Rancho La Puerta 2026

 

My latest visit to Rancho La Puerta, a world-renowned health and wellness resort in Tecate, Mexico, marked my 17th year as a musical guest at the Ranch. With 40 miles of hiking trails, delicious vegetarian food, stunning gardens, meandering brick paths, swimming pools, fitness classes, and, of course, a gorgeous Steinway B piano and dreamy performance space, the Ranch is my idea of heaven on earth.

While there, I presented two singing classes and a piano concert. My day included early morning practicing from 6–8 a.m. followed by swimming, soaking,  yoga, and long walks. I brought my dear friend Kathy Lee as a guest, and she delighted in attending  a variety of fitness classes, morning hikes, tennis, pickleball,  Pilates, and lectures on diet and brain health.

One of the highlights of my week, in addition to seeing old friends from past visits,  was a dinner for the presenters hosted by the Ranch’s co-founder, Deborah Szekely, who will turn 104 in May. During the dinner, she offered sage advice on living a long and healthy life: stay curious, follow the Ranch diet, and remain positive. Her mind is sharp, her stories engaging, and she continues inspiring  others toward leading healthy, vibrant, and impactful lives. At the dinner she asked me to lead the group in a song, I chose a simple old camp tune that seems perfect for the tranquil  Ranch atmosphere: “I’ve Got Peace like a River.”

Stay curious! Consider learning to play the piano- a wonderful way to engage your brain while adding artistic beauty and joy to your daily life.  Play Piano Today with Laura Dean

Swimming to Reggae Beach

Last Friday morning at 7:00 a.m., I stood with my fellow Swimtrek swimmers—and new friends—on the shore of Oualie Beach on the island of Nevis and looked out across the channel to our swimming destination called  Reggae Beach on the island of St. Kitts, 2.5 miles across the water. In our five days of swimming, this would be our most demanding swim, as we would be encountering rolling waves (some as high as five feet) combined with a strong crosscurrent. Just before we entered the water, our trusty swim guide, Ricky Andrews, in his lively English accent, recited a Shakespeare quote from Julius Caesar:

“There is a tide in the affairs of men
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows and in miseries.
On such a full sea are we now afloat;
And we must take the current when it serves,
Or lose our ventures.”

Ready to swim from Nevis to St. Kitts

The first group of three (the pink caps) reached the other side first; perhaps they were motivated by the small, curious shark that trailed them until the guide boat scared it away with a rev of the motor. My group (the yellow caps) included four very strong San Diego swimmers—used to swimming in the chop—and me. We made it in an hour and 40 minutes give or take. The orange caps arrived as the grand finale –to the sound of cheering and applause on Reggae Beach. You can see in the video below, that sometimes the swimming was one stroke forward and two strokes back! 

 

 

Zuzana and Laura happy after a big day of swimming

Our crossing was just one of six swims we completed during our trip.  All told, we swam about 21,000 yards (around 12 miles) in five days. We also enjoyed the natural tropical flora and fauna surrounding our hotel (including monkeys), shared delicious meals, relaxed, walked, and practiced a little yoga. The highlight for me—beyond the swimming—was the new friends. Shout-out to the world’s greatest roomie, Zuzana, who lives in Luxembourg!

Dinner at Turtletime

This year has been a bit of a challenge, with a big change in my personal life. However, just as we kept swimming to our destination on that long channel crossing–despite the rolling waves and strong current—in the water and in life—it doesn’t hurt to have strong people and trusty guides  around you. Did I mention those San Diego swimmers and their powerful poise in the water? Did I mention our motivating, enthusiastic, and incredibly experienced swim guide, Ricky?  And how about the  tranquil, patient, and wise local guide, Nedd? Applause, applause! (Nedd also manages a “learn to swim program” in Nevis called SwimRite. Check it out!)  And of course, thanks to the boat captains, the staff at Oualie Resort, and to  Sexy Taxi for airport transfers! 

SwimTrek is a UK company offering 50 different guided swimming trips around the world. Last year, I took a SwimTrek to Espíritu Santo in Mexico, and now I’m hooked. Now excuse me—I have to plan my next SwimTrek.

Living it up with Liam in Livingston

My nephew Liam and I recently spent a couple of days and nights in Livingston, Montana. Livingston is a historic railroad town near the North Entrance of Yellowstone Park. Many of the original buildings remain intact or have been painstakingly restored. The charming downtown area welcomes visitors with eclectic shops, bright flower baskets, and an artsy vibe. Liam and I visited the Railway Station Museum, bowled at the local bowling alley, walked along the Yellowstone River, strolled through Sacajawea Park, dined out, and explored many of the wonderful thrift stores and boutiques. We also joined an evening art walk where we saw several works by the artist David Rathman, who is originally from my hometown of Choteau, Montana.

After our Livingston segment, my brother and I drove from his home in Clyde Park (near Livingston) to Great Falls to visit my mom. The original Dean trio had a great time visiting the former homes of our beloved grandparents, reminiscing about our childhood, sipping afternoon coffee at the Buffalo Blanc coffee shop across from Central High, cooking dinner together, and swimming at my mom’s condo.

Liam loves music, records, and vintage finds. He introduced me to a song by the progressive rock band from the 1970s called England, and in particular, the song —“All Alone” from their album —Garden Shed. Liam asked me if I could play the piece. I failed to find the sheet music for this obscure track, but I composed something inspired by it…

Liam’s Prelude:

Liam’s Prelude played by Laura Dean

Rancho La Puerta 2025

Bird of Paradise outside the administration building at Rancho La Puerta

Cardio funk classes with Milo Levell, nutritional talks with Sohailla Digsby RD, wellness talks by medical adventurer Dr. Brandee Waite, a mountain hike with friend and life coach, Emily Boorstein, time with my daughter, Ruby, swimming, visiting with old friends, and forging new friendships were some of the many highlights of my recent 2025 Rancho La Puerta trip. Rancho la Puerta, on the outskirts of Tecate, Mexico, is an expansive wellness resort that includes 4000 acres of hiking trails, gardens, gyms, yoga and dance studios, spas, swimming pools, a cooking school, an organic garden, and more. I first visited the Ranch in 2009 as a musical guest presenting a piano concert and singing classes, and have returned in the same capacity over a dozen times through the years. In fact, it is where I met my better half, Joe, who was a fitness instructor at the Ranch for some 30 years (that’s another story for another time).

Siempre Mejor, which translates to Always Better, is the motto of the Ranch. Indeed! Each visit provides opportunities for personal renewal and growth. At the end of the week, I ALWAYS leave with a feeling of gratitude and resolve that I am on the right path. My path includes the magic bullet of diet and exercise, self care, friendships, continuing education, travel, and meaningful work: teaching, studying, and performing music. As always, it’s good to return home, and as I look forward to a busy month ahead, which I refer to as “March Musical Madness.” In the next few weeks, I’ll work my own students in my studio as well as take to the road for work with a variety of students and teachers in the Western Washington region. As I step into March, I’m filled with energy, and a sense of calmness, ready to tackle what lies ahead. Siempre Mejor!

Are you ready to study piano in 2025? Check out my online, and on your own music course.

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A Swimming Intermezzo in Baja Sur

Though we usually think of an intermezzo as a short piece of music, or a musical break between two acts, another definition according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary: a usually brief interlude or diversion. I just returned from a SwimTrek Vacation in Baja California Sur to the protected island sanctuary and Unesco World Heritage site of la Isla Espiritu Santo located about an hour’s boat ride from La Paz nestled in the Gulf of California. This was my first, of what I hope will be many trips with SwimTrek. My companions and newfound friends were 11 other swimmers from the U.S., Canada, The Netherlands, England, and Germany. We were accompanied by three swim guides, 2 boat captains, and 4 other staff members who cooked delicious food, and kept our camp sight beautiful and welcoming. The vacation included spectacular open water swimming (around 5 kilometers a day), a swim with sea lions, views of a magnificent frigatebird colony, diving brown pelicans, technicolor sunsets, delicious food, spectacular night skies and a beautiful beach and swimming cove literally a few yards away from our tents. Eat, Swim, Sleep, Rinse and Repeat!

A SWIMTREK DIARY

Day 1: I took a red eye flight from Seattle to La Paz (with a stop over in Guadalajara) with Volaris Airlines.

Approaching La Paz on Volaris Airlines Photo taken by Laura Dean

Day 2: Arrived midday at Hotel Catedral in La Paz after a short taxi ride from the airport. Explored the tranquil streets of La Paz on foot and ambled along the Melecon (a sidewalk that skirts the beach and coastline along the Gulf of California (also known as the Sea of Cortez).

A tranquil street in La Paz with a view of the water. Photo by Laura Dean

Day 3: Visited the Art Museum of La Paz and met my fellow swim trekkers and swim guides for an orientation and safety meeting in the late afternoon. Early to bed as the next day we will load our two pangas (small boats) and sail to the protected island of Espiritu Santo where our camp will be set up for us.

Mural in the La Paz Art Museum depicting the history of the region. Photo taken by Laura Dean

Day 4: Adios La Paz. After breakfast at the hotel, we load the boats along with our duffle bags and head toward our camp on Espiritu Santo. We stop along the way for our first swim. I’m blown away by the abundant undersea life including colorful tropical fish and beautiful coral reefs. We are separated into our swim groups and given colorful swim caps so the swim guides can easily identify our groups. I am in the pink group which we nickname the Barbies! On our very first swim, we encounter jelly fish and sea lice which are invisible baby jelly fish that sting like crazy. From then on, I decide to wear my wet suit. Luckily, I threw it into my duffle bag at the last minute. We all have a great time getting to know each other during our boat commute. After our first big swim, we head to our campsite for lunch and to unpack our belongings in our tents. The staff has thought of everything, including cozy tent accommodations, an impressive pair of compostable toilets, hand washing stations, a solar shower, a solar powered charging station for cameras and phones (there is no wifi on the island), a dining area, and a kitchen where the staff churns out one delicious meal after another. In the afternoon, after a short siesta, we head out into the bay for a shorter swim before happy hour and dinner.

My swim group before boarding the boats for our ride to Espiritu Santo.

Day 5: Slept like a rock on the first night at the campsite. Breakfast, then we load up the pongas for zipping off to a new swim site. Swim. Back to the campsite for lunch and siesta followed by more swimming. We have the usual happy hour accompanied by spectacular sunset viewing followed by dinner, and most of us are in bed by 8:00 which is called the Baja Midnight. As there is no electricity on the beach and in our campsite, we experience a peaceful early bedtime. I read for an hour before drifting off to sleep while the waves gently roll onto the beach outside of the tent. I am in swimming heaven!

Day 6: Breakfast, trip to swim with sea lions, lunch, siesta, more swimming, dinner, and we entertain ourselves with improv games. A favorite was the three-headed guru! We stay awake past 8:00 pm so that Said, our trusty swim guide, who resides in La Paz, can give us an astronomy lecture. He outlines the twinkling constellations with his powerful laser pointer, and tells us stories about Orion and Cassiopeia. After the star lecture, we head back to our tents for a night of celestial sleep. I hear a scratch at my tent thinking that something is scraping the nylon walls from the outside, but then the scratching becomes more persistent and louder and after turning on my headlamp, I realize a ring tailed cat, known in the Baja as babisuri, is peering at me from a corner of my tent, looking very cute, but very wild. Scott and Said, two of the swim guides, are nearby and help me usher the visitor out of my tent. A couple hours later, Hannah and Jules have two babisuris in their tent which they manage to get out on their own with a lot of giggling!

Babisuri from analisisbcs.com
Our camp staff along with Said. They put their heart and soul into the cooking, driving the boats, and taking care of the camp site!

Day 7: Thanksgiving. After breakfast and our morning swim meeting, our trusty head swim guide, Jamie, informs us that rather than running a Turkey Trot (as we’re swimmers, not runners), we will be swimming a 5k. Ok! sounds good to us, we load up the pangas and head to a beautiful series of coves where we swim in, out and around and eventually make our way back to camp via the water highway. Our guides coax us on from their kayaks with water breaks and giving us some gummy bear candies along the way. In the evening, we share our final meal, and we recognize the amazing staff for all of their hard work!

Brown Pelican diving for fish at sunset, video taken by Laura Dean

Day 8: Sadly, we pack up our duffle bags, eat breakfast and head out on the pangas. We make our way back to La Paz with two swims along the way. Back in La Paz, we have ice cream and head back to the hotel where we have our first shower in several days. We meet up in the evening for a family style meal at a lovely restaurant in La Paz. We say our good byes and head back to our hotel. Good bye friends!

Day 9: I fly from La Paz to Guadalajara to Seattle. Home sweet home. I’m already dreaming of my next SwimTrek Vacation which I hope will be an annual event.

Jafet Badillo took some amazing underwater photos and videos early in our week. Below is his video. You can visit him on instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/jafetphoto/profilecard/?igsh=Y2s2OHp0N284azF3

In the words of Dori in the movie Finding Nemo….. “Just keep swimming.”

We Have Reached Our Cruising Altitude

Photo by Bornil Amin on Upsplash

The following essay recently appeared in the Clarion which is the WSMTA (Washington State Music Teachers) newsletter. I currently serve as the chair of the Independent Music Teachers Forum. One of my duties is writing an article for the Clarion every couple of months. I thought this one might give my readers an insight into the daily life of an independent music teacher.

Back in the early 90’s when I graduated from college, I entertained the thought of becoming a flight attendant. The job appealed to me because it seemed glamorous, interesting, and provided an abundance of travel opportunities. I never became a flight attendant, but I did end up working on cruise ships, which is a story for another time. Along the lines of the flight attendant memory, I’ve been recently thinking about our careers as independent music teachers, and how we might compare a long teaching afternoon to an international or cross-country flight. After all, it takes 6 hours and 15 minutes to fly from New York to London. It takes just over 5 hours to fly from Seattle to Florida. Some of us may spend that amount of time teaching in our studios daily. Let’s consider the parallels of an afternoon of teaching to a long flight.

As teachers, we serve in many roles. We are the ground crew making sure all is well with our instruments and our studio environments. We are also the gate agents , the information desk, the pilot, and the cabin crew all rolled into one. The best that we can hope for is a smooth flight. This would be a teaching day where our students are prepared, they have all their materials with them, they have practiced, they are in good spirits and cooperative, and the schedule runs smoothly from take¬-off (the first lesson of the day) to landing (the last lesson of the day). On some of our musical flights, there is no turbulence, no emergencies, and we thoroughly enjoy a productive and pleasant teaching day – smoothly moving from one student to the next. There is no lost luggage, no one forgets their books at home, no one leaves a coat at the lesson, no one is dissatisfied, and thus, our flight concludes without a hitch.

However, some days the flight is bumpy. The first student may cancel at the last minute with a sore throat, another might forget a critical book, another had no time for practice because of a three-day soccer tournament over the past weekend. Another student may be argumentative and uninterested in anything that we have planned for that day. There might even be an emergency! Just a few weeks ago, a student of mine fainted in my studio because she had absentmindedly not eaten enough that day.

As we go about our days, it’s best to remember that one thing is certain, just as in flying, as in our teaching, there may be bumps in the road, schedule changes, difficult situations, and disappointments. However, there may also be days and days of smooth flights, uplifting interactions, inspired students, agreeable parents, and above all, fabulous music making. The best that we can do is be professional, put on a smile, open that door, welcome our student in, and remember that, in the words of the late Thubten Yeshe, a Tibetan Lama, “If you expect your life to be full of ups and downs, then your mind will be much more peaceful.”

Bring Them Home / Aiskótáhkapiyaaya 

Trailer for Bring Them Home. (if you aren’t able to play- please click here.)

I recently attended the Seattle International Film Festival where I saw Bring Them Home/ Aiskótáhkapiyaaya, a conservation documentary film about the reestablishment of the American bison, also known as buffalo, on ancestral territory of the Blackfeet nation near Browning, Montana. The film highlights the history of the buffalo, and how the species was nearly wiped out in the 19th century. The film also points to the many ways the history of the buffalo mirrors the epic history of the Blackfeet people, and how the success of the wild herd has, in turn, uplifted the Blackfeet community.

The film, narrated by Academy Award-nominated Blackfeet/Nez Perce actor Lily Gladstone, was co-directed by Blackfeet siblings Ivan and Ivy MacDonald along with Daniel Glick. The musical soundtrack includes traditional singing, rapping, and contemporary arrangements mixing indigenous singing with modern orchestral accompaniment. I especially enjoyed the inspiring stories of the Blackfeet people who worked on the project, along with the magnificent cinematography of the buffalo roaming, and sometimes, galloping along the Rocky Mountain front. What a thrill! The area showcased in the film is about 70 miles northwest of Choteau, Montana, where I am from.

If you get a chance to see this movie, I wonder if you’ll shed a tear, as I did, when you watch the buffalo thunder toward the wide open space when they are released into the wilds of Montana under the big Montana sky at the end of the film. For more information bout the film here click here.

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A mini “Up With People” Cast Reunion in Sarasota, Florida.

Official Cast C 1987-1988 photo, taken in Tucson, Arizona before the start of our tour. I’m second row- 5th from the right with spiky hair and a hot pink shirt. Got to love the 80s!

Today’s blog post contains a bit of nostalgia, thus the Up with People Cast C photo from 1987. If you’ve known me for a while, you may know that upon graduating from high school in Choteau, Montana, and prior to attending the University of Montana, I spent one year traveling as a student with the international educational program, Up With People. Created in the 60s, Up With People is still around today. By the way, contrary to some preconceived notions, UWP is NOT a religious group.

This is the letter of reference that we each received upon completion of our year in 1988. (this gives an overview of the year.)

During the year, our cast of 100 students along with about 20 staff members gathered in Tucson for five weeks to learn the show and the ins and outs of life on the road. (Back in the day, there were five casts touring to different parts of the world all at the same time.) After our staging and orientation, we took to the road in two tour buses, a couple of small vans, and a semi truck (filled with our set, lights, instruments and costumes.) Our first leg of travel took us through middle America before making our way to the east coast of the U.S. and then into Canada. In Canada, our tour stopped in large cities and small towns throughout Quebec and Ontario where we played in a LOT of hockey stadiums. During the second half of the year, we headed to Europe where we toured in Italy, Germany, Belgium, Holland, and Switzerland. At each of our tour stops, we set up the stage, performed our musical show, and engaged in community service such as performing in hospitals, prisons, and retirement homes. Wherever we went, we stayed with host families. In all, I stayed with over 50 host families.

To say the least, this was a life changing experience for this once 18 year old naive girl from rural Montana. Sure, I remember the amazing places we traveled to, the host families, and the show. I remember what a thrill it was performing in front of audiences in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. But, nothing compares to the lasting friendships we forged during that year of touring, performing, laughing, crying, singing, dancing, and making our way through a year on the road including the challenges, the highs, and the lows. Those friendships endure to this day.

This brings me to Sarasota, Florida, where I recently traveled to during Spring Break for a mini cast reunion with Frank, Cary, Manon, Holly, Kate, Bruce, Geert, and his husband, Ray. Ray didn’t travel with Up With People, but with his dancing skills, he should have! Whenever I reunite with cast members from the road, it feels as if I just saw them yesterday. This last trip was no exception. During the three days we were together, we danced, sang, walked, biked, experienced the solar eclipse, went boating, prepared meals and ate together, went to a drumming event on the beach, went to a musical fund raiser for an arts building in need of repair, visited the Selby Gardens, toured the art museum at The Ringling Estate, and much more. I hadn’t seen many of my friends for some 20 years, as I have been busy raising my now 22 year old daughter, Ruby. However, when I saw them on this trip, our friendships picked right back up where we had left off.

Thank you to Geert and Ray who hosted us and who made our reunion and time in Sarasota so special.

On the beach for an evening drumming and dancing party in Siesta Key (Geert, Laura, Cary, Ray, Frank, Manon- and one photo bomber behind Geert)

Boat ride around Siesta Key with our gang!

Ringling Mansion with Laura and Geert
Selby Gardens

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Applause Worthy Performances!

istockphoto.com (Photo credit: ziggy_mars)

It’s Music Artistry season in Washington State. What is that, you ask? Throughout the month of March, Washington State Music Teacher Chapters invite visiting artists to their neck of the woods to listen to students, write comments, and work with each student for a few minutes on two pieces that the teachers and students have painstakingly prepared for performance. (Phew!) A visiting artist may be at a location from one day to one week. Sometimes these locations are private studios, but most often times, they are in churches, as some churches have wonderful grand pianos – perfect for such an event.

I have been on both sides of the Music Artistry Program (MAP), my students annually play in the Seattle Music Teacher Chapter’s MAP, and I have been a visiting artist myself for the past four years. In that time, I’ve worked with students in the Snohomish, Olympia, Edmonds, and most recently, The Kitsap Peninsula. At the end of the month, I’ll be flying to Wenatchee, renting a car, and then driving north to visit the Okanogan Chapter in the north eastern part of Washington state.

As a visiting artists, some things that we watch for in performances are stage presence, posture at the piano, hand position, and ease of movement while playing. We listen for beautiful phrasing, smooth legato passages, crisp staccatos, and expressive playing that uses a wide variety of dynamics. We check that the performer accurately interprets the score including rhythm, tempo, notes, fingerings, clean passages, and articulations. We listen for beautiful tone production and balance between the hands. Is the melody coming through over the accompaniment? Do the phrases end gracefully? Does the music breathe? Does the student understand and express the mood of the pieces?

Here’s a video of an early intermediate piece demonstrating attention to details as indicted in the score. This piece, “Fantasie,” by George Philipp Telemann, is an early intermediate piece from the Baroque Era, it is found in The Festival Collection, Book 3, edited by Helen Marlais.

If you are interested in learning the piano in a traditional style, that is learning: how to play musically with ease, how to read a musical score, how to practice a piece, and how to add all of the details that will make your music sing, consider taking my online, on-demand piano course. Visit my teachable page for sample lessons and for a complete outline of the course.

Commuting from Seattle to the Kitsap Peninsula by ferry. I boarded the Seattle/Bainbridge ferry with my beloved electric Nissan Leaf. I spent an afternoon teaching near Poulsbo and drove south on the Kitsap Peninsula to Bremerton where I spent the night, recharged the Leaf, taught the next day, and then took the Bremerton/Seattle ferry home. It was a musical adventure in my own back yard. In all, I worked with about 25 students and 5 teachers.
A typical set up at a Music Artistry event. This was at a Methodist Church in Bremerton. The piano was a beautiful, older model Steinway.

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A Look Back, A Look Forward

A couple of weeks ago, I attended the Washington State Music Teachers Conference at Sun Mountain Lodge near Winthrop, Washington. The lodge, surrounded by rolling hills and hiking trails, also provides a 360-degree view of the Methow Valley and distant mountains. Attending the conference were some 140 members of the Washington State Music Teachers Association. Our days were filled with inspiring conference sessions (presented by members of WSMTA, including yours truly), and our evenings were spent attending exquisite concerts. Joe, my better half, traveled with me to the lodge and spent his time finding and photographing colorful birds. He features his best images on his weekly bird blog, Short & Tweet Bird Reports (you can find the Sun Mountain Lodge posts here and here). In all, it was a terrific working get-away with time to hike, relax, and reflect on the past year.

Laura at Sun Mountain Lodge (photo by Joe Sweeney)

It’s been a little over a year since the publication of my book, Music in the Westward Expansion: Songs of Heart and Place on the American Frontier. Over the past year, I presented 13 concerts featuring live music and narrative pulled from the pages of the book. Venues included book stores, historical museums, schools, retirement communities, and assisted living facilities. All the while, I maintained my private studio teaching, played extra gigs here and there, and adjudicated for the Washington State Music Artistry Program in Everett and Edmonds. It’s been quite a year of sharing music and stories, and interacting with enthusiastic audiences. Thanks to all of you who have purchased the book, attended events, and cheered me on through this past year.

There’s a new project on the horizon! I’ve been working with my beloved mentor and teacher, Jill Timmons, on repertoire for a new 2024 performance program. Practice sessions of late consist of “new to me” music from John Philippe Rameau, Joseph Haydn, Amy Beach, Charles Wakefield Cadman, George Gershwin and Dave Brubeck. Luscious!

I’m also starting to build an online beginning piano course for busy adult students; the course design allows students to move through the curriculum on their own timeline. Stay tuned for more about this exciting project, and please, let me know if something like this interests you! Have you always wanted to learn to play the piano? Are you curious?

“Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music.” -Sergei Rachmaninov

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