P & J Records

Donna Sammarco’s Second CD “Here I Am, Lord” – Available now!

Click the play buttons below to play sample tracks of “Here I Am, Lord”

This CD represents five years of planning and the victory of numerous challenges along the way.

There has been a clamor for Donna to release another CD after the success of her first one, “On Eagles Wings” in 2004. That CD slowly received recognition in the US, then Canada, then Australia, and then in other countries in Europe and Asia. Its popularity grew steadily, and the CD, particularly its title track, has been become popular in at least 9 countries and continues to be so to date. The pressure to release a second CD has been strong and steady from that time – from both local folks and throughout the world.

Plans were made for a second CD, but one obstacle after another stood in the way. Donna developed some physical problems that made it difficult for her to play, particularly in the fashion demanded for a recording. The planning continued, but the problems did not recede. After many prayers, treatments, surgery, and a slow recuperation, however, the Lord finally agreed that it was time to get to work on this project. Thus, this year represents a victory and a triumph in its own right.

With respect to the development of Donna’s career, she began studying piano at the age of eight. Within a few years, she recognized that this was her passion and would end up being her career. By the time she reached her teens, she was performing solo. She started giving formal recitals and accompanying theater productions. She earned a Bachelor of Music from Nicholls State University, Louisiana, and a Master of Music from University of New Orleans. She is now a faculty member within the Department of Music, Nicholls State University, where she has been teaching and accompanying for a number of years. She also has a private studio where she teaches. She is the pianist/organist for the First United Methodist Church of Houma, Louisiana as well. Her God-given gifts and talents are clearly evident in those settings and also on this new CD.

“Here I Am, Lord” combines the old and the new, the bright and the introspective, quiet prayers and shouts of praise. These pieces are offered to the listener as prayers from Donna’s hands. They are meditative. They will draw you in and not let you go. They will inspire. At times, they may draw tears. These effects are born from that delicate balance between simple melodic statement, its embellishment with swirls of color from the arranger, and the gentle lifting of that multi-colored canvas to your ears by the performer in a sensitive and delicate manner. This is what Donna does best. It is the juxtaposition of simplicity and complexity in her music that makes it especially mesmerizing.

There is a broad spectrum of music presented on the CD. For example, Donna presents Bill Wolaver’s arrangement of Bill Millard’s “I Can Only Imagine” in a powerful and heart-warming manner, weaving in and out of musical statements of the anticipation of meeting Jesus. She also provides a memorable and touching delivery of the title song – “Here I Am, Lord” by Dan Schutte – a Christian favorite, framed in a beautiful arrangement by Mark Hayes, who breathes his own life into the song. There are also new interpretations of standard hymns, such as “Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us”, “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus”, “It is Well with My Soul”, “Fairest Lord Jesus, “Blessed Assurance”, and “I Surrender All”. Some of these tunes have been arranged Carol Tornquist and Susan Naylor Callaway – two additional wonderfully talented arrangers.

There is one tune that merits special mention; it is “A Prayer of Need”, by Penny Rodriguez. This song is contemporary but was inspired by a poem written by Thomas a’ Kempisin during the early 1400s. The poem and its message live on, even into this millenium. Have you ever heard an instrumental song that relayed a message, despite the fact that there were no words? This tune accomplishes that; you will feel the meaning of the words despite their absence.

Please click the image below to view the full-size poster: