Somewhere there is music Author : Gabriel Dominguez
F
or some, travelling abroad might seem like an adventure. For others like Kate Dulmage it can develop into a life-changing experience. Within a few years the 35-year-old American has not only managed to make a name for herself in Germany‘s scientific community, but also to pursue her dream as a musician,
Source : Kethaera - deviantart
interested in starting a band,“ she says, adding that it took her over five years to find the right fit. She was also astonished by the extent to which jazz music is unknown to many Germans.
Coming from the United States, Kate was used to sitting in with almost any band she performed for. After all, jazz had been part of her life since her Her voice is reminiscent of Ella Fitzgerald. Amid youth. Growing up in a family of jazz lovers, Kate the local crowd of jazz enthusiasts at Frankfurt‘s had learned to immerse herself in this American Source: Private jazz jam session, Kate enchants musical tradition and was encouraged by her listeners with her rendition of “April family to perform: “At cocktail parties my in Paris“. Her wavy, mahogany parents would put me in the spotlight and have shoulder-length hair compliments me sing their favorite tunes.“ the scarlet silk dress top and gold sash she‘s wearing. She may not Her passion for music even led her to originally have been the only artist performing pursue an artistic career. When she was that night at the “Jazzkeller“, the choosing which college to attend to she was oldest active jazz club in Germany, accepted at “Berkley‘s College of Music“ but the American singer managed in Boston, one of the most highly acclaimed to capture the audience‘s complete music schools in the country. But in the end she attention and receive standing decided against it: “Because of the uncertainty ovations. For the 35-year-old, such prevailing in today‘s music industry I decided gigs are nothing unusual. But the Kate has a passion for jazz not to take the risk of ending up teaching music venue also has a special meaning or waiting tables.“ for her: This is the place where her singing career in Germany kicked off six years ago. Instead, the jazz enthusiast made the decision to pursue her other Rough landing passion and study “I didn‘t want to end languages.“Being up waiting tables“ It was Kate‘s routine to perfom in several of the clubs able to read and and bars in the local jazz scene of her native town of write literature and poetry in foreign languages has Porthsmouth, New Hampshire. Now she rehearses always fascinated me,“ she says. Already at the age regularly with her quartet “ImPuls“ in Bonn. But of twelve Kate started learning Spanish. By the age the transition to Europe did not go as smoothly as of 14 she had added Latin, German, and French to originally planned. “I was surprised by the lack of her school schedule. Five years on she had obtained prevalence of jazz clubs and musicians who were a bachelor degree in World Languages and taken on
Back in America, Kate worked her way up in retail management, but she soon noticed that something was missing: “I found financial success alone unfulfilling. Closets full of clothes and cupboards packed with trendy housewares simply couldn‘t fill the void inside,“, she says. At this turning point the then 26-year-old decided to return to college and complete her Master‘s in Languages, Literatures, and Cultures at the University of New Hampshire. This was also the time when Kate discovered her third passion: “I will never forget my first teaching experience where I was able to share my love of languages to freshmen students.“ Kate‘s commitment to teaching ended up becoming her link back to Europe. After applying for a private language s c h o o l “Financial success was online, she unfulfilling“ was offered her first teaching appointment in Germany within days. At first, it all looked too good to be true: “I had a company car, my own apartment with a balcony view of the Rhine and the ability to travel throughout Europe.“ But, despite promises of financial sustainability, Kate had to work over 40 hours a week just to make ends meet. “I worked from 7.30 a.m. to 9.00 p.m., but just barely managed to make enough money to buy groceries,“ she says. After heated arguments with her employer, she quit the job a year and a half later, moved to Frankfurt and later to Marburg, where she got her first teaching opportunity at a university as adjunct faculty. This also where she began writing her Ph.D. in American Studies. In the meantime, she struggled to find an outlet for her dearest passion: jazz.
Fulfulling the dream The breakthrough came a year later: Thanks to glowing references by her academic colleagues she was offered a position as a lecturer at the University of Bonn. “This was the moment I was hoping for. I was finally able to combine my passion for languages and culture with my love for teaching,“ she says. In less than fours years Kate had gone from teaching five to ten students in a private language school to over 500 in one of the largest universities in the state.
Source: Private
her first foreign trip to France, where she focused on French literature and writing. By this point she had made up her mind on living in the European continent. However, financial restraints kept her from staying. The fulfilment of her hopes and dreams were to be postponed, indefinitely.
The 35-year-old has made a name for herself as an academic But Bonn had more in store for her. In the summer of 2012 she decided to invest all her energy in finding a band. At an online forum for musicians she made her first contact with the band‘s current piano player. “After our first rehearsal I knew we had potential. I knew this is it,“ she explained. The drummer and bass player soon followed. The band is now scheduled for a gig at the end of January 2013 and set to play in Bonn‘s city center.
Top jazz venues in Germany • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Aschaffenburg: Colos-Saal Berlin: A-Trane Berlin: Quasimodo Bielefeld: Bunker Ulmenwall Darmstadt: Centralstation Dortmund: Domicil Dresden: Jazzclub Neue Tonne Hamburg: Jazzclub Birdland Jazzclub Hannover Jazzkeller Frankfurt Jazzstudio Nürnberg Köln: Stadtgarten Mannheim: Alte Feuerwache München: Jazzclub Unterfahrt Neuburg: Birdland Jazz club
Source: Goethe-Institut
For further information: • Goethe-Institut – Jazz from Germany http://www.goethe.de/kue/mus/jaz/enindex.htm • North American Studies Program – Bonn University http://www.nap-uni-bonn.de/ • Brief history of jazz in Germany – Blog http://germanjazztoday.wordpress.com