Linwood native aspires to bring music to youngsters

Last Updated on Friday, October 12, 2012 03:00 pm Written by Suzanne Marino Thursday, October 11, 2012 05:10 pm

LINWOOD – Gabrielle Dedomenicis, formerly of Linwood, has an alter ego: Miss Gabby. While the Mainland Regional High School and Berklee College of Music grad is serious about her music, she is finding a way to introduce music to even the youngest of listeners through her Miss Gabby Project. She said she has given it a test run in mommy and me classes and in preschools in California and that it got an enthusiastic stamp of approval from the kids.

“Music is powerful, no matter what the age,” Dedomenicis said from her home in Los Angles last week.

“For kids, the music and movement alone is so important in their development. It helps them learn balance and to help explore their imagination. Some of my songs talk about movement and about parts of their bodies. It’s all about what they can relate to, and it just gets the kids moving and having fun.”

Dedomenicis said the Miss Gabby Project has been in the development stage for about two years. She works with a team that includes an executive producer and musicians. Together, they have made videos that have been very well received, she said, and have produced a number of songs. Their plans include producing DVDs and developing a line of merchandise that mirrors the characters in the Miss Gabby Project.

But all that takes money, something Dedomenicis said is tough to sustain on their own.

For emerging groups such as the Miss Gabby Project there is a platform called Kickstarter that helps groups meet their financial goals. She said it is a secure site that allows people to make donations to individual projects.

The trio’s goal is to reach $10,000 by Oct. 28, and while they are partway there, they still need help. Dedomenicis said that anyone interested in donating can go to www.kickstarter.com and type in Miss Gabby to learn more about the project, how much funding it has received and how they can become part of a groundswell for a creative project. If they are successful in reaching their goal, contributors will receive Miss Gabby Project packages that include CDs and other items, she said, but should the project fail to reach its goal, no credit cards will be charged. 

Dedomenicis said music has been a powerful influence in her life.

“I was a quiet kid, but I always had my music,” she said. “Music gave me my confidence.”

Dedomenicis said she was very shy as a child, and when she started taking lessons with Northfield piano teacher Rick DeKarsky, she gained confidence and found the courage to grow.

“My grades improved, and I really knew that music would always be a part of my life,” she added.

Dedomenicis said she aspires to help young children feel the sense of self-confidence and enjoyment that she found, and the Miss Gabby Project is allowing her to do that.