Interview with Mary Dawood Catlin from United States

I've always been drawn to the piano, music, and the arts. One of my first memories was listening to a song my Mom had played on the record player, and feeling an overwhelming amount of emotion while listening to it. Music is my passion, and an essential form of expression in my life.

I recently co-founded with my husband a record label called Elysium Classics. It's a new, exciting venture in its infancy and we're both very excited for the future of our label.

Tenacity and the willingness to never give up in the face of adversity is more than a skill... it's a modus vivendi that helps not only in performance, but also in life. It is a life force!

An impressive performance, show, or masterpiece is one that the audience will never forget. It is one that transcends time.

I am methodical in my creative process while also needing the freedom to let the creation go where it needs to go. From conception to the final product, when I'm composing a piece of music, writing an article, learning a new piece of music, or recording, I have a set of goals to achieve. I write these goals down, which adds clarity to my process and helps me keep a clear vision of where I'm headed.

If I had to describe my process in a few words, it would look like this:

Conception – Clarification – Creation – Completion. The Four C's.

My best and most memorable performance was in Paris, France. I was giving a recital at Église Saint Merri near Centre Pompidou. One of my favorite pieces to perform is Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. It's been with me since I was a kid. It's an old friend. I was playing the three movements in this old, magnificent church, along with music by Bach, Rachmaninov, and Satie.

When I finished playing the first movement of the Moonlight, immediately after I played the final chord the church bells rang at the hour. It wasn't planned. It took everyone's breath away. It was one of those divine moments I will never forget.

I cannot recall ever having seen a bad performance, or a worst performance.

Participating in the 2023 LIT Music Awards has given me the opportunity to have my music heard internationally. Winning three Platinum awards for my piano composition HOPE is a great honor. I'm thrilled to be a triple Platinum winner in the LIT Music Awards!

It is a great opportunity to showcase my music, and have it heard worldwide, and the networking and promotional opportunities are significant.

A few weeks after I composed HOPE, both my parents passed away two weeks apart. To say that it was a challenging period of my life is an understatement. I was extraordinarily close to my parents and losing them was the hardest thing I have endured. They were my parental soulmates, and I still can't believe they're gone.

That being said, from great tragedy came HOPE as a few months after both my parents passed away, my husband and I found out that I was pregnant with our first child! Life always finds a way. From death comes life… from immense sorrow comes the hope of a new tomorrow.

My one piece of advice is to never give up. If you have a passion and a dream, no matter what it is, no matter how hard life gets, keep going. Have courage, have tenacity, and keep going no matter what. You'll never regret it.

My parents inspired me. They loved fiercely and completely, and they gave everything to their children and to their family. If in the winter of my life I can say that I lived with as much passion and love as my parents, I will have lived a wonderful life.

My husband inspires me. He is my muse, my greatest supporter, my collaborator, and my champion.

My daughter has been my salvation in my grief. She inspires me to rediscover the world through the wonder in her eyes.

My teachers have inspired me greatly. I carry their teachings and their words of wisdom with me. I treasure them.

I admire the people who inspire me.

I admire the great classical and romantic composers. Beethoven, Rachmaninov, and Chopin are the three I admire the most. They wrote music that speaks to my soul. They were giants among men.

I admire the great francophone singers: Jacques Brel, Charles Aznavour, Barbara, Edith Piaf, among many others. They were artists in their bone marrow, their stage presence was extraordinary, and their voices were stellar.

I admire the Golden Age of Hollywood, the classics, and the eternal stars of the Silver Screen. Just like a great piece of music, a great movie has the ability to transport you to different realms and realities.

I admire beauty in the seven arts: music, sculpture, painting, literature, architecture, performing, and film.

I admire the veterans, their courage and bravery, and their willingness to sacrifice themselves for the love of their country.

I admire astronauts, NASA and the space program. They make me dream of the stars, of our Milky Way, and of an entire universe waiting to be discovered.

I admire the Canadian hinterland, its nature, its vast, magnificent expanse of land.

I admire the beauty and the history of Europe and how every step you take on its cobbled streets is a step into the past.

I admire the spirit and the promise of America, how every step you take on her teeming shores is a step into a future of endless possibilities… where the American Dream is the flame that lives in the hearts of all those who seek life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

I am inspired by that which I admire.

Steven Spielberg!

The key to success is tenacity and the drive to keep going. Passion without tenacity is a barren land of unfulfilled dreams.

I draw my creative inspiration from my life experiences, passions, and emotions. My next project is a reflection of this and I look forward to sharing more very soon. Stay tuned!

Today's music industry is open to everyone. Everyone has a chance to showcase their talents and have their music heard. It's an exciting time to be a musician, and even though there is always room for improvement, the music industry today -- as a place of opportunity for all -- is the most perfect version of itself.

For those who want to know more about my background, you will find my autobiographical article published in the Journal of the International Alliance for Women in Music in the following link: