Emily Nyman
Singer-Songwriter
Beginnings
Emily developed her musical talents performing in her hometown of Wareham, Massachusetts. Her musical foundation includes classical piano and folk guitar. During the 1980’s, Emily performed in Cape Cod and Amherst. She attended UMASS Amherst and Bridgewater State College, obtaining a Master’s degree in Psychology and then moving to Vermont in 1990. While interning as a Guidance Counselor, Emily met Lynn Berry, Guidance Counselor, Artist, and published poet. When Lynn shared her poems and Emily shared her music, a songwriting team was born. Since then, they have written many songs and released several CDs.
Experience
Venues: Emily has entertained audiences from the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont to the Jersey shore, including New Hampshire (the Highlands Inn), Massachusetts (Provincetown and Northampton), Rhode Island (Stone Soup), New Jersey (Martini Beach), Pennsylvania (Philadelphia Pride), and Quebec (Adair Hall). Vermont venues and events have included the North Woods Stewardship Center, The Music Box, Goodrich Memorial Library, the Haskell Opera House, Catamount Arts, Turner’s Café at the Woodknot Bookshop, Burlington Maritime Festival, Radio Bean, Higher Ground, Newport Jazz Festival, Derby Line Community Day and St. Johnsbury First Night. She also provides music for Hospice patients and their families through North Country Hospital and Bel Aire nursing home.
Publicity and Special Events: Emily's music has been aired on Vermont public radio, WOMR Provincetown, Women of Substance Radio, the KZUM Wimmin’s Show, Sirius radio, and Rainbow World Radio, earning top 40 and finalist status for favorite female musician in the Pride in the Arts Award. At the Human Rights Equality Forum (Philadelphia), Emily performed "Poet-Painter", a song inspired by Jim Wheeler, a gay teen who committed suicide in the wake of intolerance. Emily opened for Ferron at WOMR Provincetown. She has appeared on the CBS/WCAX TV Morning Music Showcase and Tim Kavanaugh's Late Night Saturday show. Emily and her partner Lynn have been featured songwriters in "Out in Jersey" and "Boston Spirit" Magazine and received recognition for "Give Me a Dream" and "ShadowTime" from the Eventide Arts Songfest. "My Youth" was selected for inclusion on a compilation CD to raise funds for Prevent Child Abuse Vermont (Area Code 802 Project). "Give Me A Dream" has been included on a CD entitled "Until You Come Home" which honors servicemen and women. "I Hear on the Streets" and "Poet-Painter" were donated to the CD "I Hear on the Streets" to raise funds for a NYC shelter which provides basic survival resources to homeless youth.
Day Jobs - In June 2015, Emily retired from her full time Guidance job, ending a 25 year "gig" at North Country Union Junior High School. She then spent 2 years part time at Glover Community School, enriching Guidance lessons and school climate with her music. Emily remains busy as ever, as an instructor for the Community College of Vermont in Newport and online, offering Guitar, Piano, and Music Appreciation classes, and also a private music teacher. Emily and Lynn also conduct songwriting workshops in area schools and at the National Teacher’s Association convention.
Performance
Emily has “a pure and beautiful voice, effortlessly right on every note,
combined with an immediately engaging personal presence...
Her repertoire of (cover and original) songs has fine melodies and meaningful, poetic lyrics.”
D. Rodgers (Hardwick Gazette).
"This woman really sings!”
L. Sammett (The Music Box).
Emily's music "resonates with poignant remembrances of childhood, peaceful moments, painful realizations, personal sacrifice, and unconditional love. Words to warm the heart;
Music to caress the soul." Tommy Raniszewski, Jersey magazine.
Emily performs an eclectic mix of originals and cover tunes, including singer-songwriter, folk, and classic rock, with a sprinkling of blues, country and old standards, appealing to audiences of all ages and musical tastes. Whether performing originals or covers, Emily connects with her audience in an intimate way, inviting listeners to experience the emotions behind her originals or reminisce to familiar cover tunes. On many occasions, Lynn joins her, adding guitar and the lyricist perspective.
Recordings
“Peace Offering” (December 2011) is a collection of traditional and original songs of peace. Dedicated to those who strive for peace within and across all nations, Emily and Lynn incorporated Nash Basom’s photos and writings from his 1972 peace mission in Mozambique into the album’s theme and message. Nash, a friend and Guidance colleague, passed away in August 2011.
“It’s not the peace symbol on the back of her fringed jacket; it’s an American flag.
Ms. Nyman is, unlike her singing forbearers, not against anything, she is simply for peace.”
Her song selection represents “the softer side of protest music”
and her “clear alto voice” expresses a “calm desire for a more just society.”
Joseph Gresser (the Barton Chronicle)
Earlier CD’s: “First One” (1998; originals), “Outside the Lines” (2003; originals), “Shadow Time” (2004; lullabies), “Memoirs” (2005; selections from the QNEK senior women’s writing group production), “Emily Nyman by request” (2006; cover tunes), and “Finally Free” (2007; Philadelphia Pride).
Fundraising CD’s: Area Code 802 CD to benefit Prevent Child Abuse Vermont (“My Youth”); Until You Come Home CD for veterans (“Give Me a Dream”); I Hear on the Streets CD to support the Alternatives program for homeless youth in NYC (“I Hear on the Streets” and “Poet-Painter”); and Haskellectibles, a compilation CD of Haskell performers, to raise money for the Haskell Opera House Technology upgrade (“Our Vermont” and “If We Only Have Love”).
Hear Emily on Soundcloud (may need to be in Chrome to access):
https://soundcloud.com/the-real-sunshine-1/spin-of-the-wheel
https://soundcloud.com/the-real-sunshine-1/inside-out
https://soundcloud.com/the-real-sunshine-1/give-me-a-dream
https://soundcloud.com/the-real-sunshine-1/time-for-the-marching-to-end-1
Purchase CDs on the products page.
Baby Steps Records, P.O. Box 284, Derby, VT. 05829
