"Kate Moody is widely recognized and respected among artists and listeners alike as a composer of original works depicting the scenic beauty and the spiritual legacy of our region's history." -- Fred Coleman, Artistic Director of the Seattle Choral Company. As an undergraduate, Kate studied piano performance at Sonoma State University before going on to graduate work in composition at the New England Conservatory. Kate continues to be actively involved in music education offering piano lessons, composition instruction and general music studies at Kate Moody Music Studio in Lafayette, California. Her instructional book, Playing & Composing Around the Circle of Fifths, is available from CoCo Lounge Presents. Kate is a member of the Music Teachers Association of California and the Music Teachers National Association.
Kate's first album, Grateful Heart, enjoyed great success with international air play on over 200 radio stations. Originally released on the Frog Rock label, and rereleased in Spring, 2005, Grateful Heart is eleven tracks of contemporary instrumental music featuring piano, flute, saxophone, guitar, bass and percussion on ten originals and one arrangement, Vince Guaraldi's Skating. Kate's recording of her full-length symphonic work, The Seeker, winner of the Best Instrumental Album award at the 2004 Just Plain Folks Music Awards, is now available on CD. The symphony is in four movements: "Wake-Up Call," "River of Love," "Angels & Eskimos," and "Shining Through." Stewart Kershaw, conductor of the Pacific Northwest Ballet, says: "The Seeker is ... the marriage of Classical and New Age. ... River of Love brings harmony of human feelings. This is music that will warm the human spirit." The recording, made at Capitol Studios in Hollywood, also features guitarist George Doering on "Fantasy for Electric Guitar & Orchestra." "The performance is thrilling with the calm, deep logic of soul. This is one of the nicest things I've heard in a long time." - Steve Goodale, goldrecord.com. Two albums of solo piano music, "Welcome to Piania" and "inscapes," are available from CoCo Lounge Presents. Kate is available for personal appearances - for full-length concerts, for healing services with spiritually-oriented music and guided meditation, and for workshops on teaching composition and creativity to music students of all levels and abilities. MORE REVIEWS: “inscapes” is Kate Moody’s fourth CD to date, but is a happy first for me. A pianist, composer, conductor, and educator, Moody brings vast musical experience as well as knowledge to her music, making it much more than pop or background music while staying accessible and easy to grasp. Emotionally rich and full of grace, the music is soothing and calming yet complex enough to reveal new things each time it is heard. The title is defined as “the essential quality of a thing, place, person, etc., especially as expressed in an artistic work,” and the music expressed here is both deeply personal and universally understandable. It will quite possibly be one of my favorite albums of the year. “Flowing” begins the album with a “flowing” left hand and a gentle, graceful melody that builds, almost dancelike, as the piece progresses - gorgeous! Inspired by the canyons of the Santa Monica Mountains in southern California, the middle section, while still tranquil, has a more majestic feeling - a different kind of flow. The third movement is a slower version of the first. “Stream” is another piece with a graceful flow that could be emulating water in nature or the flow of consciousness. “Sparrow” is delicate and somewhat melancholy. Based on a Native American flute tune, the melody occasionally “flies” up near the top of the piano, conveying the sense of freedom. “Dusk” is a bit more abstract and ambient, beautifully illustrating the calm and peace of a setting sun at the end of a day - one of my favorites. I love “Elegy,” a piece composed in memory of “a great cat.” I’ve had a few of those, and losing one can be heartbreaking. The feelings of loss and mourning are in this piece, but there are also happy memories to soothe the pain. This remarkable piece is included in Moody’s “Piano Solos” songbook, and I love playing it as much as I enjoy hearing Moody play it. “Huku Pa’a” is titled for the Hawaiian name for the North Star, a guiding light both literally and metaphorically. The simple closing phrase of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” is a lovely yet whimsical end. “Heart” is a sweet reminder for Moody to experience the warmth of her own heart. Flowing, elegant and very soothing, this is another beauty. “Sweet” closes the CD with a feeling of optimism for the future while appreciating the fullness of the present. Simple and quiet, yet very evocative, this is a lovely way to end an excellent CD. “inscapes” is an outstanding CD in every way, from the cover artwork and informative liner notes to the first note through the last. Discover the music of Kate Moody, and I think you’ll be as moved as I have been. It is available from www.katemusic.com, cdbaby.com, and iTunes. Highly recommended! Kathy Parsons Solo Piano Publications “It is so nice that you put our love to music!” - Ana and Peter Renkow, long-time fans “I wanted to tell you what a gentle pleasure it has been to listen to Kate Moody’s piano music...she inhabits a magical and private place with her reflections in sound. It brings me peace.” -Alan Scofield, Young Imaginations “It's refreshing to hear modern classical music that is melodic and beautiful! I will play music from both of these CD's (The Seeker and inscapes) on my radio program.” - John Iverson Shades of Classics CKUW 95.9 FM Winnipeg “Thanks so much for the CD (inscapes) ...I keep it in my office; it has a calming effect when I am hurrying. So I actually get more done because I stop wasting my energy hurrying. “ - Jon Jecker, CPA
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