Solomon Keal is a solo piano artist from Lenhartsville, Pennsylvania. He composes original peaceful solo piano music. His music can be classified as New Age music or NeoClassical music and is reminiscent of the folk piano style of George Winston.

Solomon took formal piano lessons for six years which laid the foundation for his being able to compose an average of six solo piano pieces a year since 1993.

In 1998, with the help of Clark Ferguson (Bearswamp Studios), his family and friends, Solomon made his first album entitled . In 2000, he made his second album, "Heritage".

Like his major influences - George Winston, Scott Joplin, Hagood Hardy, Jim Brickman, James Horner, and John Tesh - Solomon Keal's compositions have touched thousands of lives with the peace and beauty of classic solo piano music.

Discography

• Thoughts and Affections (album) - 1998
• Heritage (album) - 2000

Biography

Solomon John Keal was born in 1977 near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in a little town called Bryn Athyn. He spent most of his early childhood across the state in Pittsburgh. He was the first in a family of three kids who all grew up listening to, and loving music. His mom is a pianist; both of his parents play the guitar; and they all love to sing.

Solomon started taking piano lessons in 1983, in first grade, from a lady named Polly Schoenberger. He didn't like taking lessons very much, and at the time he never would have guessed that he would grow up to be a composer for the piano. In 1985 they moved back East to Kempton, Pennsylvania. There wasn't a piano teacher available, so Solomon's mom taught him and his sisters.

When he was

In 1993, when Solomon was 16, he composed his first piano piece entitled: "Thunderstorm." Since that time, he has written, on average, about five or six pieces a year. His years in college were by far the most fruitful for composition. The intellectual and artistic stimulation brought about a surge of creativity. The process of "coming of age" gave him a need to express himself, which he did most effectively through the piano.

Solomon mainly plays solo piano, but he has also co-written pieces for flute and piano with his sister, Roxanne. He has written Country music and Christian music songs, as well as some love songs with his wife Tirah. Recently he's been teaching himself more about jazz piano.

"Composing is both a powerful and humbling experience. When I play some of the pieces I've written, I can't help but feel that I was not the only author. Talent of any kind is a God-given gift, and I thank the Lord for the privilege to compose music".

Influences

His parents, Ian and Wellesley Keal, have been a large influence in Solomon's musical background. His mother plays the piano and the guitar. She frequently plays for church services, and has her own small business as a piano teacher. It was through his mother that Solomon learned to love pianists like Scott Joplin, Hagood Hardy, and John Odhner. His father plays guitar, but his primary influence on Solomon was in the area of recorded music. Ian has excellent taste

Film composers have also been a great source of inspiration for Solomon's music, especially composers that use piano, such as James Horner. "I remember one specific event in my life that was a huge influence on my love of playing the piano. I was probably in my early teens when one of my mom's cousins, Tom Rose, taught me how to play "Linus and Lucy," that famous Vince Guaraldi theme to the Charlie Brown cartoon. I played it over and over until I mastered it, I still love that piece."

Family/Human Interest

Solomon is married to Tirah Marie Echols Keal. "We met in college when we found we had the same astrological sign (Pisces) and started laughing at the horoscope page together when we read the newspaper in dining hall." They fell in love and were married on June 24, 2001. Their Wedding March, entitled "Angel's Birth," was a piece that Solomon composed. They have a daughter, Thea Clarity, born on February 2, 2003 and a son, Cirdan Ewan, born on June 13, 2004. They live in Lenhartsville, Pennsylvania; a little town, about a half an hour west of Allentown, Pennsylvania.Solomon has two sisters: Roxanne and Tamar; both are married with children. They get to see each other often, and are all still very close. Solomon and Roxanne have composed a number of pieces for flute and piano, which they intend to record. One piece, which they call "Trio" is a flute, recorder, and piano piece written by Solomon and both of his sisters. Solomon's mom, Roxanne and Tamar have also composed some solo piano pieces. Solomon's wife, Tirah, who also comes from a musical family, is a talented singer, and has written several songs of her own.

"When I'm not actively engaged in music or being a husband and father, my other interests include drawing and painting, juggling, sailing, Lego, and reading. I'm a huge J. R. R. Tolkien fan, as well as a huge Star Wars fan. I love well-written epic fantasy stories. I've started writing a novel about time travel. Someday my wife and I are going to write a book about marriage. My favorite color is blue-green, my favorite animal is the turtle, my favorite food is breakfast."

Solomon grew up in Kempton, Pennsylvania. He attended third grade through 10th grade at the Kempton New Church School. For his last two years of high school he was part of a group homeschooling program called ASPIRE (Alternative Schooling Inspiring Real Education). He then attended four years of college at , and received an Interdisciplinary Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Religion.

In 2005, Solomon successfully completed - with Honor Student Recognition - a course in Recording Engineering from the Audio Institute of America.

Religion

Solomon was born and raised in the ; a branch of the New Church, sometimes known as Swedenborgian. The New Church is based on the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg.

"I believe that Swedenborg's Writings are a part of a new era of this world; an era in which people are in greater spiritual freedom, and greater spiritual enlightenment. An era that will bring true, spiritual states of love and peace. My music is greatly inspired by my faith."