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NEW
PRAGUE, MINN. (May 2010) — Multi-million-selling pianists
The O’Neill Brothers are pleased to announce the arrival of
their latest CD, a 3.3-ounce, 4.7-inch collection of
soothing lullabies inspired by stories from moms and
grandmothers across the country. Lullabies: By Request
is a must-have baby product perfect for newborns and
little ones in the womb. It provides a meaningful new baby
or shower gift inspired by moms. It is specifically designed
to help infants and children relax and fall asleep, and
encourage a child’s development.
 The
nationally acclaimed Minnesota-based pianists launched a
national search for song ideas -- and the stories behind
them -- in February, and were inundated with hundreds of
song suggestions and stories, some touching, some
sentimental, some inspiring. Lullabies: By Request is
available at
www.pianobrothers.com,
iTunes, Amazon and gift shops across the country.
The idea for the
new CD was initially sparked by an experience that affected
the entire O’Neill family. Last May, older O’Neill Brother
Tim O'Neill and his wife Annie celebrated the birth of
twins. Owen and Gabi O’Neill were born two months
prematurely, and spent more than seven weeks in the NICU.
The twins are at home with mom and dad now, and doing well,
and Tim and Annie attribute at least some of the babies’
recovery to the piano music they played for them throughout
their hospital stay.
Tim
and Ryan were inspired to record the new CD to help provide
a small measure of comfort to families who are going through
a similar experience, or who have babies, toddlers or even
older children who need help falling asleep. The soothing
melodies are also a good fit for moms-to-be who want to play
music for their babies in utero. Some of the touching
stories behind the songs on the CD include:
Taking You Home, suggested by Julie King of
Franklin, Tenn., who sang it to her son, born 15 weeks
prematurely. “On the good days, I would sing it joyfully
anticipating the day we would bring our sweet boy home from
the hospital,” she wrote. “On the tough days, I would sing
with tears streaming down my face wondering if the day I
would bring him home would ever come.” After 90 days
in the NICU, Julie and her husband were finally able to
bring their son home. He’s now nine years old, and without
any lasting effects from his prematurity.
Irish
Lullaby,
suggested by Lonnie Leach from Georgetown, Texas, whose
great-great grandfather, an Irish immigrant, started the
Irish Lullaby tradition. The Kelly family passed the
song down from generation to generation where it reached
Lonnie’s mother. “When I was little, my mother would sing
this lullaby to me and to my siblings. When my daughters
were little, I sang this same song to them and now I sing it
to my grandchildren. When my grandson was just an infant,
the only thing that seemed to quiet him at bedtime was to
carry him in my arms while singing Irish Lullaby. He
would always fall asleep within minutes. Not only did it
soothe and relax him, but I, too, was calmed by the song.
Now AJ is eight and when he visits and has a difficult time
getting to sleep, he will ask me to sing him this lullaby.”
Additional songs
on the CD include: Hush Little Baby (suggested by
Rosalie Sanara Petrouske of Grand Ledge, Mich.), House at
Pooh Corner (Amanda Abdo Sheahan, Saint Paul), You
Are My Sunshine (Pat Buss, Apple Valley, Minn.),
Cáislean Droma Mhor – The Castle of Dromore (Mike
McGarry, Chicago),
Puff, the Magic
Dragon
(Dawn Kolden,
Ryder, N.D.), Come Back Paddy Riley (Mary Collins,
Oswego, N.Y.),
My Own Home
(Tammy Trincilla, Staten Island, N.Y.), Amazing Grace
(Katie Leaver, New Prague, Minn.), Nighty Night Mr. Moon
(Barbi Bartholomew, Eau Claire, Wisc.), Twinkle Twinkle
Little Star/Canon in D (Audra Stewart, Omaha, Neb.), The
Muffin Man (Ryan’s favorite), The Itsy Bitsy Spider
(Tim’s favorite), Edelweiss/Rock a Bye Baby (a
favorite of Kathy O’Neill, The O’Neill Brothers’ mom) and
Lullabye
(Goodnight My Angel)
(Tim’s wife
Annie’s favorite). The CD features more than 70 minutes of
soothing melodies.
DESIGNED TO CALM
Arranged in The O’Neill Brothers’ soothing, signature style,
the lullabies on the new CD are specifically tailored to not
only help calm babies, but may aid in their development, as
well. The lullabies utilize repetitive melodies, rhythms of
60 - 70 beats per minute and little instrumentation --
elements common to the “Mozart Effect,” which has been
proven to aid in development, and assist with memory
learning and spatial reasoning.
The
music on Lullabies: By Request was developed in
consultation with music therapist Christina Ufer, MT-BC, who
has developed pediatric music therapy programs for the Mayo
Clinic, Eugenio Litta Children’s Hospital and Children’s
Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota.
“Music can be an extremely powerful therapeutic tool,
particularly with infants and toddlers,” Ufer says. “The
O’Neill Brothers’ music is an excellent example of a style
that really resonates with and calms children and their
parents. I’ve used soothing lullaby music with my own
patients, and I’ve seen it make a significant impact.”
In
addition to assisting with development, music has been shown
to reduce blood pressure, heart rate and breathing rates,
and reduce levels of stress, anxiety and fear. New research
from the Tel Aviv Medical Center in Israel also indicates
that the Mozart Effect is beneficial in helping premature
babies get stronger, an added benefit that’s near and dear
to the O’Neills’ hearts.
The
O'Neill Brothers have released more than 30 CDs of beautiful
instrumental piano music, and sold more than two million
copies -- all without being associated with a major record
label. Along the way, they’ve written and performed music
for HBO (including music for “Sex and the City”), CBS, NBC,
PBS, and ESPN. Several of their collections have hit the
Billboard charts, and their PBS special featuring Deborah
Gibson was nominated for an Emmy award.
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