Damon McLay will perform in concert at 7 p.m. May 21 at Faith Lutheran Church of Homer, on the corner of Sterling Highway and Soundview Avenue.

The distance between Damon McLay's inspiration and the piano is seamless. From the invisible source of the musician's creativity to the soothing sounds that emanate from the piano strings, the flow is continuous and smooth as it subtly accommodates unseen shifts in current. "Finding My Way," McLay's second CD of improvisational new age music, is as much an experience of discovery for listeners as it was a personal journey for the artist.

"It chronicles a path of pain, loss, discovery and renewal," McLay said of his newest recording. "This is very much me sitting down and letting the gifts God gave me come out."

One of the CD's nine pieces was composed note for note, but the remainder is fully improvisational, according to McLay. Occasionally, a theme may be repeated, but other than that, each piece is unique, unable to be repeated. The same holds true for his concert on May 21. The performance is presented by Homer Council on the Arts, and will be at 7 p.m. at Faith Lutheran Church.

Born and raised in Homer, McLay's interest in piano began when he was 8 years old.

"I was going to a Christian school that had a band and I wanted to play in the band when I was older," McLay said. Seeing the band lacked a piano, McLay decided that was his ace in the hole, unaware that a piano was intentionally not part of the band's musical makeup

A friend agreed to introduce him to keyboard fundamentals. That eventually led to lessons with Shelly Erickson. A piano purchased by his grandparents gave McLay the opportunity to practice what he was learning, enabling his interest and skill to grow.

After graduating from Homer High School, McLay enrolled in the University of Alaska Fairbanks, majoring in music with a focus on piano performance. In 1993, he won the collegiate level of UAF's concerto competition and, as a result, performed with the Fairbanks Symphony in its December 1993 concert. After graduating in 1995, he continued to live in Fairbanks, teaching music, performing at recitals and helping start a Christian rock band, "Revival Town."

"It was a worship band for a nontraditional home church and a performing band," McLay said. "We performed at coffee houses, opened for (Christian music artist) Leon Patillo's concert and at the state fair in Fairbanks for two years."

During this time, a musical shift was taking shape, moving McLay from the world of classical music into the light of improvisational new age, a form that combined his talent with his ability to let music express emotion.

"In the midst of my degree work in college, I began to fiddle around on the piano, making stuff up for my own enjoyment, as a break from intense stretches of classical music," he said. "It was a way for me to kind of meditate."

Overhearing McLay's private, meditative, relaxing explorations on the piano, friends asked to hear more.

"I got good feedback, but it took several years to understand that other people enjoyed and benefited the same way as I did," he said

"Finding My Way," a collection of new age piano improvisation, is the second CD by Homer musician Damon McLay. It will be available at McLay's concert on May 21, and also is available over the Web at www.damonmclay.org.

A specific request brought McLay's first CD, "Pilgrimage," to life.

"An acquaintance asked me to make a CD to use during massage sessions," McLay said of the recording he completed in 2003. The 10 pieces move with a relaxing, reflective, introspective energy, improvised with a specific setting in mind, unlike his latest CD, which lacked creative limitations and purpose. The result is a bolder, more personal experience.

Since returning to Homer in 2004, McLay has performed a concert at Bunnell Street Gallery and was the pianist entertaining between World Café acts. He will play at the closing reception of HCOA's Tour of Homes on June 25. His interest in digital art was displayed in HCOA's Emerging Artists exhibit in February, and he will do a solo exhibit of digital art at HCOA in October. McLay has his own graphic design business, By Design, and is currently employed by HCOA. His CDs sell for $15 and can be ordered through his Web site at www.damonmclay.org.

"Being back in Homer is amazing," he said. "It just draws out the artist in me. And working at HCOA has given so many opportunities to express my artistic self. "Homer is a great place for art."

McLay's May 21 concert is presented by HCOA. It will be held at the Faith Lutheran Church at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 general, $7 HCOA members, $3 youth, and are available at HCOA. For more information, call 2350-4288.

McKibben Jackinsky can be reached at mckibben.jackinsky@homernews.com.