the Miami, FL workshop in 1990, and the San Diego workshop in 1992, after Hurricane Andrew devastated the area in which she taught and lived. She has produced or attended over 150 songwriting/music industry seminars. She has studied songwriting privately with Marc-Alan Barnette, Rick Beresford, Jason Blume, and Harriet Schock. She participated in Jai Josefs' songwriting classes at The Musician's Institute in LA, as well as his Monday Night Group. Many of her songs have won awards in international songwriting contests.

Songography:
A Hanukkah Tale - Keyboard instrumental licensed by PBS for Sit and Be Fit
Hatikva - Keyboard instrumental licensed by The Center for the Advancement of Jewish Education, Miami, FL for the portion of their web site celebrating Israel's 60th birthday; www.israel60miami.org
It's Not Like We Never Drove Through Texas - Single-Song Contract, Spectrum Music, France
It's a Guy Thing - Single-Song Contract, Muy Bambinos Music, Nashville, TN
It's Not Like We Never Drove Through Texas - Album cut on Country Songs by Susanne Holm (Finland); recorded in English
Jolly Old St. Nicholas - Keyboard instrumental licensed by The Lang Companies for sound chip in greeting card
Jolly Old St. Nicholas - Keyboard instrumental licensed by Wunderman, New York, NY for holiday card
Kidtunes - Compilation CD Executive Producer - 30 tracks
Merry Christmas Happy Hanukkah - A Multilingual Songbook and CD Producer, Arranger, Performer - 32 tracks; Songwriter (A Hanukkah Tale and Hanukkah! Hanukkah!) - 2 tracks
Oh, How Lovely Is the Evening - Keyboard instrumental licensed by Konitek, Johannesburg, South Africa for their corporate holiday card
Personal Touch - Song licensed for boy band project, MDVD Network; song selected by producer Matthew Dela Pola (David Foster, William Ross)
Ratango - Producer, English lyricist; tango/rap/hip-hop CD/DVD project; www.ratango.com with Marina Dorell www.marinadorell.com and Matthew Dela Pola www.mattdp.com
Survivor's Song - Background vocalist on title track of Jamie Reno's Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Benefit CD with Peter Frampton on lead guitar www.jamiereno.com
S'Vivon - Keyboard instrumental licensed by PBS for Sit and Be Fit
Too Deep (Sam Hogin, Elizabeth Axford, Ernie Harkins) - Album cut on Snapshot by Ernie Wylie, Adama Music
We Wish You a Merry Christmas - Keyboard instrumental licensed for use in Obama TV ad in Iowa
Who's Been Playing With The Jukebox? - Translated into Swedish by Bo Soderholm; recorded and performed by Susanne Holm (Finland); aired daily on Finnish Radio Vega from 5/15/04 - 7/15/04 as part of the Starjanbandet 2004 Festival www.susanneholm.com/sb.htm; Susanne took 2nd place in the radio votes
Other songs and/or tracks licensed for business or professional use (massage, therapy, dance studio, or similar) include Christmas In Florida, Chanukah, Hanerot Halalu, Hava Nagila, I Have a Little Dreydl, Maoz Tsur, We Wish You a Merry Christmas, and You're the Only True Love.

Publications:
Song Sheets to Software - A Guide to Print Music, Software, and Web Sites for Musicians (Scarecrow Press, 2008, 2004, 2001); 3rd edition will include a CD-ROM.
Traditional World Music Influences in Contemporary Solo Piano Literature (Scarecrow Press, 1997)
Ms. Axford's music reference books are found in academic and public libraries throughout the world; books and CDs reviewed and critically acclaimed in Choice, American Music Teacher, Teaching Music, Piano & Keyboard, Electronic Musician, American Reference Books Annual, Keyboard Teacher, Book News, American Songwriter, Muses News, Publishers Marketing Association Newsletter, Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators Bulletin, School Library Journal, The College Music Symposium, and The New Haven Advocate.
Hundreds of professional piano arrangements and compositions written, transcribed, and scored in Finale, including original, public domain, and licensed songs for Piano Press (see catalog), Hunk-ta-Bunk-ta® Music, Holiday Music Group, Dreamer Dreamer Productions, Star Cut Publishing, Winter Night Publishing, and Marina Dorell.
"Songwriting and the Web" articles in The NSAI Newswire
The Art of Music – A Collection of Writings, Volume 1 and Volume 2 (Piano Press, 2003, 2001)

Online Publications:
"Keyboard Chops" articles at www.indie-music.com
Piano Press Newsletter (Yahoo Group) at www.yahoo.com

Professional Organizations/Memberships:
American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP)
Country Music Association (CMA)
Music Teachers Association of California (MTAC)
Music Teachers National Association (MTNA)
Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI)
National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) – Voting Member
National Guild of Piano Teachers (NGPT)
Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI)
Songu.com
TAXI
Technology in Music Education (TI:ME)

Honors and Awards:
Pi Kappa Lambda, National Music Honor Society, Honorary Inductee, 1996
San Diego Public Library Local Authors Exhibit, 1998 - Present
Nashville Songwriters Association International Awards of Appreciation, 1997, 2000
Suniland Music Shoppe Teaching Studios Excellence Award, 1989
Illinois State Scholarship, 1976

Education:
Master of Arts, Music, San Diego State University
Bachelor of Arts, Music, University of Illinois
Writer’s Digest Correspondence School Certificate Writing to Sell Non-Fiction
State of Florida Teaching Certificate #561749 for Music K-12
Introduction to the Recording Studio Extension Course, Miami-Dade Community College

Digital Piano Labs
Keyboards
Macintosh Computers
CAI Software
Finale
Recording Software

Guest Speaker/Exhibitor:
California Arts Expo, Northridge, CA
California Music Educators Association (CMEA)/TI:ME Annual Conference, Pasadena, CA
California Association of Professional Music Teachers (CAPMT) Annual State Convention
Camp SummerSongs West, Camp Whittier, Santa Barbara, CA
Music Educators National Conference (MENC) National Convention, Nashville, TN
NAMM Convention, Anaheim, CA
Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), Nashville, TN
Sam Hinton San Diego Folk Heritage Festival
San Diego Local Author's Exhibit, Downtown Library
San Diego NSAI Workshop
Songwriters Guild of America, Nashville, TN

California - Southern

Keyboard
Piano
Voice - Backing
Voice - Lead

Would you consider staff positions as well as freelance work?: yes
Do you have a driver's license?: yes