:: Easier By Ear ::     

At age 8 "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" came much easier by ear than by reading the music. Her teacher had little patience and quit after 6 months.

Raised 15 minutes off the coast of Virginia, Kate was born the second of five Rockey children. At age 14 Kate's new piano teacher showed her how to cheat by reading the guitar chords instead. At the recital another piano teacher asked for the arrangement that Kate played for the recital. Kate's teacher could only smile and reply, "It's in her head." Kate discontinued lessons after 2 years and took up guitar on her own instead. Soon, she was regularly playing alone and in various groups at her church.

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:: Belmont/Nashville ::

From very early on, Kate had very serious struggles accademically, even being labeled "Learning Disabled" in 2nd grade. So it came as quite a shock when Kate announced her plans to pursue a degree in Music Composition at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee.  She'd never previously made plans for college. But she heard beautiful music in her head all the time, wanted desperately to gain the ability capture it, write it, and share it with other musicians. She practiced 5 hours a day for a year to put together her audition. At that point, her audition WAS her repertoire. Chopin's Revolutionary Etude, a Bach Invention, and The First Snowfall by Michael W. Smith. Determination paid off. She was not only accepted, but offered a $500.00 scholarship.

Kate walked away from Belmont with most of a degree. The financial resources dried up before she could finish, but her mission was accomplished. She could now understand and capture the music in her head. At that time, her older brother was attending Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), pursuing a degree in Audio Engineering. Kate and her roommate provided songs and played for his graded recording projects. After one of their songs was played in class for the first time, the MTSU teacher said "You see class, this is the kind of result you can achieve when you use professional musicians."

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:: Get a Job ::

A year out of college, Kate found herself waiting tables. Terrified of the idea of being a "starving artist" she moved back to the east coast. She returned to the church she'd grown up in, and started a youth choir, hand bell choir, and worship band. She was asked to stage manage a major Passion Play production (cast and crew of aprox. 350) and was then offered a full time job in the music office at the church.

In the time she'd been gone, Kate's church had unfortunately become a very awkward fit. After much thought and prayer she moved to a different church. She taught music lessons full time for several months and then landed a job with an internet service provider. In her 2 & 1/2 years there, she went from receptionist to operations manager. This began a career in web development and network engineering. In June of 2000, she bought a house. Life was good. But there was little room for music. She played only a select number of shows and concerts and recorded her songs at home for friends.

While moving into her new home, Kate experienced a strange numbness on the left side of her body, particularly in her left arm and hand. (Kate is left handed) She lost the ability to write, type, and play guitar and piano for more than 3 months. After 2 MRI's and 3 rounds of blood tests, Kate was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. She drew near to her family and continued to write about life. Kate's crowning achievement during this time was recording the album "Providence" with her siblings.

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:: San Francisco ::

In June 2003 an opportunity arose to be the music director for a PCA church plant in the San Francisco Bay Area. It would be a volunteer position, but it would mean working on music, writing and playing on a weekly basis. She had no desire to leave home, but was desperate for a life that included music. Compelled by feeling a strange and overwhelming call by God to go, Kate packed up her life and 5 years experience as a web developer and moved to Silicon Valley.

Unemployment prevented her form being able to effectively take the role of music director, but other great opportunities slowly started coming. While seeking computer tech support positions, one opened up at the world renowned music notation software company, Sibelius. The job turned out to be only 1 mile away from where she lived. Kate enjoyed being paid to learn and use this software, and talk with conductors and composers all day long.

In San Francisco, Kate has also received several invitations to sing and play with various bands in the Bay Area. She has enlisted the help of an Artist Manager, and is making plans for what the next steps will be musically. A new album and performances in the San Francisco Bay Area are all in the works. Kate is grateful for where God has brought her, and the amazing opportunities that have come as a result. Her greatest desire is be faithful to her Heavenly Father as He continues to lead.

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:: No Place Like Home ::

In June 2005 Kate returned home to Tidewater Virginia. Family ties were just too strong to live so far away.

Within 10 days of being home, she interviewed for a software engineering job on June 15th with Michael Joseph Walsh of Echostorm, Inc.

Six months later, they married on New Year's Eve, 2005. They are now enjoying the start of a new life together. It's been more than a year, and they're still pretty crazy about each other. They are building a farm house in Suffolk VA that they plan to move to sometime in 2007.

Kate regularly plays on the worship team and leads various children's music events at Westminster Reformed Presbyterian Church (WRPC) in Suffolk VA.

Kate plans to start teaching music lessons again soon and record an album, in 2007.

Keep an eye out for new album releases to be made available at Upcoming concerts and online, soon.

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