Waking the Muse is the companion sheet music collection to Michele McLaughlin’s 2013 CD by the same name. The CD is my favorite of Michele’s recordings to date, and this songbook is also my favorite. The music is often bold and very dramatic, making it a lot of fun to play. Most of the thirteen pieces are of an upper-intermediate level, but a few are a little more difficult. Printed on a heavier-than-normal paper stock and spiral-bound, this beautiful book will endure many years of play without much wear and tear. The music was transcribed by Rebecca Oswald, who always does an excellent job. I proofed the book, so I know that these scores are as accurate as humanly possible. The scores have a roomy layout that allows for easier reading, and the printing itself is crisp and clean. There are no reaches of more than an octave, and chords are actually fairly rare. The music ranges from bright and lively to slow and very dark - a great variety of pieces that express a wide span of emotions. This is an exceptional songbook and I highly recommend it. It is available from michelemclaughlin.com. My review of the CD is here.

The playing level (a scale of 1-5 based on Michele’s other music, with 5 being the most difficult), key signature, and number of pages for each piece is listed below:

Waking the Muse - Level 5 - Key of Eb minor (6 flats)/ G minor (2 flats) / Eb (3 flats) - 7 pages
Radiance - Level 4 - Key of C minor (3 flats) - 8 pages
A Beautiful Distraction - Level 3.5 - Key of A minor (0 sharps or flats) - 4 pages
Spiritual Awakening - Level 3.5 - Key of E minor (1 sharp) - 6 pages
Humbled - Level 3 - Key of C (0 sharps or flats) - 6 pages
Misty Fjords - Level 3 - Key of C - 5 pages
Interlude - Level 2.5 - Key of C minor (3 flats) - 2 pages
Gratitude - Level 3 - Key of A minor (0 sharps or flats) - 6 pages
Until We Meet Again - Level 3 - Key of Eb (3 flats) - 6 pages
The Little Red Bird - Level 3 - Key of C / F (1 flat) - 5 pages
Torn - Level 3.5 - Key of E minor (1 sharp) - 6 pages
Unrequited Love - Level 3 - Key of G minor (2 flats)/ C minor (3 flats)/ A minor (0) - 3 pages
Dangerous Obsession - Level 4 - Key of D minor (1 flat) - 6 pages