4 minute read
Thank You for the Music
WRITTEN BY SARAH HENDERSON
- Kate ‘Music Kate' Bryan
Music Kate is like my favorite aunt. She’s got a smile that never dims. She often bursts into song. She owns a treasure trove of sparkly pompoms, puppets, cowboy hats, hula-hoops and shiny instruments big enough for a small army of kids to run wild. She wears funky hats, neat jewelry and bell bottom jeans. She has that Pied Piper quality that makes kids want to follow her and do whatever fun thing she’s doing. And like the best aunts, Kate is generous. Over the last few months, she’s become a friend and a mentor, and I’ve gotten a little glimpse into what all the fuss is about. Kate Bryan is a gem, a bit of an icon, a staple in the lives of Bozeman families.
I heard of Music Kate months before I met her. My brother-in-law described the signature roll and whoop that begins each of Kate’s Music Together classes and how much my nephews loved it. Flashforward a few years and there I was, teaching my very first Music Together class in Bozeman, and all the returning families (prior students of Music Kate) rolled onto their backs and whooped at the end of the Hello Song without me saying a word. Her magic is infectious and it sticks with little ones and adults alike. Go anywhere with Kate Bryan and you’ll see. I once attended a family concert at the library with Kate. Everyone in the crowd knew her by name and they all clamored for a hello and a hug.
It’s this rare combination of magnetism and determination that has fueled Music Kate’s success. In 2011, Kate left a career in marketing and engineering. Ready to make a change and find something more fulfilling, she decided it was time to follow her lifelong love of music down a new path. When she discovered the Music Together program, Kate immediately responded to its mission – to create musical families. Armed with a few guitar chords, her passion for connection and natural talent for music, Music Kate began teaching Music Together, building her following from scratch. She performed at trade shows, libraries, craft fairs. She peppered Bozeman with signs and fliers and worked to build her online presence so that more families could find her. She taught free classes, gave concerts and marched in the Sweet Pea Parade. But beyond all of the advertising, it was Kate’s heart that kept parents and kids coming back. Kate makes phone calls where others just make social media posts. She delivers class materials to your door. She remembers your name and the names of your little ones, long after they’ve gotten big. During the pandemic, she sang for neighborhood kids in their driveway, just to keep the music alive at a time when the world was upside down. She worked tirelessly for over a decade to create a beautiful community of families who love making music together.
This fall, Music Kate is retiring. She is gracefully stepping away from all she has built to take some time for her family, after serving our families for so long. I have been honored these last few months to learn from her. I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity to build on her legacy. Music Together Bozeman goes forward under new guidance, but with the same spirit intact.
As for Music Kate, she won’t be hard to find. She’ll be making the rounds with her bands, Kate and the Alley Kats and the Treble Makers, directing her choirs, the Singing Souls and The Groovin' Women, running the GirlSing Songwriting Camp and continuing to serve her community at Pilgrim Church. For Music Kate, the tune may change, but the music never ends.
Sarah Henderson is the new owner of Music Together Bozeman
818-621-3031 www.musictogetherbozeman.com @musictogetherbzn
Sarah Henderson runs Wildarts LLC with her husband, Cody. They teach music lessons, theater classes and, beginning this fall, Music Together. A heartfelt thanks to Kate Bryan for her generosity, passing Music Together Bozeman into their care.
