Lisa Occhino

Westhill High School in Stamford has announced that senior Lisa Occhino will be a recipient of the Connecticut High School Arts Awards for excellence in the performing arts at the Fifteenth Annual Arts Recognition Banquet. The teachers and administration at Westhill selected Lisa as an outstanding student who possesses the qualities of scholarship and leadership.

As an honoree, Lisa will receive a plaque for excellence and distinguished service to her school, and will be treated to dinner at the Outstanding Arts Awards Banquet on Tuesday, April 27, 2010 at the Aqua Turf Club in Plantsville. The event, sponsored by Jostens and the Connecticut Association of Schools (CAS), is expected to have over 1,000 people attending, about 250 of which will be awards recipients from schools throughout Connecticut. CAS is a non-profit organization serving the students and staff of over 1,100 of Connecticut's public and parochial schools in all areas of operation in order to provide exemplary programs and services that promote excellence in education.

Born and educated in Stamford, Lisa has received numerous awards and honors for academic excellence, leadership, and musical achievements. In January, the Stamford Board of Education awarded her with a certificate for outstanding musical achievement in releasing her debut album, Discovery, as well as for her upcoming performance in May at Manhattan¹s famous rock club, The Bitter End. According to Larry Oakes of The Bitter End, Lisa is among less than 1% of performers under 18 who have ever been invited to perform at the Singer/Songwriter Sessions. Since 1961, The Bitter End's famous brick wall stage has launched the careers of thousands of artists such as Miles Davis, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan, Bette Midler, Lady Gaga, Janis Joplin, Patti La Belle, Jackson Browne, and James Taylor, along with dozens of famous comedians.

Lisa was recently a featured artist at a benefit for Stamford's Shelter for the Homeless at the Hilton Hotel in Stamford, SL Signature¹s Night of Paramount Performers, and the Stamford Art Association opening reception for the 37th Annual High School Scholarship Show and Senior Portfolio Competition. Lisa regularly gives her time to non-profit causes such as the Stamford Symphony, Stamford public schools music programs, Interact Community Service Club, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Breast Cancer Awareness, Knights of Columbus, World AIDS Day, Senator's Cabaret for Child Abuse, the North Stamford Exchange Club, and the Volunteer Center of Southwestern
Fairfield County. "I think the most effective way to legitimately make a change in the world is by starting in your own community with a cause you truly believe in," says Lisa. She is especially passionate about providing children with the opportunity to be exposed to music, which is why every purchase of a hard copy of Discovery will benefit the SYAP Outreach program.

Producing her album involved not only financial obstacles, but also many emotional and mental challenges. "I had over 25 songs that were in the works, but I just couldn't complete them," explains Lisa. "I eventually realized that this was because I was afraid of finishing a song that wasn't perfect." I knew I had to overcome my fears because I really wanted feedback from people that weren't just my family and friends." Lisa saved up her money over the years from her jobs at a local music store, her parents' business, tutoring, babysitting, and playing professional gigs. She prepared a list of goals she wanted to accomplish, completed the music and lyrics to six songs, opened a music bank account, and created a profit and loss spreadsheet. She helped design her album artwork and website, recorded rough demos, and invested her hard-earned money in professional studio time.

Lisa continues to juggle her music career with a rigorous school schedule of classes and activities. Westhill High School in Stamford knows Lisa Occhino as a good-natured and focused academic student, ranked in the top 4% of her class. They've seen her win talent shows and named her "Most Musical" of the class of 2010. She is the alto section leader of the Westhill Chamber Singers, who won the Gold Cup at 20th International Choir Competition in Verona, Italy last April. Lisa has performed in over a dozen musicals, acted in videos, studied dance for over 14 years, and has played on Connecticut State and high school volleyball teams. She is also a part of her high school concert choir, gospel choir, jazz band, concert band, marching band, Tri-M Music Honor Society, and the Northstar Playmakers dramas and musicals.

Lisa grew up listening to music and going to concerts and musicals since she was a toddler. She has spent years researching songwriters online, reading music business and marketing books, analyzing hit songs, and taking classes and workshops in piano, music theory, songwriting, and production. She began songwriting at age 12 and has since experimente - Connecticut Plus

Westhill High School in Stamford has announced that senior Lisa Occhino will be a recipient of the Connecticut High School Arts Awards for excellence in the performing arts at the Fifteenth Annual Arts Recognition Banquet. The teachers and administration at Westhill selected Lisa as an outstanding student who possesses the qualities of scholarship and leadership.

As an honoree, Lisa will receive a plaque for excellence and distinguished service to her school, and will be treated to dinner at the Outstanding Arts Awards Banquet on Tuesday, April 27, 2010 at the Aqua Turf Club in Plantsville. The event, sponsored by Jostens and the Connecticut Association of Schools (CAS), is expected to have over 1,000 people attending, about 250 of which will be awards recipients from schools throughout Connecticut. CAS is a non-profit organization serving the students and staff of over 1,100 of Connecticut's public and parochial schools in all areas of operation in order to provide exemplary programs and services that promote excellence in education.

Born and educated in Stamford, Lisa has received numerous awards and honors for academic excellence, leadership, and musical achievements. In January, the Stamford Board of Education awarded her with a certificate for outstanding musical achievement in releasing her debut album, Discovery, as well as for her upcoming performance in May at Manhattan¹s famous rock club, The Bitter End. According to Larry Oakes of The Bitter End, Lisa is among less than 1% of performers under 18 who have ever been invited to perform at the Singer/Songwriter Sessions. Since 1961, The Bitter End's famous brick wall stage has launched the careers of thousands of artists such as Miles Davis, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan, Bette Midler, Lady Gaga, Janis Joplin, Patti La Belle, Jackson Browne, and James Taylor, along with dozens of famous comedians.

Lisa was recently a featured artist at a benefit for Stamford's Shelter for the Homeless at the Hilton Hotel in Stamford, SL Signature¹s Night of Paramount Performers, and the Stamford Art Association opening reception for the 37th Annual High School Scholarship Show and Senior Portfolio Competition. Lisa regularly gives her time to non-profit causes such as the Stamford Symphony, Stamford public schools music programs, Interact Community Service Club, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Breast Cancer Awareness, Knights of Columbus, World AIDS Day, Senator's Cabaret for Child Abuse, the North Stamford Exchange Club, and the Volunteer Center of Southwestern
Fairfield County. "I think the most effective way to legitimately make a change in the world is by starting in your own community with a cause you truly believe in," says Lisa. She is especially passionate about providing children with the opportunity to be exposed to music, which is why every purchase of a hard copy of Discovery will benefit the SYAP Outreach program.

Producing her album involved not only financial obstacles, but also many emotional and mental challenges. "I had over 25 songs that were in the works, but I just couldn't complete them," explains Lisa. "I eventually realized that this was because I was afraid of finishing a song that wasn't perfect." I knew I had to overcome my fears because I really wanted feedback from people that weren't just my family and friends." Lisa saved up her money over the years from her jobs at a local music store, her parents' business, tutoring, babysitting, and playing professional gigs. She prepared a list of goals she wanted to accomplish, completed the music and lyrics to six songs, opened a music bank account, and created a profit and loss spreadsheet. She helped design her album artwork and website, recorded rough demos, and invested her hard-earned money in professional studio time.

Lisa continues to juggle her music career with a rigorous school schedule of classes and activities. Westhill High School in Stamford knows Lisa Occhino as a good-natured and focused academic student, ranked in the top 4% of her class. They've seen her win talent shows and named her "Most Musical" of the class of 2010. She is the alto section leader of the Westhill Chamber Singers, who won the Gold Cup at 20th International Choir Competition in Verona, Italy last April. Lisa has performed in over a dozen musicals, acted in videos, studied dance for over 14 years, and has played on Connecticut State and high school volleyball teams. She is also a part of her high school concert choir, gospel choir, jazz band, concert band, marching band, Tri-M Music Honor Society, and the Northstar Playmakers dramas and musicals.

Lisa grew up listening to music and going to concerts and musicals since she was a toddler. She has spent years researching songwriters online, reading music business and marketing books, analyzing hit songs, and taking classes and workshops in piano, music theory, songwriting, and production. She began songwriting at age 12 and has since experimente - Connecticut Plus

When the earthquake shook Japan last March, it did not take long before both the independent and mainstream artists started their move to help the disastrous country in recovering from the rubble. One artist specially captured our attention – Lisa Occhino, a young artist blessed with a beautiful voice and a thoughtful heart.

Lisa is an award-winning pianist, songwriter, and singer whom we adore for her compelling passion for music and charity. With various music genres on her palate including pop, rock, R&B, jazz, alternative, country, and Latin, Occhino is always capable of expressing evocative messages to her music. Her first EP Discovery, where she performed all the lead vocals, harmonies, and piano, is just an appetizer to what this young lady can do.

Just recently, Lisa sang live on FOX New CT’s morning show to promote the Love Conquers All: Music for Japan compilation, on which her song “The Pain Behind Your Eyes” from her EP is featured. Along with Lisa, over 40 other songwriters from the Berklee Community took part in this charitable deed where 100% of the proceeds will be donated to Save the Children’s disaster relief for Japan.

This is not the first time Lisa helped out through her music. She is also passionate about providing children with the opportunity to be exposed to music so she donates 20% of every purchase of a hard copy of her first EP to the Stamford Young Artists Philharmonic Outreach music program.

Lisa is currently an honors student majoring in Music Business/Management at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, which awarded her the Songwriting and Composition Scholarship. Lisa is also slated to have her original song “I Do It Better” on the 2011 Music Xray Hit Song Compilation – Great Tracks from Independent Acts, Pop-Rock Vol. 1 produced by Flicknife Records, an independent record label in the United Kingdom.

We at Indie Update are very excited to hear more of Lisa’s musical achievements this year. Her EP Discovery generally features songs of a sweet, youthful, and emotive female artist. “A More Beautiful World,” “I Wish I Was Over You,” “The Pain Behind Your Eyes” are the more emotional songs from the EP while “I Do Better”, “I Still Believe,” and “Surrounded” are pretty upbeat and more vibrant. If you love piano, heartwarming lyrics, and soft mellow vocals, you should check Lisa’s Discovery.

This Sunday on Memorial Day(May 29), she’ll be performing for her second time at Manhattan’s oldest and most famous rock club, The Bitter End, where music legends like Miles Davis, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan, Bette Midler and more have launched their careers. Last year, she was among the less than 1% of songwriters under age 18 who showcased their originals in front of the club’s famous brick wall.

Check out Lisa Occhino’s Official Website to know more information about her latest gigs. You may watch Lisa’s live performances on her YouTube channel or like her on Facebook for more updates. - Indie Update

When the earthquake shook Japan last March, it did not take long before both the independent and mainstream artists started their move to help the disastrous country in recovering from the rubble. One artist specially captured our attention – Lisa Occhino, a young artist blessed with a beautiful voice and a thoughtful heart.

Lisa is an award-winning pianist, songwriter, and singer whom we adore for her compelling passion for music and charity. With various music genres on her palate including pop, rock, R&B, jazz, alternative, country, and Latin, Occhino is always capable of expressing evocative messages to her music. Her first EP Discovery, where she performed all the lead vocals, harmonies, and piano, is just an appetizer to what this young lady can do.

Just recently, Lisa sang live on FOX New CT’s morning show to promote the Love Conquers All: Music for Japan compilation, on which her song “The Pain Behind Your Eyes” from her EP is featured. Along with Lisa, over 40 other songwriters from the Berklee Community took part in this charitable deed where 100% of the proceeds will be donated to Save the Children’s disaster relief for Japan.

This is not the first time Lisa helped out through her music. She is also passionate about providing children with the opportunity to be exposed to music so she donates 20% of every purchase of a hard copy of her first EP to the Stamford Young Artists Philharmonic Outreach music program.

Lisa is currently an honors student majoring in Music Business/Management at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, which awarded her the Songwriting and Composition Scholarship. Lisa is also slated to have her original song “I Do It Better” on the 2011 Music Xray Hit Song Compilation – Great Tracks from Independent Acts, Pop-Rock Vol. 1 produced by Flicknife Records, an independent record label in the United Kingdom.

We at Indie Update are very excited to hear more of Lisa’s musical achievements this year. Her EP Discovery generally features songs of a sweet, youthful, and emotive female artist. “A More Beautiful World,” “I Wish I Was Over You,” “The Pain Behind Your Eyes” are the more emotional songs from the EP while “I Do Better”, “I Still Believe,” and “Surrounded” are pretty upbeat and more vibrant. If you love piano, heartwarming lyrics, and soft mellow vocals, you should check Lisa’s Discovery.

This Sunday on Memorial Day(May 29), she’ll be performing for her second time at Manhattan’s oldest and most famous rock club, The Bitter End, where music legends like Miles Davis, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan, Bette Midler and more have launched their careers. Last year, she was among the less than 1% of songwriters under age 18 who showcased their originals in front of the club’s famous brick wall.

Check out Lisa Occhino’s Official Website to know more information about her latest gigs. You may watch Lisa’s live performances on her YouTube channel or like her on Facebook for more updates. - Indie Update

In July, I reported on 17-year-old Stamford musician Lisa Occhino, who is pursuing a career as a pop singer/songwriter. A dedicated and hard-working individual, Occhino self-financed and recorded her debut EP, “Discovery,” while juggling her senior year at Westhill High School and a host of extracurricular activities (marching and concert bands, gospel and concert choirs, jazz ensemble, songwriter’s corner, drama club and chamber singers, just to name a few).

But as the story noted, Occhino isn’t just focused on her own success. She regularly takes time out to volunteer — teaching music for Stamford public schools music programs and reading to kids at the Ferguson Library. What’s more, she planned to donate 20 percent of sales of her album to benefit Stamford Young Artists Philharmonic Outreach, which provides music lessons to underprivileged children.

Recently, Occhino made good on her promise when she presented a check for $150 to the SYAP. Occhino, who will attend Berklee College of Music, also has worked to raise awareness on the SYAP program through the distribution of literature and use of Internet social marketing.

Donations to SYAP Outreach can be made by purchasing a hard copy of “Discovery” (contact LisaOcchino@gmail.com) or donating to the SYAP at www.syap.org. - The Stamford Advocate

In July, I reported on 17-year-old Stamford musician Lisa Occhino, who is pursuing a career as a pop singer/songwriter. A dedicated and hard-working individual, Occhino self-financed and recorded her debut EP, “Discovery,” while juggling her senior year at Westhill High School and a host of extracurricular activities (marching and concert bands, gospel and concert choirs, jazz ensemble, songwriter’s corner, drama club and chamber singers, just to name a few).

But as the story noted, Occhino isn’t just focused on her own success. She regularly takes time out to volunteer — teaching music for Stamford public schools music programs and reading to kids at the Ferguson Library. What’s more, she planned to donate 20 percent of sales of her album to benefit Stamford Young Artists Philharmonic Outreach, which provides music lessons to underprivileged children.

Recently, Occhino made good on her promise when she presented a check for $150 to the SYAP. Occhino, who will attend Berklee College of Music, also has worked to raise awareness on the SYAP program through the distribution of literature and use of Internet social marketing.

Donations to SYAP Outreach can be made by purchasing a hard copy of “Discovery” (contact LisaOcchino@gmail.com) or donating to the SYAP at www.syap.org. - The Stamford Advocate

The brick wall stage at New York City's Bitter End nightclub has long been the backdrop for performances by iconic musicians -- from Miles Davis and Bob Dylan to Sarah McLachlan and Lady Gaga.

In May, Lisa Occhino basked in the same spotlight, appearing at the club's long-running Singer/Songwriter Sessions. The concert brought Occhino, a 17-year-old Westhill High School graduate, one step closer to fulfilling a childhood dream.

"I've always known I wanted to be a professional musician," she said during an interview last week. "I always set goals and I try to accomplish them."

And that's exactly what she's done. This year, Occhino self-financed and produced her first album of original songs; participated in all of Westhill's performing arts activities; and even set up a music business account with money saved from jobs and gigs.

And that's only the beginning, as she prepares to catapult her career when she attends Berklee College of Music in the fall.

"I always knew I wanted go there," she said of the Boston music school, one of the most prestigious in the world. "The opportunities are huge."

Though she solidified her decision to pursue songwriting just a few years ago, Occhino's love of music dates back to when she was still in diapers. From a young age, she listened to Cuban music and Bruce Springsteen -- courtesy of her mother and father, respectively -- and attended concerts and Broadway musicals such as "The King and I." At 6, she began taking piano lessons, and later, taught herself when her teachers, many of them professional musicians with busy schedules, were unavailable.

Occhino's passion continued into middle and high school, where she became a member of the marching and concert bands, gospel and concert choirs, jazz ensemble, songwriter's corner, drama club and chamber singers. She was even voted Most Musical by her peers and earned an award for outstanding musical achievement from the Stamford Board of Education.

"Her talents with piano, voice and composition are excellent," said Thomas Miner, director of Instrumental Music at Westhill and a Berklee College alum. "She is an extremely well-rounded young musician with a true sense of music and business."

While Occhino was pleased with the positive responses from friends, family and teachers, she yearned for feedback from the music industry. So, she recorded her own album, saving money from jobs at a local music store, professional performances and her parents' business, Stamford-based Vertex Marketing Communications, to pay for production costs.

Recorded at Hi-Top Productions, "Discovery" is a six-song EP of pop gems that "draws inspiration from my own life and the people around me," Occhino explained.

"I knew this was something I had to do, if I wanted to be a professional songwriter," she added. Occhino sells digital copies of the album on ITunes and Rhapsody while samples are up on her website, www.LisaOcchino.com. Her Facebook page has garnered nearly 500 fans and her Youtube piano performance videos have been viewed 18,000 times, according to mother and manager, Barbara Occhino.

Following the release of the album in February, Occhino contacted Larry Oakes, a New York City resident who organizes the Singer/Songwriter Sessions at the Bitter End, and sent him copies of her music. He later invited Occhino to perform.

"She's an extremely talented young lady who writes great songs," Oakes said, adding that Occhino is just one of the few artists younger than 18 ever to have appeared on the showcase. "If she sticks with it, and develops her songwriting skills -- that's the main asset she can have -- I absolutely think she can make it."

But Occhino isn't just focused on her own success. She regularly takes time out to volunteer -- teaching music for Stamford public schools music programs and reading with kids at the Ferguson Library. She even donates 20 percent of sales of her album to benefit Stamford Young Artists Philharmonic Outreach, which provides music lessons to underprivileged children.

Today, Occhino is biding her time until her next big gig, saving money and getting ready for college (she'll be double majoring in songwriting and music business). With patience and determination, it could be only a matter of time before Occhino ends up one of the next big singer/songwriters who made a splash at the Bitter End.

Said Occhino: "I'm still writing something new every day." - The Stamford Advocate

The brick wall stage at New York City's Bitter End nightclub has long been the backdrop for performances by iconic musicians -- from Miles Davis and Bob Dylan to Sarah McLachlan and Lady Gaga.

In May, Lisa Occhino basked in the same spotlight, appearing at the club's long-running Singer/Songwriter Sessions. The concert brought Occhino, a 17-year-old Westhill High School graduate, one step closer to fulfilling a childhood dream.

"I've always known I wanted to be a professional musician," she said during an interview last week. "I always set goals and I try to accomplish them."

And that's exactly what she's done. This year, Occhino self-financed and produced her first album of original songs; participated in all of Westhill's performing arts activities; and even set up a music business account with money saved from jobs and gigs.

And that's only the beginning, as she prepares to catapult her career when she attends Berklee College of Music in the fall.

"I always knew I wanted go there," she said of the Boston music school, one of the most prestigious in the world. "The opportunities are huge."

Though she solidified her decision to pursue songwriting just a few years ago, Occhino's love of music dates back to when she was still in diapers. From a young age, she listened to Cuban music and Bruce Springsteen -- courtesy of her mother and father, respectively -- and attended concerts and Broadway musicals such as "The King and I." At 6, she began taking piano lessons, and later, taught herself when her teachers, many of them professional musicians with busy schedules, were unavailable.

Occhino's passion continued into middle and high school, where she became a member of the marching and concert bands, gospel and concert choirs, jazz ensemble, songwriter's corner, drama club and chamber singers. She was even voted Most Musical by her peers and earned an award for outstanding musical achievement from the Stamford Board of Education.

"Her talents with piano, voice and composition are excellent," said Thomas Miner, director of Instrumental Music at Westhill and a Berklee College alum. "She is an extremely well-rounded young musician with a true sense of music and business."

While Occhino was pleased with the positive responses from friends, family and teachers, she yearned for feedback from the music industry. So, she recorded her own album, saving money from jobs at a local music store, professional performances and her parents' business, Stamford-based Vertex Marketing Communications, to pay for production costs.

Recorded at Hi-Top Productions, "Discovery" is a six-song EP of pop gems that "draws inspiration from my own life and the people around me," Occhino explained.

"I knew this was something I had to do, if I wanted to be a professional songwriter," she added. Occhino sells digital copies of the album on ITunes and Rhapsody while samples are up on her website, www.LisaOcchino.com. Her Facebook page has garnered nearly 500 fans and her Youtube piano performance videos have been viewed 18,000 times, according to mother and manager, Barbara Occhino.

Following the release of the album in February, Occhino contacted Larry Oakes, a New York City resident who organizes the Singer/Songwriter Sessions at the Bitter End, and sent him copies of her music. He later invited Occhino to perform.

"She's an extremely talented young lady who writes great songs," Oakes said, adding that Occhino is just one of the few artists younger than 18 ever to have appeared on the showcase. "If she sticks with it, and develops her songwriting skills -- that's the main asset she can have -- I absolutely think she can make it."

But Occhino isn't just focused on her own success. She regularly takes time out to volunteer -- teaching music for Stamford public schools music programs and reading with kids at the Ferguson Library. She even donates 20 percent of sales of her album to benefit Stamford Young Artists Philharmonic Outreach, which provides music lessons to underprivileged children.

Today, Occhino is biding her time until her next big gig, saving money and getting ready for college (she'll be double majoring in songwriting and music business). With patience and determination, it could be only a matter of time before Occhino ends up one of the next big singer/songwriters who made a splash at the Bitter End.

Said Occhino: "I'm still writing something new every day." - The Stamford Advocate

STAMFORD -- Besides juggling classes and extracurricular activities, one Westhill High senior is also releasing her own album, and the city's education board has awarded her for her musical accomplishments.

On Tuesday, Jan. 26, the Stamford Board of Education honored Lisa Occhino, a student at Westhill High School, for her achievement of releasing her debut album, "Discovery," and for her upcoming May performance at Manhattan's legendary venue, The Bitter End.

Occhino is donating 20 percent of her CD sales to benefit Stamford's Young Artists Philharmonic (SYAP) outreach music program, a 50-year-old organization that provides a variety of musical performance opportunities for students.

"I think the most effective way to legitimately make a change in the world is by starting in your own community with a cause you truly believe in," said Occhino.

By offering a percentage of her CD sales to SYAP, Occhino hopes to help provide children with the opportunity to be exposed to music.

Currently, the Westhill senior is juggling her music career with a full schedule of classes and activities. Academically ranked in the top 4 percent of her class, she was voted "Most Musical" of the class of 2010.

She is the alto section leader of the Westhill Chamber Singers, who won the Gold Cup at 20th International Choir Competition in Verona, Italy last April. Occhino also has performed in more than a dozen musicals, acted in videos and studied dance for more than 14 years. Occhino is also a part of her high school's concert choir, gospel choir, jazz band, concert band, marching band, Tri-M Music Honor Society, and the Northstar Playmakers dramas and musicals.

Occhino, according to her family, began songwriting at age 12 and has since experimented with fusing elements of jazz, rock, classical, Latin, and pop genres. At 15, her original jazz tune, "Back in the Swing of Things," was selected for the Stamford Young Artists' concert at UConn Stamford, and the following year, another one of her jazz compositions, "Midnight Blues," was performed by the Stamford Young Artists at Stamford High School.

In college, Occhino plans to combine her love for marketing and music by double majoring in songwriting and music business.

To listen to tracks featured on Occhino's upcoming album and learn more about the SYAP outreach program, visit www.LisaOcchino.com. - The Stamford Times

STAMFORD -- Besides juggling classes and extracurricular activities, one Westhill High senior is also releasing her own album, and the city's education board has awarded her for her musical accomplishments.

On Tuesday, Jan. 26, the Stamford Board of Education honored Lisa Occhino, a student at Westhill High School, for her achievement of releasing her debut album, "Discovery," and for her upcoming May performance at Manhattan's legendary venue, The Bitter End.

Occhino is donating 20 percent of her CD sales to benefit Stamford's Young Artists Philharmonic (SYAP) outreach music program, a 50-year-old organization that provides a variety of musical performance opportunities for students.

"I think the most effective way to legitimately make a change in the world is by starting in your own community with a cause you truly believe in," said Occhino.

By offering a percentage of her CD sales to SYAP, Occhino hopes to help provide children with the opportunity to be exposed to music.

Currently, the Westhill senior is juggling her music career with a full schedule of classes and activities. Academically ranked in the top 4 percent of her class, she was voted "Most Musical" of the class of 2010.

She is the alto section leader of the Westhill Chamber Singers, who won the Gold Cup at 20th International Choir Competition in Verona, Italy last April. Occhino also has performed in more than a dozen musicals, acted in videos and studied dance for more than 14 years. Occhino is also a part of her high school's concert choir, gospel choir, jazz band, concert band, marching band, Tri-M Music Honor Society, and the Northstar Playmakers dramas and musicals.

Occhino, according to her family, began songwriting at age 12 and has since experimented with fusing elements of jazz, rock, classical, Latin, and pop genres. At 15, her original jazz tune, "Back in the Swing of Things," was selected for the Stamford Young Artists' concert at UConn Stamford, and the following year, another one of her jazz compositions, "Midnight Blues," was performed by the Stamford Young Artists at Stamford High School.

In college, Occhino plans to combine her love for marketing and music by double majoring in songwriting and music business.

To listen to tracks featured on Occhino's upcoming album and learn more about the SYAP outreach program, visit www.LisaOcchino.com. - The Stamford Times

STAMFORD -- Stamford's Lisa Occhino, a songwriting and composition scholarship recipient and music business/management major at Berklee College of Music in Boston, will have her song, "The Pain Behind Your Eyes," featured on a compilation titled "Love Conquers All" to raise money for disaster relief for Japan.

Berklee students Julian Weisser, Dean Davis, and Ethan Schiff collected original songs donated by more than 40 artists from the Berklee community. The resulting compilation is selling on musicforjapan.org for $10, with 100 percent of the proceeds being donated to Save the Children's relief efforts in Japan (savethechildren.org).

Many of the artists will be performing the songs featured on the release in Boston-area shows to promote the album and raise money for the charity.

Berklee College of Music is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world, with 25 percent of its student population coming from 85 countries including Japan and other Asian countries.

"It was amazing to see how in just a matter of days, so many talented musicians and songwriters joined forces to put this album together to help the victims of Japan," said Occhino.

She will perform her originals live in this summer at venues including The Bitter End in New York City on May 29, Stamford Town Center Plaza's Bluesday Tuesday on July 12 and the North Star Restaurant in Pound Ridge, N.Y., on July 20.

On her first EP, "Discovery," she performs all of the lead vocals, harmonies, and piano. She donates 20 percent of every purchase of a hard copy to benefit the Stamford Young Artists Philharmonic Outreach music program.

Occhino is slated to have her original song, "I Do It Better," featured on the 2011 Music Xray Hit Song Compilation -- Great Tracks from Independent Acts, Pop-Rock Vol. 1 produced by Flicknife Records, an independent record label in the United Kingdom. She is currently working as a staff writer for The Berklee Groove student newspaper, a pianist, and a private piano/music theory instructor. In summer 2011, she will be interning at a booking agency in Manhattan, handling their social media and promotional marketing. She is collaborating with other artists and songwriters and plans on releasing her sophomore album in 2012. For updates, visit www.LisaOcchino.com .

More information about the project can be found at musicforjapan.org. - The Stamford Times

STAMFORD -- Stamford's Lisa Occhino, a songwriting and composition scholarship recipient and music business/management major at Berklee College of Music in Boston, will have her song, "The Pain Behind Your Eyes," featured on a compilation titled "Love Conquers All" to raise money for disaster relief for Japan.

Berklee students Julian Weisser, Dean Davis, and Ethan Schiff collected original songs donated by more than 40 artists from the Berklee community. The resulting compilation is selling on musicforjapan.org for $10, with 100 percent of the proceeds being donated to Save the Children's relief efforts in Japan (savethechildren.org).

Many of the artists will be performing the songs featured on the release in Boston-area shows to promote the album and raise money for the charity.

Berklee College of Music is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world, with 25 percent of its student population coming from 85 countries including Japan and other Asian countries.

"It was amazing to see how in just a matter of days, so many talented musicians and songwriters joined forces to put this album together to help the victims of Japan," said Occhino.

She will perform her originals live in this summer at venues including The Bitter End in New York City on May 29, Stamford Town Center Plaza's Bluesday Tuesday on July 12 and the North Star Restaurant in Pound Ridge, N.Y., on July 20.

On her first EP, "Discovery," she performs all of the lead vocals, harmonies, and piano. She donates 20 percent of every purchase of a hard copy to benefit the Stamford Young Artists Philharmonic Outreach music program.

Occhino is slated to have her original song, "I Do It Better," featured on the 2011 Music Xray Hit Song Compilation -- Great Tracks from Independent Acts, Pop-Rock Vol. 1 produced by Flicknife Records, an independent record label in the United Kingdom. She is currently working as a staff writer for The Berklee Groove student newspaper, a pianist, and a private piano/music theory instructor. In summer 2011, she will be interning at a booking agency in Manhattan, handling their social media and promotional marketing. She is collaborating with other artists and songwriters and plans on releasing her sophomore album in 2012. For updates, visit www.LisaOcchino.com .

More information about the project can be found at musicforjapan.org. - The Stamford Times