Margaret Bernstein

New York City born Margaret Bernstein is an award winning singer-songwriter, composer and flutist with a unique voice, dynamic lyrics, and a positive and compelling message. Unlike many other songwriters of the pop-rock genre, Margaret is a classically trained musician who is an accomplished instrumental performer as well as a composer. Her musical compositions, which include elements from a diverse spectrum of styles and genres, have been inspired in part by her personal experiences and travels, which include four pilgrimages to India.

Her live performances are a testament to Margaret's amazing versatility, as she quickly segues from playing a Bach Partita on her flute to passionately playing the piano on an upbeat pop song. What makes Margaret stand out, however, is not only her eclectic and interesting background and level of accomplishment as a musician, but also her ability to communicate honestly and personally with her audience at heart level through her songs and music.

Performing and creating socially awakened songs and uplifting Instrumentals, Margaret is an artist who continues to inspire while generating continued interest from film directors, producers, publishers and a growing audience of fans worldwide. As Margaret herself says: ?Keep an open heart and mind and the possibilities are endless.? In her recordings and live performances, Margaret strives to embrace humanity with love and compassion through the gift of her music and the messages of her songs.

?Cinderella Falling?, the recent music video featuring Margaret as an alluring fairy Godmother, has generated much applause and interest from the media and fans while excitedly anticipating her upcoming ?Distant Thunder? album, which is scheduled to be released in March of 2011. Margaret's previous singer-songwriter release, ?Bricks in the Wall?, includes eleven original songs in addition to a music video of the title song, which is aimed at the awareness and healing of the lesser-known aspects of domestic abuse. In addition, Margaret has recorded and co-produced two instrumental albums, "Full Circle" and "On the Threshold Of Change", which feature her original compositions for flute with her own piano accompaniment.

The passion, which Margaret puts into her music, is also evident in her work as an educator and advocate for youth. In 2005, Margaret founded Azalea Blossom Incorporated, a not for profit 501c3 organization for the awareness, education and prevention of domestic and social violence and child abuse through the use of music, multimedia and the Arts. Through Azalea Blossom, Margaret created the SAFE through the Arts program, a weeklong educational prevention program for middle school students based on Self Affirmation, Financial literacy, and Education of non-violence. Margaret enthusiastically teaches SAFE through the Arts at public middle schools throughout New York State. At the conclusion of each program, Margaret's five-piece band performs an assembly concert in which the school chorus performs with Margaret's band to sing ?Believe?, the SAFE through the Arts theme song, which Margaret wrote in order to help empower youth. Margaret is also the founder of the Youth Sahavas, a retreat for teenagers held annually in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Margaret engaged in careers as a freelance flutist in the San Francisco Bay Area and a public school teacher in upstate New York before launching her career as a singer-songwriter. Her virtuosity on the flute earned her two degrees in performance (Oberlin Conservatory, BM; and Arizona State University, MM), won her several awards and scholarships, and led her to performances as a solo, chamber, and orchestral player throughout the United States and abroad. She has shared the stage with Tuck and Patty, Annie Haslam (of Renaissance), and jazz guitarist Mimi Fox among other notable musicians and has appeared on a compilation album produced by The Who's Pete Townsend. Additional performances include an opera season with the Albany Symphony and five seasons with the Dance Brigade's ?Nutcracker Sweetie? production (Oakland, California).

Growing up into a family of professional dancers and educators, Margaret was exposed to the importance of both the arts and education from an early age. Margaret's Great Aunt, Katherina Forbes Dunlop, was the headmistress of the oldest girls' boarding school in England, which was later bought by Playboy Entrepreneur Victor Lownes. KFD was a leading source of inspiration to Margaret, along with Margaret's parents and Godmother, Margaret Craske. With support and encouragement of her creative endeavors, Margaret Bernstein began composing short instrumental compositions and writing poetry by age seven. Margaret's musical compositions have earned her international recognition through repeated awards from UNISONG, West Coast Songwriters' Organization, and ASCAP. In addition, Margaret has written two original children's musicals, ?The Little Seed? and ?The Trees' Song for Peace? as well as songs for children and school choruses, which have been performed at public, private, and charter schools throughout the United States.

Despite her engaging career, Margaret manages to balance her musical endeavors with her other responsibilities and interests, which include hiking, cross-country skiing, and riding her horse, Reba. She is also intrigued by the medieval history of East Sussex, England, where her family has a residence and where Margaret also has a musical following in addition to her following in the United States and Canada. Margaret currently lives on her farm in upstate New York, where she resides with her fourteen-year-old son, Julian, and their beloved animals.