About EC Bradley

Instruments  

Why choose Taylor and Guild? 

"These instruments are the first guitars in the line up of their exquisite sound.  Both of the instruments have similar well seasoned wood's ; rosewood body, spruce top, mahogany neck.  "They resonate with such depth that it easily takes me into a contemplative mode."

Other instruments played

The flute came in to the picture when band was first offered at school.  The experience was positive and fun. 

"Band afforded me a basic understanding of written music which I greatly appreciate.  My teachers were wonderful, ' the patience of saints' to listen to all that. In all seriousness, I love to listen to children play they put their hearts and soul into it.  Their energy and emotion gets me every time.  Just wonderful.  

The Irish Whistle is the most recent in the flute family of instruments for me.  It found its way onto the Notes to Bethlehem CD with the choral piece: A Song for Christmas, the music required a soprano voice and the whistle played the part, when a human could not be found.

Mandolin, Mandola, Boozooki, Banjo, Dulcimer both Appalachian style and hammer have all passed through her hands. The simple fact is that EC Bradley is a gifted musician.  She seems to be able to pick up any instrument and find the tune within it.  

"I am fascinated by the unique sounds of instruments and have been graced with the opportunity to experience many."

Music in the moment... 

"Often times in the studio, I can 'hear' what is needed and we look around the room (at The Acoustic Refuge Studio) and experiment with sound. A part is very often created on the spot with the pure imagination of that moment.

Background

Teachers

"I like to consider that the world has been my teacher.  That might seem a bit over the top, or perhaps idealistic, but I am a lifelong student of sound in all its forms.  So I carefully listen and in that listening I am moved to capture and create"  There are many wonderful composers that it would be difficult to name all my teachers." 

A special thanks in memory of a dear teacher Donald McCann, who encouraged me to play all the instruments the middle school owned.  
His generosity is well remembered.

A student of sound

"In listening carefully to the sounds of all things, to take that noise, hum, echo in, to move into that resonance deeply, is like breathing. The tone of a bell, the sound of a string or drum all have a unique timbre.  There is sound in so many unlikely instruments, that the possibilities are endless. It becomes a practice or mediation."

"Secondly, within a composition, I like to focus on each instrument and how its individual tone interacts with other instruments / voices.  For me it is always the music first then the lyrics.  In fact, I have gone for years only listening to the music and when the lyrics finally observed, it is as if I am listening to the piece for the very first time.  Pure enjoyment."

The school band can be a great start for children.  I highly encourage kids to be involved in any art form.  There is a determent to our society when things like band is cut from school programs"  

Music in support others

"Through my music there are several private endeavors that support Mother Earth and her creatures.  Depending on the tune, funds go toward these various projects."