When a new classical artist or composer comes along, music fans and the media hurry to define her in terms of her musical influences. The music of Laurie Christman is very much a reflection of her life experiences and her relationships with those around her. She grew up in a musical home, with a mother who was an opera singer and who encouraged her to study paino and ballet. These artistic pursuits immersed Laurie in a world of romantic music, from which she draws her inspiration. At the same time, her music arises spontaneously and unbidden, from a deep place that even she can scarcely touch. Her piano compositions often convey strong emotions and vibrant visual images. Works such as Where Dreams Become Sunlight, Into the Mist, Wellspring Waltz, Meadow Suite and Prayer for a Friendship, provoke the feelings and responses in listeners that define the purpose of her art: to awaken us and touch our senses with beauty. While looking back to the examples set by the masters of the past, Laurie Christman directs us forward to a future in which classical music continues to be relevant and meaningful. Listeners are encouraged to discover themselves through her musical images and soundscapes that may be beyond a definition by words, yet whose definition the heart will surely understand.