Meet Mary Anna Salo

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Anna Salo.

Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
My mom was a pianist, composer and arranger, so music was part of my life before I was even born (really – she was playing and singing to my brother and I while we were still in her womb!) I knew when I was 11 that I wanted to go to school as a piano performance major. I earned my bachelor’s in piano performance from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee and my master’s in piano performance from SMU here in Dallas. I’ve participated in solo piano festivals and a chamber music festival and was the keynote soloist at an international pedagogy conference in Tucson, Arizona. Currently, I accompany the Prelude and Concert I Choirs of the Children’s Chorus of Greater Dallas, one of the top five children’s choruses in the country and play for the Kerygma service at Highland Park United Methodist Church.

My day job for the last year-and-a half has been with Choristers Guild, a non-profit church music publishing and membership organization. As of July 1, I will be the Executive Director of the Dallas Chamber Music Society. I am so honored and excited to begin working for them! A serious interest of mine is fitness, not only because I enjoy it, but also specifically as it pertains to musicians. As a musician, working through overuse injuries has been a big part of my story. I want to provide other musicians an online (or in person!) resource to help them navigate overuse injuries or stay injury free. I am an ACE certified personal trainer and am coupling that knowledge with my music knowledge into an online studio called Triad Studio – mobility, strengthening and physical self-care tips for musicians of all ages and backgrounds. I’m on FB as Triad Studio and on Instagram as themusicalathletedfw.

Please tell us about your art.
I am a pianist. I accompany and improv. Eventually, I want to master the art of arranging as well. I play piano partly because I grew-up doing it, but also because I love to play and that’s really what I want to do – I want to play! Practicing long hours is not my thing, lol, though I have put in the long hours, but really – I want to play piano for the joy of it – so much beauty! Composers are such geniuses. As I’ve grown as a musician, I have been delighted to begin to better understand the composers’ music I play and to grasp just how incredible they really were and are. What else should you know about my artwork? You should know that it’s not about me and it’s not supposed to be! It’s about the music – I’m just the conduit to share a beautiful piece of sound artwork with you, the audience. The music itself is so intricate and stunning – it’s challenging mentally, aurally and physically…it amazes me.

As an accompanist and collaborator, it is my job to come prepared to rehearsal and to enhance the soloist or choir’s music making and that is a work of art of its own nature. Collaborating is incredible – you are communicating through sound, gesture and energy with other musicians as well as those who are listening! Talk about a thrilling adventure for all those who choose to participate in that adventure – there’s risk taking involved in making music and that risk is where the magic happens.

Do you have any advice for other artists? Any lessons you wished you learned earlier?
Don’t give up too soon. Take everything with a grain of salt. Work at your art form day in and day out whether you feel like it or not and whether you think you’re doing good work or not – just showing up and getting your work/practice done counts for a lot. Explore your other interests!

How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
They can see me with the Children’s Chorus during their season, which runs the end of August through early April. There will be three performances at the Meyerson, one at Moody Performance Hall and, if I remember, one at Klyde Warren Park. Dates and times can be found on their website. They can come see me at HPUMC every Sunday at 11 playing for the Kergyma service. And then any other recitals I am involved in will be posted on my website – www.maryannasalo.com. And beyond my playing work, come and hear the Dallas Chamber Music Society’s concerts at SMU. There are 5 each season with some of the top chamber music ensembles in the world – if people are looking for a wonderful evening of music as well as a way to support what I do – get tickets and come to one or all of those concerts.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.maryannasalo.com
• Email: salomaryanna@gmail.com
• Instagram: themusicalathletedfw
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/tonepoemstudio

Image Credit:
Sam Salo
Mandy Guilfoyle

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