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for your consideration...

Unhurried Journey: Best Children's Music Album

Grammy® Awards

"... Let’s soak in a breeze, watch ripples across the water, study the lines of a tree, enjoy the colors of a flower, learn the melody of a bird song, revel in the mystery of our dreams, and hear the symphony of sounds that surrounds us if we stop and listen. We are constantly pushing everyday to achieve more and be more. But in that effort, let’s remind ourselves to look up, breathe, listen, and let go. This album is my dedication to the unhurried journey." - elena

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Unhurried Journey is a collection of songs for all ages that celebrates the beauty of taking our time to appreciate every moment of our individual and collective journeys. The album features original songs alongside reimagined folk and children's songs from East and Southeast Asia. The album is also a story in progress, journeying through vivid, magical visual landscapes and joyous characters created by artist Kristiana Pärn. Each song page features a lyric video, a piece of a story, and a downloadable activity accompanying the themes of the song. The musical and visual journey reminds us to seek inspiration from nature, and to all take a deep breath.

Visit Unhurried Journey

"...with travel possibilities still limited, the singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Elena Moon Park promises a global expedition for which no one has to leave home." - The New York Times

"The works of these two women meshes and creates a total immersion of cultures for children and their families." - Geek Dad

"... a beautiful, expressive soundscape, and highly recommended." - Midwest Book Review

Music Videos (7)

Flower Dance (ផ្ការាំ)

04:00

Flower Dance (ផ្ការាំ)

Video directed and animated by Andrew Benincasa. http://www.andrewbenincasa.com/ Music produced by Elena Moon Park and Rob Friedman https://www.unhurriedjourneymusic.com/flower-dance Over the years, I have been lucky enough to meet musicians from all over the world and witness the power of music to connect people across borders, languages and generations. One of these musicians is singer Yorn Young, who taught me this Cambodian folk song dedicated to the dance of the flowers floating in a lake. We invite you to sing and dance along! Yorn Young, vocals Sam Vatanak, roneat Hin Soth, flute Nam Sothea, tro ou Yoshi Waki, upright bass David Cossin, drums, shakers John Foti, harmonies Elena Moon Park, violins, vocals Unhurried Journey is an album of songs for all ages that celebrates the beauty of taking our time to appreciate every moment of our individual and collective journeys. Created by Elena Moon Park. Buy the album at https://www.unhurriedjourneymusic.com/shop

Let It Come, Let It Go

03:41

Let It Come, Let It Go

Written by Elena Moon Park Produced by Elena Moon Park and Rob Friedman https://www.unhurriedjourneymusic.com/ This song is inspired by another lovely piece of art by Kristiana Pärn, called "Let It Come and Go," which I turned into a singalong where every other line is "let it come, let it go." Its title reminds me to soak in each moment -- whether joyous or challenging or anything in between, and then let it blow away like the wind -- not to forget the moment, but to be able to move forward with a clear mind and open heart. The track features my beloved bandmates from Dan Zanes and Friends, including Claudia Zanes and my favorite horn section, Alex and Nathan. Sonia De Los Santos, Claudia Zanes, Dan Zanes, vocals John Foti, piano, vocal harmony Nathan Koci, trumpet Alex Asher, trombone Yoshi Waki, upright bass Colin Brooks, drums Rob Friedman, organ Elena Moon Park, acoustic guitar, jarana, trumpet, vocals Unhurried Journey is an album of songs for all ages that celebrates the beauty of taking our time to appreciate every moment of our individual and collective journeys. Created by Elena Moon Park. Buy the album at https://www.unhurriedjourneymusic.com/shop

Sae Taryeong (새타령)

03:30

Sae Taryeong (새타령)

Video animated by Natacha Diels. http://natachadiels.com/ Traditional, arranged by Elena Moon Park Produced by Elena Moon Park and Rob Friedman https://www.unhurriedjourneymusic.com/sae-taryeong Sae Taryeong is one of the most well-known folk songs of the southwestern region of Korea. It transports us to a hillside, where we hear birds singing on a spring day. We can hear the bird’s melodies and call back to them, learning their tunes along the way. The song is led by the gayageum player and vocalist Kyungso Park, alongside Gamin on piri and Nathan Koci on accordion, trumpets and french horn. Kyungso Park, vocals, gayageum Nathan Koci, accordion, trumpets, french horns Gamin, piri Yoshi Waki, upright bass David Cossin, percussion Sonia De Los Santos, harmonies Elena Moon Park, jarana, vocals Unhurried Journey is an album of songs for all ages that celebrates the beauty of taking our time to appreciate every moment of our individual and collective journeys. Created by Elena Moon Park. Buy the album at https://www.unhurriedjourneymusic.com.

Brilliant New Idea

03:32

Brilliant New Idea

Video animated by Maiko Kikuchi. Green screen by Alice Schoenberg. Written by Elena Moon Park Produced by Elena Moon Park and Rob Friedman https://www.unhurriedjourneymusic.com/ This song is a reminder that our songs & stories connect us to one another all across the world, and we can go wherever our curiosity leads us through telling and listening to those stories. It opens with the sounds of son jarocho, a folk music tradition from Mexico that I love dearly and dream of learning more one day. Our ‘brilliant new idea’ is to go on this journey through music and song together. We invite you to join us and sing along! James Moore, banjo Kyungso Park, gayageum Yoshi Waki, upright bass Colin Brooks, drums Sonia De Los Santos & John Foti, harmonies Sinuhe Padilla Isunza, guitarra, jaranita & vocal intro Rob Friedman, lap steel Elena Moon Park, jarana, mandolin, violin, vocal Unhurried Journey is an album of songs for all ages that celebrates the beauty of taking our time to appreciate every moment of our individual and collective journeys. Created by Elena Moon Park. Maiko Kikuchi: https://maikokikuchi.jimdofree.com/ Alice Schoenberg: https://alice-schoenberg.squarespace.com/videos Buy the album at https://www.unhurriedjourneymusic.com/shop

Unhurried Journey

03:18

Unhurried Journey

Video animated by Lauren Gregory http://laurengregory.net/ Music produced by Elena Moon Park and Rob Friedman https://www.unhurriedjourneymusic.com/ This song is inspired by a serene and beautiful scene created by artist Kristiana Pärn, which reminds us to take our time and enjoy our journey. In the song, I muse about all of the beautiful things that continue to flow around us, slow and steady. I am joined by the inimitable Elizabeth Mitchell on vocals. Elizabeth Mitchell, vocals David Cossin, vibes Yoshi Waki, upright bass Colin Brooks, drums Brett Parnell, pedal steel Philippa Thompson, musical saw Rob Friedman, mellotron Elena, vocals, mandolin, jarana Unhurried Journey is an album of songs for all ages that celebrates the beauty of taking our time to appreciate every moment of our individual and collective journeys. Created by Elena Moon Park. Buy the album at https://www.unhurriedjourneymusic.com/shop

Flying Starfish

03:29

Flying Starfish

Video illustrated & animated by Dana Lyn. http://danalynmusic.com/ Written by Elena Moon Park Produced by Elena Moon Park and Rob Friedman https://www.unhurriedjourneymusic.com/ I sang this song to my niece Zora when she was born, making it up as I went along. While holding her for the first time, I thought of all the exciting adventures coming her way, the transformations and changes that come with them, and how her family would always be waiting for her when she returns. Fly, and be free! The world is yours to see. David Cossin, vibes Angélica Negrón, electronics Philippa Thompson, musical saw Sonia De Los Santos, vocal harmony Yoshi Waki, bass Elena Moon Park, jarana, musical saw, vocals Unhurried Journey is an album of songs for all ages that celebrates the beauty of taking our time to appreciate every moment of our individual and collective journeys. Created by Elena Moon Park. Buy the album at https://www.unhurriedjourneymusic.com/shop

Count the Waves (Kupu Kuwi)

05:01

Count the Waves (Kupu Kuwi)

Videos: 1. Blue Lake, Caldera (central Oregon) 2. also Blue Lake, Caldera (central Oregon) 3. Loch Lubnaig, Scotland 4. Isle of Skye, Scotland 5. Moab, Utah 6. Jökulsárlón, Iceland 7. north of Reykjavik, Iceland 8. Orcas Island, Washington 9-11. Blue Lake, Caldera (central Oregon) Count the Waves (Kupu Kuwi) A moment of calm, featuring some videos of water I’ve made over the years, alongside a song from my upcoming all-ages album entitled Unhurried Journey. Featuring the incredible Peni Candra Rini (vocals), David Cossin (vibes), and Isabel Castellvi (cello), and myself on violins & vocals. Peni taught me this magical Indonesian song about a butterfly called Kupu Kuwi several years ago, and I've loved it since. From the album Unhurried Journey: https://www.unhurriedjourneymusic.com/ #meditations #unhurriedjourney #familymusic

Lyric Videos (15)