Singer/harpist lives by her music
By LINDA M. LINONIS
HOWLAND
The concert grand harp plays a dominant role on Marian Mihas’ debut CD, “The Lord Reigns: Songs & Hymns To Live By.”
The Christian singer and harpist said she “fell in love” with the sound of the instrument when her sister was taking a lesson. Mihas was interested in music since her childhood. “I starting taking piano lessons when I was 4 years old and had my first recital at 5,” she recalled.
The singer will be showcased in a free CD-release concert at 7 p.m. today at Greek Apostolic Church of Pentecost, 1743 North Road NE, Warren.
The event will feature a unique sing-along with Mihas playing the harp. She explained that at church concerts, which often feature well-known hymns, people can’t help but want to sing. “The audience is accustomed to singing in church,” she said. “It will be an acoustic experience.”
Mihas said words to selections will be shown on screens.
The singer said she has been drawn to Christian music since she was a child. “I’ve always been involved in choirs and have a lot of background in that area,” she said. “The music is special to me.”
Mihas said the experience of singing in choirs “left an impression.”
“I think the words of hymns are so powerful,” she said. “They leave an impression on the heart and are life-giving.”
Church was a place to sing to God, she said. “I have background there — singing in choirs. It always has been special to me.”
The singer said she believes Christian music “speaks to people’s hearts” because words and meaning from Scripture are part of the music.
Mihas said she doesn’t come from a musical family. “My dad [the late Tom Mihas] had a beautiful singing voice,” she said, but “we’re not a family of musicians.” Her mother, Jeannie Mihas, lives in Howland.
Mihas brings wide-ranging experience to her debut CD. Since 1996, she has been active locally and abroad as a classically trained soprano. She was the soprano soloist in the “Messiah” from 1997-2005 in Warren under the direction of John Kurtz. She also performed in recitals in Europe with repertoire from the American songbook at the Parnassos Concert Hall in Athens, Greece, and at the American College of Greece. She also has performed as a soloist throughout the United States, Switzerland and Russia and as the featured soloist and narrator at various churches and musical productions.
Since 1997, she has taught general music and technology classes to first- through eighth-grade students in the Jefferson PK-8 building of Warren City Schools. She also directs elementary music programs.
On her debut CD, Mihas plays the concert grand harp and sings. The CD was recorded in Nashville, Tenn., and produced and arranged by Don Hart, a composer and arranger who lives in Nashville.
It is being released by the indie label Living Hope.