Kathryn Kaye - Solace of Mountains and Clouds (2019)

“Solace of Mountains and Clouds” is the new album by Kathryn Kaye. “The album is a musical reflection of my sense of wonder, joy, and peace as I watch the mountains and clouds change with the passage of minutes and hours, the weather, and the seasons,” says Kathryn. “I believe that music, much like nature, speaks many languages and is a reminder of the underlying unity of human beings everywhere. Through listening to music and closely observing nature, we can learn to better understand and appreciate life as a whole, in all its exquisite beauty, transience, and fragility.”

Kathryn grew up in a small, rural community in southeastern Kentucky, where at the age of four, she began playing hymns and folk songs on her family’s old upright piano. She performed in various venues throughout her childhood, playing piano, organ, guitar, and accordion, and singing at area churches, school and community events, county fairs, and on local television and radio shows. Her parents encouraged her lifelong love of nature by permitting her to explore nearby hills and rivers (alone or with a childhood friend or two), their only rule being that she needed to be home before dark. She recalls long summer days filled with investigating the mysteries of the hills, and summer nights made magical by the choruses of crickets and frogs, which continue to be her favorite sounds in nature.

After studying both music and art at Eastern Kentucky University, Kathryn earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Performance (with emphasis on keyboard and voice). She then moved to Germany to continue her musical training and perform professionally as a classical singer, pianist, organist, and folk singer/composer. Her music is profoundly influenced by the folk songs and hymns she heard, played, and sang as a child, and by composers such as Debussy, Brahms, Faure, Richard Strauss, Arvo Pärt, and John Taverner.

Although music will always be her first love, Kathryn also has a doctorate in clinical psychology, and through her work in that profession, has developed an ever-deepening respect for the wisdom and resilience of individuals as they age, often in difficult circumstances and with limited resources. When not playing the piano and composing songs, or engaged in the practice of psychology, she enjoys going on solitary walks in the mountains with her dog, taking photographs of the majestic Rocky Mountains and forests that surround her home, drawing and painting, and spending time with her family and friends.

Tracklist:

01. Luna's Dream
02. For Love of Earth and Sky
03. We'll Be Home Tomorrow
04. Slow Waltz at Summer's End
05. Solace of Mountains and Clouds
06. Mountains Touching Sky
07. Finally Spring
08. Warm Sun, Gentle Rain
09. While the Mountain Sleeps
10. Stories Told by Trees