Nora Burkhartsmeier

What do you teach at Loudlands?

Voice and piano

When did you start playing?

I started playing the piano at six years old and I've been singing my whole life.

What's your favorite aspect of music or your instrument?

I love that the human voice is accessible to all of us. Whether or not you have professional aspirations as a singer, it just feels great to sing. As for the piano, I've gravitated to it for as long as I can remember. As a kid, the piano in our living room was the easiest way to make a bunch of noise, but as I got older it became an intuitive way to express a range of emotions and a source of curiosity that I'm on a lifelong journey to explore.

Who are some of your favorite bands/musicians and why?

I grew up with a Boomer dad who'd be the first to tell you he has impeccable taste in music. He does! Because of him, my first musical loves were Bruce Springsteen and The Beatles, but as I got older I found artists like Aretha Franklin, Carol King, Nina Simone, and Randy Newman who gave me a road map to use the piano as a tool for great songwriting. These days, I love my rock and indie: Laura Marling, Adrianne Lenker, Christian Lee Hutson, Solange, Sade, Alvvays, Lucinda Williams, Fiona Apple, John Hartford .... I could keep going.

What are some of your current and/or past music projects?

I perform my original music as Nora Meier. I've been releasing music since I was a teenager, but just recently released my first full-length album in October. I've been a background vocalist for local Boston acts such as Alec Hutson and Brady Dallas Jones, and I'm currently playing keyboards for fellow Loudlands instructor Nick Prato.

How would you describe your music and playing style?

I always play to the song. One of my pet peeves is overcomplicating a great piece of music. As a singer-songwriter I'm always searching for unity between the separate skills of singing and playing an instrument. I'm constantly mindful of arrangement and dynamics and I the end goal is always an honest and authentic delivery.

Can you please describe your gear of choice?

I am an acoustic piano lover all the way. I have a special affection for workhorse uprights because they're what I grew up on, but when I'm limited to a keyboard, I love a Nord Stage model.

Any general advice you'd like to give to beginner musicians or someone looking to get started?

You can do it. You really can! I'll never promise that it'll be easy, but there is so much joy and growth to be found in the process of deepening your knowledge of music. As soon as you learn something new, the next source of curiosity comes along and keeps you returning to a beautiful practice.

Aside from playing/making music, what are some of your other interests and hobbies?

THE MOVIES. I love the movies. I got my minor in Film Scoring simply for the fun of it. I have a membership to my local independent movie theater and I keep a running note of approximately one billion movies I hope to see in my phone's Notes app. I grew up in a household of English majors, so I also love to read.

If you were battling a physically identical but evil android version of yourself on top of a skyscraper during a thunderstorm and someone miraculously intervened, how would they know which one was the real you?

My Julie Andrews impression.