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Artist of the Week!
February 2008, week 3
CLAIRE CULBREATH
The Lifeline of Music
Read the complete story in the February issue of The Community Arts Cafe magazine!
MEET THE ARTIST HERE!
Sponsored by:
Overcoming Obstacles As A Songwriter
By Tonya Stanley
Ask Claire Culbreath about the meaning of her music and she would probably admit that it is her lifeline. In fact, music runs through the veins of her entire family. Life without music would be quite a struggle. "I am still trying to deal with what has happened to me, but my music keeps my mind off of this" says Claire, who lost her sight at the age of 28. "I (still) enjoy performing because it is my way of sharing my gift of music that brings joy to someone. I want them to feel the same rush and high that I do. It is a way of bonding with others showing them my passions and who I am."
Listening to Claire perform at her beautiful grand piano, one would never know that her world was not a picturesque storybook. The reality is the fact that she faces several challenges impacting her career stemming from her juvenile diabetes. "Losing my sight and having to start all over again is my biggest challenge and not being able to see the expression on the faces of loved ones" admits Claire.
As a child, someone once kidded Claire that she was "brainwashed" into music. She saw her Dad practicing his flute and saxophone for his gigs with the Charlie Culbreath Band. Her mother, Beverly Culbreath, is a well known soprano in Winston-Salem, having soloed with the Winston-Salem Symphony and starred in many local theatre musicals. Today, her youngest brother Wade is a percussionist with the Los Angeles Symphony Orchestra and also performs on many motion pictures. Reflecting on her musical family Claire says, "It is such a privilege to have parents who are so talented, and I don't take that for granted at all. I grew up watching them perform in front of an audience and I wanted to do the same thing. Plus my brother Wade inspires me as well."
For more information, visit www.claireculbreath.net regarding upcoming events.
April 04, 7:00-10:00 PM, Black Wolf Vineyards and Wolfs Lair Restaurant, Dobson NC
Claire began taking private piano lessons when she was eight, but was soon diagnosed with juvenile diabetes at 10. This did not stop her from continuing to study classical piano. She trained under some of the best classical and jazz pianists at several schools in North and South Carolina. Unaware of the importance of a good diet in order to manage her diabetes, Claire began experiencing noticeable side effects of her disease ranging from floaters in her eyes and extreme fatigue. As a result, Claire was eventually terminated from her internship in music therapy at the Veterans Hospital in Roanoke, Virginia.......
