Sara Donaldson

At age seven, Sara Donaldson started composing. At age 11, she picked up the cello. At age 15, she graduated from the Suzuki Cello Method, and then picked up the guitar. As a child, Sara was encouraged to name her compositions, typically referring to them as Opus 1, Opus 2, and so on. Occasionally she came up with a more creative name like “Raindrops,” which depicts a rainstorm rolling in and out on the piano. Her elementary, middle and high school years were filled not only with musical activities, but also with art and photography. College, however, was a different story.

Sara’s involvement with university organizations in college left little time for the arts. She quit the elite university chorale to pursue her student government “ambitions,” and set down her bow to make time for executive board meetings. There was a point where she looked at her expensive cello – it was sitting in the corner collecting dust – and contemplated selling it.

Sara returned from her junior year Christmas break with cello in-hand. Her first night back, she found herself in the candle-filled recording studio of Kevin Rhoads wearing headphones that blared Destinations Known’s song, “Your Love.” Kevin intended Sara to play cello on the band’s album. That spring semester, Sara dropped pre-med, switched her major to ADPR, picked up a course in painting, and started classical guitar lessons. She also picked up her musical pen and began composing again.

Sara’s debut album has allowed her to come full-circle, back to the music of her childhood. “Raindrops,” written on the piano at age seven, acquired words and turned into what is now “Drops of Rain.” Opus 6, written on the piano at age 12, was a perfect fit for the lyrics that refer to her student government years.

In addition to her self-produced solo album The Beginning, Sara has played with Creede Williams, Mission to the Sea and Tim Miller.

Information from the artist's site

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  Sara Donaldson: cello, keyboards, lead vocals, piano, vocals

Tori Amos meets Nora Jones meets Joni Mitchell meets Yo Yo Ma meets Yanni meets those percussionists sitting on a downtown street corner

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Pascale Hall