To My Piano Playing Fans,

As a pianist, I know very well the joy and rapture that comes from playing the instrument itself…

I believe that the piano is perhaps the greatest instrument ever conceived of, in its magnificent range, in its ability to be both delicate and powerful, in its soaring and soulful voice, in its breath and heart; all of which remind me more of a living being then that of an instrument itself. There is something truly unique about the piano that sets it apart from other instruments; an almost organic, intangible quality of being able to create a special connection with the person playing it, both intimate and profound. In the right hands, the piano can truly be a reflection of the mind, heart and soul of the pianist. It is those abilities of reflection and connection that has made playing the piano such an important and enriching part of my life, and enabled me to start composing music in the first place. It is for these reasons that I truly cannot imagine my life without the piano and being able to play it on a regular basis.

I have always felt that an integral part of sharing my music with the world is sharing the ability to play it as well, at the instrument which I love so very much. This meant that I had the formidable challenge to both transcribe and engrave my music into sheet music that others could learn and play from. As many of you no doubt know, not all sheet music is created equally. Transcribing music into sheet music is a very complex process that requires a great deal of both musical and technical knowledge. Many artists all too often fall short in this regard and release transcriptions of their works that are a mere shadow or approximation of the real thing. I knew from the very beginning of my efforts in creating sheet music how important it was to reach for a higher standard of quality.

In an effort to produce the most accurate and technically perfect sheet music possible, I partnered with one of the greatest sheet music engravers in the industry today. This person has worked with some of the most talented musicians in the world, and has transcribed sheet music for many famous musical groups, organizations and institutions alike. I was really extremely fortunate in finding this talented individual, who was able to help me complete a task that I could not have accomplished alone.

Our process of music transcription and engraving combined both digital and non-digital methodologies, so that we could capture the notational accuracy and the musical aesthetics necessary in order to create truly great sheet music. During the transcription process we made sure to consider all of the important factors, such as proper notes, accurate rhythms, tempos, dynamics and expression. All of my songs went through a rigorous editing process of checking and rechecking to ensure that the transcriptions were truly flawless.

When you play one of my songs from this sheet music, you can rest assured that what you have in front of you is no less then exactly what I composed and am playing in my recordings. I felt very strongly that this level of quality and accuracy was important to produce for my fans, and also to honor the music that I worked so hard to compose.

With that said, I am truly proud to offer this collection of sheet music to you, my dedicated fans. I hope that in you my music will live on, and that it will find new life through your hands and your heart.

Sincerely,

Michael Samson
Pianist and Composer