Album Notes

After over 2 years of writing and recording, Melanie Mezardjian and Michael Tschanz have released their debut CD Open To Receive.

It is a collection of 11 original songs composed by Melanie and Michael.

The project was produced in Orlando, Florida in conjunction with Tom Rau of 12 Oaks Productions and Michael Hurley of Lone Pine Studios.

It was mixed by Robert Wawoe at Divi Records Studios and mastered by Bob Katz at Digital Domain.

This project is also the debut project of Spirittone media productions (www.spirittone.com).

Spirittone's mission is to promote positive and inspiring media for the purpose of enriching the soul.

Artist bio information: Melanie Mezardjian - Born and raised among the beautiful woods and parks of Bath, Ohio, Melanie developed a love for hiking and the filling spirit of the outdoors.

Her parents still live in her childhood home where she and her two sisters grew up.

Music was a love early on and began with studying and performing the violin, piano, and clarinet.

Her attention quickly moved to singing and never ceased.

Throughout her school years, she performed in numerous, solo, ensemble, and choral competitions and concerts.

Her performance grew to include a local lively singing and dance group performing throughout the area.

A professional career began with weddings and a pop duo in college.

Moving to Florida became a great opportunity for continued professional solo performances ranging from jingle recording to special events to lead female vocalist of the country band "Slim Chance".

Performing inspirational Christian music has been a gold thread woven through these many years of musical performance.

A hunger and deep desire for creating and performing original contemporary Christian music fuels the God-inspired pieces in the CD "Open To Receive" where Melanie wrote the original lyrics and partnered in the music creation with Michael Tschanz.


Artist bio information: Michael Tschanz - Ohio native Michael Tschanz began studying the piano at age two.

Three years later he received a preparatory scholarship at the Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM) where he studied with Miss Ruth Edwards.

He performed in this first CIM recital at six and was reading music before first grade.

Throughout his elementary school years, he performed in many recitals and for CIM fund-raisers on Cleveland public television and radio stations.

At age 12, he won an orchestra composition competition sponsored by the Lima, Ohio youth orchestra.

During his junior high and high school years, he studied with James Tannenbaum and the dean of CIM, Dr. Kurzbaum.

Finding interest in applied mathematics as well as music, Mr. Tschanz received, with honors, the bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from Ohio Northern University.

Immediately upon graduation, he accepted a position in electrical engineering in the Systems Group at Texas Instruments Inc., where he developed simulations and performed systems analyses on graphics supercomputers.

In 1989 he received the Master of Science in Electrical Engineering degree from the University of Texas at Arlington.

While in Texas, Michael worked as a free-lance orchestral pianist, taught private piano lessons, and served as music director and organist at Asbury United Methodist Church.

He also continued to study piano with Dr. Steve Harlos at the University of North Texas.

In 1997, Michael and his family moved to Orlando where he accepted a position in systems and software development with a major entertainment conglomerate.

In that same year he was appointed director of praise music at Peace United Methodist Church at Hunter's Creek where he serves today.

His recent accomplishments include production and composition for the Spirittone release 'Open To Receive' and the original sound score for the film 'Olive Juice'.

Mr. Tschanz, his wife Diane, and their three children, Jonathan, Jason, and Jacqueline, make their home in Orlando, Florida.