Year Round-Up

I’m so proud to say that this year has been my most successful year yet! :-)

What began as a college assignment has turned into an amazing, fun, inspirational and awesome adventure with my invention of Music Audio Stories! I know I am creating something very special and it makes us so happy to see the great results I’ve had this year. From amazing reviews to awesome Story Times at schools and nurseries, it’s been a fantastic year and I am extremely grateful.
The project has taken me to places I never thought I would be and it’s changed my life. I can’t wait to write more stories! Visit my website here: http://www.musicaudiostories.com.

I‘ve been writing the next Lilygun album and even though the band didn’t get to perform this year, I did get to play some fun solo acoustic gigs and perform at a great festival too. I’m currently in the middle of recording all of my acoustic songs and will be doing some exciting things like videos and things next year. I have recently posted a cover song I play on YouTube and on Lilygun’s website so check that out here: http://www.lilygun.com/multimedia if you haven't seen it already! ;-)

Apart from my career really taking off this year, I’ve also had a great year personally. I’ve been on somewhat of a spiritual journey. I’ve done Self-Defence, played bass in one of my idols band’s, visited amazing places, been to awesome concerts, and somehow managed to upgrade my studio to a high professional standard without breaking the bank! I’ve been extremely lucky!

Dreams really do come true with hard work and effort! You just have to keep going no matter what. When things don’t go right, I’ve learnt that “every negative event contains within it the seed of an equal or greater benefit” (Napolean Hill). Stay true to yourself and never give up on your dreams. We are all here for a reason and we all offer the world something special in us just being here.

I genuinely can’t wait for next year and I wish you all health and happiness in 2015!
Big love to everyone who has helped and supported me this year, I salute you all xxx

♥ Anna-Christina 

Danny Elfman's Music from the Films of Tim Burton

Wonderful time at the Royal Albert Hall on Friday night for a very special evening of music by Danny Elfman. With a range of films from a fascinating back catalogue of classics including Beetlejuice, Batman, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Alice in Wonderland and Frankenweenie, this concert explored the collaborative relationship between music and storytelling and the process and importance that this has in film-making.

It was amazing to see the original sketches and film clips with the live orchestra performance. Something I will never forget. And if that wasn't enough, as they began the music to The Nightmare Before Christmas, the great man himself ran on stage and began to sing "What's this..." The whole audience cheered and applauded in shock! It was amazing :-)
Here are some photos I took...

♥ Anna-Christina 

Christmas Magic

Audio Book 8.Christmas Magic

It was the day before Christmas which means, it was Christmas Eve! It was snowing, so everything was white and the sky was so clear and bright. Icicles hung from the trees and snow flakes fell to the ground and most of the animals were fast asleep. But this year Santa was so busy, that he had to call upon extra helpers to deliver all the presents. And so, he called upon the ants. The ants set off on a winter adventure to deliver all the presents but can they make it to their final destination before Christmas morning? This story is an amalgamation of the first five stories written by Anna-Christina and includes an original classical soundtrack with a fantastic sing-a-long Christmas song featuring the whole cast of Music Audio Stories! Accompanied by unique sound effects throughout. 

Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00QIWT45G/ref=dm_ws_sp_ps_dp?ie=UTF8&qid=1418139368&sr=1-6

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/christmas-magic-music-audio/id947429026?i=947429037

Hope you enjoy listening...

♥ Anna-Christina 

Robert & Johnson's Space Adventure

Audio Book 7. Robert & Johnson's Space Adventure

There was a forest called Forest Friendly where all of the animals were very good friends but the two best of friends were Robert the brown bear and Johnson the badger. They loved to play guitar and banjo and sing cheerful songs. One day, when they were out in the forest playing guitar and banjo, they found a strange round metal object. They climbed inside. What they didn’t know was that this was no cave. It was a Spaceship! The story includes an original classical soundtrack with a psychedelic space theme and a cheerful song. Accompanied by unique sound effects throughout.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00QIWKKB8/ref=dm_ws_sp_ps_dp?ie=UTF8&qid=1417704046&sr=1-4

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/robert-johnsons-space-adventure/id947430185

Hope you enjoy listening...

♥ Anna-Christina 

Renaissance Alternative Music Festival

AMAZING news everyone... I have been invited to perform at this year's fifth edition of Renaissance Alternative Music Festival held on the 6th of December! I'm so excited :-) It's a very unique all day festival with many great live bands and DJs, 12 hours of continuous live music from Midday to Midnight and tickets include the Slimelight after party until 7am! I've always had a soft spot for this festival and Lilygun have played it a few times so I'm extra excited that now I get to perform my solo acoustic songs there too!

Saturday 6th December
Electrowerkz

7 Torrens St

London

EC1V 1NQ
Tube: Angel

Price: £10 / £6 before 3:00pm
(Ticket includes entry to Slimelight After Party)
Get tickets here: http://www.seetickets.com/Tour/renaissance-alternative-music-festival

  Doors 12-12pm | Stage time 6pm | 18+

Details:
I will be performing on the Second Stage (Archer's Stage) at this unique all day alternative music festival with many great live bands and DJs. Check out the Facebook event page for the full line-up here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1553962961492103/

This is going to be awesome!

♥ Anna-Christina

Solo Acoustic Gig Announced!

Pretty Little Lady? What the hell is this you say?

This project is one of my spin-off projects from Lilygun.
"Solo acoustic music with an edge and not for the faint-hearted" (so it has been written)...
Come and see what you think of it! 

 

Tuesday 18th November at AlleyCat Bar

4 Denmark Street
London
WC2H 8LP
Tube: Tottenham Court Road
Doors 7pm-1am | Stage time 10pm
18+
FREE ENTRY!

Join the Facebook event page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1571551893077951/

To our sweethearts - easy on the sweet and hard on the heart.

♥ Anna-Christina

Litter Bugs!

I am so proud to announce the release of my sixth Music Audio Story 'Litter Bugs' out today! It has been a huge hit at all the nurseries and schools I have visited. The children love it when I throw all the "rubbish" (little bits of colourful paper) everywhere and they have to pick it up and put it in the bin to the sound of the song in the story. Last week this kid made me crack up... He drew a road and a bin, so I said "that's wonderful but where's all the rubbish?". He raised his little eyebrows so high and said "it's in the bin!" and then I said "but where are all the bugs?" and he replied "they went home." hahaha it was so funny, even the teachers were laughing!

Audio Book 6. Litter Bugs

Bugsville was a lovely town full of neat little houses, tidy gardens and very clean streets. There was never any litter around thanks to The Bug Club! The Bug Club were a group of friends who kept the town in good order. Together they would sweep the streets and pick up any rubbish they saw lying around and put it in the bins. One day they noticed more and more litter in the streets and decided to investigate. The story includes an original classical soundtrack with a sweet little sing along song. Accompanied by unique sound effects throughout. 

Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Litter-Bugs

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/litter-bugs

Hope you enjoy listening,

♥ Anna-Christina 

Solo Acoustic Gig Announced!

Right folks, I have been extremely busy this year writing the next Lilygun album and putting a lot of time and energy into a few other projects I'm involved in but recently I have had an urge to get back on stage again and perform and so I am very happy to announce I have been invited to play at AlleyCat Bar!

Join the Facebook event page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1562433163991146/

Hope to see some familiar faces there... So excited!  

♥ Anna-Christina

News Update!

Just a little update here to tell you about some exciting things going on at the moment! Anyone who runs their own company will tell you how difficult it can be and Music Audio Stories is no different. However, the company has made huge progress this year. Yes, it's a lot of hard work but once you start to see the results of efforts made, it's such a joy! Plus being your own boss is wicked! :-D Apart from Music Audio Stories, we have some interesting new projects coming up but more on that later...

Speaking of Music Audio Stories, I have been working on my first Music Audio Stories album! Its been so much fun and I've been very lucky to have had the opportunity to work with talented actors and musicians. I'm releasing a new story soon called 'Litter Bugs' and I've almost finished my seventh story 'Robert & Johnson's Space Adventure'! I am planning something extra special for Christmas but I'll tell you about that later!

Even though there has been a demand for Lilygun shows recently, we are preparing our second album and won't be gigging for now. However, I will be performing my solo acoustic set a few more times before the end of the year. I will also be recording songs and hopefully doing a music video too! :-)

In between all of this, I'm writing new songs, compositions and stories. At times, it's a real challenge to keep up with everything but I love challenges and I'm feeling extremely inspired right now!

You can listen to samples of Music Audio Stories here: www.musicaudiostories.com

Enjoy!

♥ Anna-Christina

Taplow Court

Last month I went to visit Taplow Court, a mid 19th century mansion set high above the Thames near Maidenhead. It's the home of SGI-UK, a lay Buddhist society and it was a lovely day out.

Enjoy looking at some of my pictures here…

♥ Anna-Christina

Woburn Abbey and Gardens

July is one of my favourite months of the year because it’s my birthday month! I like to celebrate by always doing something special and this year was no exception. I visited Woburn Abbey and Gardens in Bedfordshire and it was an absolutely amazing day!

Rain had been predicted but it was lovely and sunny all day long and I walked around on the soft grass with no shoes on, which you really can’t do everywhere! The gardens were so beautiful with lots of weird and wonderful flowers, plants and trees from all over the world. There were various gardens like the Kitchen Garden, the Bog Garden, the Children's Garden as well as the Rockery and Pavilion and the Chinese Dairy. There was a gorgeous little Pottery and a Deer Park too.

Then it was time for herbal tea and cake in The Duchess’ Tea Room which was so tasty and relaxing, followed by a tour of the Abbey and grounds. There are some brilliant exhibitions and outstanding collections of art works including the Armada portrait of Queen Elizabeth I. There were 22 rooms to discover including the state apartments with original 18th century architecture, the Holland Library which is one of the largest private libraries with an extensive collection of natural history books, underground vaults housing the family's gold and silver collection and the Chinese Room with its decorative wallpaper.

I particularly loved Queen Victoria’s bedroom. It was stunning but the public are not allowed to take photos anywhere inside the Abbey so I don’t have a picture of this! One of the things that fascinated me, were all the old books! Hundreds and hundreds of them, small ones and huge ones, all with amazing covers! I really wanted to open one and have a look inside but of course, you weren’t allowed to touch any of them. They were exquisite!

So yes, I would definitely recommend visiting Woburn Abbey and Gardens. It’s a great day out and there’s also Woburn Safari Park near by too but I think you need two days to really get around both.

Enjoy looking at some of my pictures here…

♥ Anna-Christina