"Breakaway" Music Video Celebrates Bike Race Season

Hearts in Notes today releases "Breakaway", a contemporary instrumental composition, along with an accompanying music video. The release is the first from Michael Thomas' Hearts in Notes since last year's highly acclaimed "Dusk Song" CD. Said Thomas, "Whether it's the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia, or a locally-sponsored event, the spring and summer teem with road races. As an avid biker myself, and who was fortunate enough to witness a Tour finish in Paris, I'm happy to contribute to the racing season with this composition."

The music and sport components in the piece are clear, but less obvious is the role that a painting played. "I bought a painting some years ago by Suzanne Hodes called "Speedway", said Thomas. "It hangs in my studio and depicts a bike racer in a very colorful and dynamic manner. Early in the writing of the song I was looking for a title to best represent the song's sense of action - I glanced at the painting and immediately knew the song and the video would be about a bike race."

That decision put Breakaway in rare company. "I was surprised that there were not more songs and music videos about bike races – I could only find Queen's ‘Bicycle Race' as the only other instance of a song and video about bike racing. So, Breakaway represents a significant addition to that body of work. I also proclaim it to be the only music video in history about a bike race inspired by a painting!"