Member Spotlight
Mary Haller, songwriter
Winner of NSAI’s 2011 “Hitsville” contest in Nashville and Berklee Music’s 2009 Paul Simon Celebrity Scholarship, Mary Haller has in a few short years gone from being one of Boston’s most respected arts publicists to a respected artist in her own right.
With one foot in Boston, one in Nashville, and roots in the Midwest, Haller combines her musical background with her love of language in crafting songs aimed at the commercial country and pop markets.
In April 2011, her song, “Instead of Roses” was signed to a single-song contract with ole, one of the world’s largest independent music publishers, after being named one of two winners of ole’s “Hitsville” event during its U.S. debut.
Haller is a classically-trained musician (keyboard, flute) who performed actively for many years as a flutist in ensembles at the University of Michigan (Symphony Band, Wind Ensemble, Marching Band) and in Boston-based orchestras. Representing the state of Michigan as a member of the 1979 McDonald’s All-American High School Band, Haller performed in venues ranging from Carnegie Hall to the Tournament of Roses Parade. Haller has also studied West African drumming.
As a writer and publicist, Haller has worked for a number of Boston-area arts and educational institutions, including the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where she was Director of Arts Communication for sixteen years.
Memberships:
ASCAP
Global Songwriters Connection
NSAI
SongU
Songwriter’s Guild of America
Berklee Songwriter’s Club
New England to Nashville (NETN)
