Musician-turned-author will perform and sign books
September 11, 2014 (SALISBURY, NC) – Marc Hoffman, well known in NC as a composer, jazz musician, and performer and the artistic director of the Salisbury School of Music, will perform original children’s songs from his book based on his original lullaby “Sleep, Little Child.” The book was illustrated by Tony Waters of Charleston, SC, and includes a CD of the lullaby.
The special night of children’s songs will take place at Lora Belle Baby, a children’s clothing and specialty shop in Salisbury on Friday, September 19, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Hoffman will also perform other original songs and be available to sign copies of “Sleep, Little Child.”
“Sleep, Little Child” is a rhyming story in which a father assures his young son that he will sleep safely through the night because his heavenly Father is always watching over him. The book is intended for children from infancy through age seven.
The religious aspect of the book “wasn’t a conscious thing,” Hoffman said recently. “It came about naturally while I was writing the lyrics as a result of what I believe is our innate need to feel guarded/watched, especially when we sleep. Children are clever enough to know that ‘mommy and daddy’ certainly aren’t watching them all night.”
He credits his wife, Anne, and their daughter, August, with the inspiration to turn the lullaby into a book.
As soon as August was born, we began reading books and singing lullabies to her,” he said. “It didn’t take me long to remember that I had a lullaby of mine own. And after hearing the song many times, it dawned on Anne that it was a natural fit as a children’s book.”
The accompanying CD features Hoffman singing his original lullaby. Other tracks offer the instrumental-only version, plus two non-musical readings: one by the author and another by the author’s mother and radio personality, Barbara Hoffman.
Hoffman decided to publish the book himself through his own label, Virillion Music, to retain the rights for a second edition. He interviewed several artists before finding Tony Waters, a published author and experienced illustration of several successful children’s books. He then selected Asia Pacific Offset Printing, a company that publishes materials for the Smithsonian Institution, as his printer.
Lora Belle Baby is located at 105 A North Main Street, Salisbury, NC 28144. The Book Release Party at Lora Belle Baby is free and open to the public.
“Sleep, Little Child” is also available on Amazon.com, and at www.sleeplittlechild.com.
About “Sleep, Little Child”:
Synopsis: As babies grow into little children, there comes a time when they realize that, like themselves, Mommy and Daddy sleep at night, too. Where, then, is the watchful eye to look over them all night? Where are the protective arms to keep them safe when they close their eyes and drift away into dreams? “Sleep, Little Child” answers these questions with simple verse, soft music, and compelling illustrations. Composed and sung by Marc Hoffman and illustrated by Tony Waters, “Sleep, Little Child” is a lullaby with a comforting message: that Someone strong, loving and more powerful than even Mommy and Daddy is right there with every little children, keeping.
Marc’s music is available on iTunes, Amazon.com and CDBaby. For more info visit his website, www.marchoffman.com.
About Marc Hoffman:
Marc Hoffman received a degree in composition from the North Carolina School of the Arts and studied film composition at USC. He also attended The Dartington International Summer School of Music in Devon, England. His composition teachers have included John Corigliano, Leo Arnaud, Neil Hefti, and Sherwood Shaffer. Marc performs across the US and abroad, as a soloist and with his jazz trio. A member of BMI and the American Composer’s Forum, he is also founder and artistic director of the Salisbury School of Music. Marc lives in Salisbury, NC with is wife, Anne, and their daughter August.