Elizabeth C. Axford

Pianist, Songwriter, Composer, Arranger, Producer, Author, Educator

Discography:  

Ratángo - Producer, English lyricist; tango/rap/hip-hop CD project and video; Marina Dorell (Argentine artist); Matthew Dela Pola (producer) (2007)

Survivor’s Song – Background vocalist on title track of Jamie Reno’s Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Benefit CD with Peter Frampton on lead guitar (10,000 distributed) (2005)

Who's Been Playing With The Jukebox? (Elizabeth Axford) - Translated into Swedish by Bo Söderholm; recorded and performed by Susanne Holm (Finland); aired daily on Finnish Radio Vega from 5/15/04 - 7/15/04 as part of the Stjärnbandet 2004 Festival; Susanne took 2nd place in the radio votes (2004)

It's Not Like We Never Drove Through Texas (Elizabeth Axford) - Album cut on Country Songs 1 CD by Susanne Holm (Finland); recorded in English (2004) 

Kidtunes – Compilation CD Executive Producer - 30 tracks, Piano Press (2002)

Too Deep (Sam Hogin, Elizabeth Axford, Ernie Harkins) - Album cut on Snapshot CD by Ernie Wylie, Adama Music (2002)

Personal Touch (Elizabeth Axford) - Song licensed for boy band project, MDVD Network; song selected by producer Matthew Dela Pola (David Foster, William Ross) (2001)

Merry Christmas Happy Hanukkah – A Multilingual Songbook and CD Producer, Arranger, Performer - 32 tracks; Songwriter (A Hanukkah Tale and Hanukkah! Hanukkah!) - 2 tracks; Piano Press (1999)

Additional Song Placements (TV, Internet, Sound Chips) and Single-Song Publishing Contracts:

A Hanukkah Tale - Keyboard instrumental (original song) arranged and performed by Elizabeth C. Axford; licensed by PBS for the Sit and Be Fit TV Exercise Program; to air nationally on PBS in October (2008)

S’Vivon - Keyboard instrumental (PD) arranged and performed by Elizabeth C. Axford; licensed by PBS for the Sit and Be Fit TV Exercise Program; to air nationally on PBS in October (2008)

Hatikva - Keyboard instrumental (PD) arranged and performed by Elizabeth C. Axford; licensed by The Center for the Advancement of Jewish Education, Miami, FL for the portion of their web site celebrating Israel’s 60^thbirthday (2007-2008)

We Wish You a Merry Christmas - Keyboard instrumental (PD) arranged and performed by Elizabeth C. Axford; licensed for use in Obama TV ad in Iowa for holiday season (2007)

Jolly Old St. Nicholas - Keyboard instrumental (PD) arranged and performed by Elizabeth C. Axford; licensed by Wunderman, New York, NY for holiday card (2007) 

Jolly Old St. Nicholas - Keyboard instrumental (PD) arranged and performed by Elizabeth C. Axford; licensed by The Lang Companies for sound chip in greeting card (2008)

Oh, How Lovely Is the Evening - Keyboard instrumental (PD) arranged and performed by Elizabeth C. Axford; licensed by Konitek, Johannesburg, South Africa for their corporate holiday card (2007)

It’s a Guy Thing - Single-Song Contract signed with Muy Bambinos Music (ASCAP), Nashville, TN (2007-2008)

It’s Not Like We Never Drove Through Texas - Single-Song Contract signed with Spectrum Music, Maël-Carhaix, France (2008-2009)

Other songs and/or arrangements and tracks licensed for business or professional use (massage, therapy, dance studio, or similar) include Christmas In Florida, Chanukah, Hanerot Halalu, Hava Nagila, I Have a Little Dreydl, Maoz Tsur, We Wish You a Merry Christmas, and You’re the Only True Love.

Elizabeth C. Axford (Liz), owner of Piano Press, has been a full-time studio piano instructor since 1984, on both coasts of the U.S., first in Miami, FL (1984-1992), then in San Diego, CA (1992-Present). In Miami she conducted keyboard clinics for Yamaha and Roland using digital piano labs in Suniland Music Shoppe and Miami Music Works. A published author, songwriter, composer, arranger, poet, and producer, her products created for Piano Press are used by music teachers and students worldwide. She is an active member of NSAI, ASCAP, TAXI, MTAC, MTNA, the Film Music Network, and a voting member of NARAS.

Liz earned her MA in Music from San Diego State Univ., and BA in Music from the Univ. of Illinois. One of the original seven NSAI Regional Workshop coordinators, she started the Miami, FL Workshop in 1990, and the San Diego Workshop in 1992, after Hurricane Andrew devastated the area of Miami in which she taught and lived. During this time, she has produced or attended over 150 songwriting/music business seminars in LA, Nashville, San Diego, Miami, Dallas, Orlando, and Daytona Beach, and conducted monthly workshops.

Liz has studied songwriting privately with Marc-Alan Barnette, Rick Beresford, Jason Blume, and Harriet Schock. She participated in Jai Josefs' songwriting classes at The Musician's Institute in LA, as well as his Monday Night Group with peers Alex Del Zoppo (Sweetwater), Neil Devor (David Foster), and Glenn Rumbaoa (Universal Music Group). Many of her songs have won awards in international songwriting contests, including Billboard and Unisong, as well as regional songwriting contests.

Her critically acclaimed music reference books written for Scarecrow Press, Inc., "Song Sheets to Software - A Guide to Print Music, Software, and Web Sites for Musicians" and "Traditional World Music Influences in Contemporary Solo Piano Literature" are in university and public libraries throughout the world. Her "Keyboard Chops" articles appear online as well as the Piano Press Newsletter at Yahoo Groups. Her column "Songwriting and the Web" appeared in the NSAI Newswire.

Ms. Axford's Piano Press Studio has provided both private and group lessons since 1984, in music store studios, private homes, and public and private school classrooms. With a long list of alumni, she has seen her students successfully perform in recitals, talent shows, festivals and competitions, audition for and receive parts in musical theater productions, become college music majors, acquire independent study credit towards graduation, and pursue professional recording careers.