`CAMEO’ a hit for renowned MD

NEW RELEASE FOR TOP

COMPOSER MICHAEL HARVEY

By SHIRLEY BROUN

IN JUST 36 hours accomplished composer and musical director Michael Harvey's latest album reached nearly 26,000 people and had 8500 interactions around the world.

These are figures of which Michael, 70, is extremely proud and augers well for future sales of his new album CAMEO, which he penned from his beachside home on the New South Wales Mid North Coast.

The album marks the fifth solo album in the much-loved and acclaimed pianist's 50-year career and features many of his favourite TV and film songs and themes as well as two original pieces `Cameo' and `Eye to Eye'.

New Zealand born Michael said the album features his piano solo interpretations of the themes from the dramatic Game of Thrones, Gladiator, Downton Abbey, Brian May's beautiful ballad from Bohemian Rhapsody, `Who Wants to Live Forever', the pop-rock rhythm of Elton John's `Tiny Dancer', and the inspired beauty of Ennio Morricone's `Gabriel's Obeo' (The Mission), among other tracks.

The album was engineered by Glen Phimister and recorded at Richie Belkner's Free Energy Device Studios in Campberdown, NSW using a beautiful Kawai Grand Piano before being sent to Bruce Schneider for mastering.

A QUIET JOURNEY

CAMEO follows another of the well-respected maestro's successful albums `A Quiet Journey' which was released in 2018 and consists of 20 individual original piano pieces.

Album covers on both releases feature original paintings by Michael himself, who is also a keen artist.

Australian audiences know Michael well as his extensive career as a composer and Musical Director has seen him work on many successful TV shows including Sons & Daughters, Network 7's Australia's Most Wanted and the Australian soap opera `Possession'.

From 1995 to 2006 he was also resident Musical Director and Conductor for Network 7's broadcast of the `Carols in the Domain'.

Michael has worked with some of Australia's great performers including Peter Allen and Julie Anthony since first arriving in the country with his lovely wife of 40 years Jill in 1978.

"We were on our way to America and stopped over in Sydney (Jill was born in Melbourne) and we stayed. We never got to the USA," said Michael. He was just 28.

New to the industry in Australia, the talented musician was fortunate to have worked with a lovable and talented Aussie who toured New Zealand.

"I worked in NZ with Frankie Davidson and when we arrived in Australia, he introduced me to some people of interest. That was the start of everything and then a couple of years later, I met up with Julie Anthony again and she asked me to produce a single China Blue. We had previously met in the early 70s in Auckland when she was doing shows."

AUSTRALIAN ANTHEM

Michael and Julie formed a great working relationship and toured together from 1981 to 2004. The pair also teamed up on Julie's highly successful recording of the Australian Anthem, which is still often played at major sporting events around the country. The Anthem was produced by Michael and arranged and conducted by the late Maestro Tommy Tycho.

Like Maestros Tommy Tycho and Geoff Harvey, Michael became a household name across the nation as a much respected and admired Musical Director, songwriter and composer.

His awards and accolades came from around the world including the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand Scroll of Honour for lifetime achievement, two APRA Silver Scrolls for best composition, Outstanding Song Award in the Yamaha Song Festival and CLIO's Best TV Sound Track in New York (against competition from around the world).

In 2004, Michael wrote a stage musical based on the original works of Maggie Gordon called Eureka. The $5 million musical at Melbourne's Her Majesty's Theatre featured the cream of Australian stage and screen actors including Nancy Hayes, Peter Carroll, Michael Cormick, Amanda Muggleton, Rachael Beck, Barry Crocker and Ian Stenlake and was co-produced by Simon Gallaher.

FORCED BREAK

Then, in 2008, he was forced to take a break from the hectic world of entertainment after suffering a stroke.

"I was lucky that my wife got the ambulance to me very quickly but it was a bit scary at first when I couldn't speak or move, despite being able to see and understand everything that was going on around me," said Michael.

"Something inside of me though was fighting it and telling me that I wasn't going to stay like this. My face had drooped but within 24 hours I was back to normal. It was such a relief but the experience gave me a totally different attitude to life."

Suddenly, Michael had a clear outlook on the future:

"I took nine years off and I just wanted to write and record my own music and live life on my own terms. I still wanted to do lots of things for others but I am more in control of everything now," he said.

Concerts are still on his itinerary but not as many and in a much more organised and controlled manner, according to talented performer.

"I have been doing some concerts lately featuring a combination of slides and music. They go for about 1hr and 20 mins and all are different. Each is music-based and has a theme with pictures via slides and videos," he said.

"I've been performing in concert again now for three years and usually it's just me and sometimes I'm joined by tenor Gaetano Bonfante, a Sydney-based performer whom I taught at a performing arts college when he was about 18."

INSPIRED DURING COVID-19

COVID-19 has forced Michael and Jill into home-isolation but it has just given the inspired musician more time to spend on doing what he loves - writing and recording new music, and spending time with each other.

The couple also have two children they adopted from India in the early 1980s and 1 grand daughter, all of whom are the loves of their lives.

CAMEO is available at 38 Digital Outlets including CD Baby, iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, Apple Music and all your preferred digital sites. CDs are also available from his Michael Harvey Music website.

For CAMEO by Michael Harvey click here

Acclaimed Musical Director/composer Michael Harvey has just released his latest album `Cameo'.

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