Teresa Acquaviva Songs From The Border

Teresa Acquaviva was was born and raised in Maryland, in the suburbs of Washington, DC. She became interested in piano from the age of 5, when her neighbor, Mrs. Tonneman, would allow her to play her upright piano any time Teresa wanted. By age 6, her parents began formal piano instruction for her, which she adored. She was writing her “own little songs” at age 7, and by age 10 had decided she'd learned everything there was to know about piano, so she switched to the cello. That lasted about a month, as carrying the cello one mile to and from school along with her books was not exactly what she had "envisioned". She then switched to the violin as it was a much lighter instrument, and became part of several youth orchestras in her early tweens. By age 13, however, her love for piano returned. Her parents had her make the choice of only one instrument: piano, or violin? She chose piano, and began lessons once again. Though she had a love for the Classics, she constantly found herself bored with reading music and would often drift away from the printed page to experiment with her own melodic creations. In High School, Teresa continued her musical studies with the Madrigal Choir, and she joined a local rock band where she played keyboards and occasionally sang background vocals. After High School, she continued with a Major in Voice at the local Community College. Singing Opera was not her forte, however, and she was encouraged by the Dean of the school's Music Department to "find another major". This was heartbreaking, and had a devastating effect on her confidence. While she would still compose music, she shared her own creations with no one. It wasn't till several years later that she worked up the courage to play some of her own recordings (then on cassette!) for her friend, and now renowned author, Forbes Blair. Forbe’s encouragement became a launching pad for Teresa, and she continued to write music and share her songs with others. She authored music for Montgomery County Cable TV's evening news, and has written and performed music for countless weddings, retreats, events and services. In recent years, Teresa has become a student of Jewish studies and has delighted in Psalmist compositions. Teresa and her husband, Michael, have three children and still reside in the Washington, DC area. They aspire to move to New Zealand in the future -- a magical place which possesses an endless source of inspiration for writing new songs.