The Woodland Heights PTO is hosting a concert featuring children’s music recording artist Joe McDermott. McDermott, the maestro of imagination, will be performing at 6 p.m. (doors open at 5:30 p.m.) Saturday, Oct.1, at the Brownwood Coliseum. Tickets are now available at the Brownwood Area Chamber of Commerce offices, $5 for upper level and $10 for floor seats, and will also be sold at the door. All money raised goes to benefit the school and its students.
McDermott’s first nationally distributed CD, I Am Baby, won a Parents’ Choice Recommended Honor in 1998; and both Great Big World (2001) and Everywhere You Go (2003) won the esteemed Parents’ Choice Silver Honor Award. Joe was honored with his first NAPPA Gold Award for Everywhere You Go, which includes the Children’s Music Web Award winning song, “Baby Kangaroo.” This song also captured a second place prize in the International Song Writing Contest, Children’s Division in 2005. In 2007, Joe released his fourth family music CD, Everybody Plays Air Guitar, which received a Parents’ Choice Recommended Honor. Many songs from all four releases are in regular rotation on XMKids Radio.
McDermott’s proficient songwriting abilities enabled him to compose music for children’s video games (Zombies Ate My Neighbors) and educational software. One project teamed Joe with Stan and Jan Berenstain, authors of the classic Berenstain Bears books. Impressed by Joe’s work, author Stan Berenstain enlisted him to adapt ten of their books to song. After working with Joe, Stan Berenstain said, “Joe McDermott is not only a magnificent songwriter, he’s also an absolute wizard at communicating with children through music.” Many of Joe’s catchy songs have been arranged for orchestral performance, allowing him to perform with the Austin Symphony Orchestra and the Allen Philharmonic Symphony.
Children’s music is a full-time focus for Joe McDermott. “What I love about this genre is how open it is to expression.” His artistic training helps him create visually rich songs that evoke emotions in “people of all sizes.” He’s been called “The maestro of imagination” for his creative approach and appeal.
Visit http://www.joemcdermottmusic.com/ for more information
