Listen to Janet Marlow
Hear a selection of Marlow’s performances.
A Making in Music
Janet Marlow's substantial impact on the world of music has her firmly established as a respected figure among contemporary guitarists and composers alike.
Classically trained as a pianist and violinist, Janet’s musical journey matured toward a profound exploration of the distinctive tonal qualities and expressive potential offered by the rare ten-string guitar. She studied with Andres Segovia and as a protege of Maestro Narciso Yepes in Spain, the innovator of the ten-string guitar. Through an impressive portfolio of recordings and performances, Marlow's repertoire spans a wide range of styles, skillfully blending classical influences with contemporary elements. Her performances and recordings are renowned for remarkable technical precision, profound emotional depth, and vanguard interpretations—serving as a testament to the ten-string guitar's vast harmonic range, lush soundscapes, and original compositions.
Solo and Jazz Albums
As a recording artist, Marlow released a series of solo albums featuring the ten-string guitar, showcasing a blend of classical and contemporary styles while highlighting her skills as composer and performer. Marlow’s jazz and classical albums are available on popular platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music.
Concerts, Festivals, and Film
Janet’s career has taken her around the world from Lincoln Center, the Texaco Jazz Festival, Festival Estival De Paris, Quick Center for the Arts, The Apollo Theater, Carnegie Hall, and Blue Note. She has composed for television documentaries, stage premieres in Hong Kong and Europe, and performed on screen in Woody Allen's Celebrity. Her scores are featured in the Sundance award-winning film Swimmers.
Collaborative Works
In addition to her solo projects, Marlow has coproduced with renowned artists and with her contemporary jazz quintet, contributing to various albums and stage performances across different genres. Janet’s album Outside the City is a collaboration with one of the great Jazz pianists, Renee Rosnes. She has played alongside Grammy award-winning artists such as David Darling, Pete Levin, Lew Soloff, Darmon Meader, Alex Foster, Danny Gottlieb, Mark Egan, Kent Hewitt, Chip Jackson, Alan Brennan, and Café, Brazilian Percussion.
Workshops and Masterclasses
Marlow has garnered recognition as a distinguished music educator, frequently conducting educational forums for aspiring guitarists and enthusiasts. Such events focus on the intricacies of playing the ten-string guitar in live performances. She explores its capabilities to cultivate a deeper appreciation for this extraordinary instrument within the wider music community.
Janet Marlow performs at Quick Center with jazz great Alan Brennan (2008).
“People are highly reactive to sound—animals more so. Both rely on volume and pitch to express themselves and perceive the value of environmental harmony.”
Connecting to Nature
In a musical life and surrounded by animals, Janet Marlow has always been fascinated by her pets’ reactions to her compositions.
With a background in music mastery and sound engineering, Marlow set out to discover why animals are so profoundly affected by melodic sounds. She pioneered a formula of modifying frequency and decibel levels according to the hearing range of the animal, introducing “species-specific music” to provide calm for animals worldwide.
By 1997, Janet Marlow debuted Pet Acoustics and quickly became prominent in the industry for her psychoacoustics research. Pet Acoustics designs audio products tailored for the individual sensitive hearing ranges of various pet species. Published and peer-reviewed results have been clinically proven to improve physical states in canines, equines, and felines. Ongoing biometric studies have revealed lowered pulse rates, improved heart rate variability, decreased cortisol levels, and calmer activity. Using the same natural techniques, improved behaviors in birds and rabbits are observable. As of 2023, Pet Acoustics sonic products have been enjoyed by over a million pets globally.
Sound Behaviorist and Music Innovator
Sound behavior is a new field of study that describes the way in which a being acts in response to a particular situation or stimulus from sound as a sensitivity to an external or internal stimuli. As a Sound Behaviorist, Janet specializes in studying animal auditory perception and responses to modified acoustics. Marlow’s discovery and application of species-specific music mitigates physical states and behaviors of animals.
Speaker and Author
Marlow's expertise and innovations have made her a respected figure in pet care communities. She speaks at such prestigious events as the Western Veterinary Conference and the New York Vet Show. As an author, she continually pushes the boundaries of how sound can be used to enhance the lives of pets and their guardians.
Sound Environment Consultant
Janet Marlow consults animal organizations and veterinary practices in the emerging field of pet psychoacoustics. Janet’s music is integrated with bird sanctuaries in Bush Gardens and has partnered with Nestle Purina Friskies and Nationwide Pet Insurance. Marlow is also a consultant for the global Boehringer Ingelheim in equine acoustics.
Janet Marlow performs on Animal Planet network (2011).
“When I played at home, no matter where my dogs or cats were, they would come to my side, curl up and rest deeply, listening.”
Forward Focus
Janet Marlow’s scientific inquiry, creative problem-solving, and empathy for animals continue to fuel Pet Acoustics’ ongoing contributions to this vital field.
Pet Acoustics will continue to grow awareness for its natural method for alleviating stress in animals, and their guardians, worldwide. The organization is expanding with innovative products for pet professionals in veterinary clinics, shelters, groomers, and beyond.
Janet Marlow with Rigby,