Born in Eugene, OR in 1963, Kaly attributes her earliest memories of music to her father's singing and her mother's piano playing. During her childhood, Latin American/Spanish music played a significant influence due to her father's career teaching foreign languages. The first song she remembers learning was "Cielito Lindo." She danced to Mariachi bands and other ethnic music from around the globe. Her mother recalls her being a 'performer' at an early age when Kaly would "sing the 'Happy Birthday' song at the top of her lungs" in the grocery stores.
When her family relocated to Arizona, Kaly began informal piano lessons with a family friend. She spent a lot of her time going to the "piano room," a part of the married student housing complex for the University of Arizona. Kaly learned many songs by ear and dreamed of the day when the family could reclaim their piano left in Oregon with her grandparents. She grew up singing in the car during frequent family road trips....mostly Mexican folk music or old American folk/cowboy songs. In school and in Girl Scouts, it became apparent that she was in love with music as she freely sang out Bachrach/David standards, the latest Olivia Newton-John or Carpenter's album around a campfire...and everyone listened and relaxed.
In high school, her beautiful voice made a more public debut. At age 15, she became the youngest member of the local Symphony Chorus. That year also marked her personal public acclamation of Jesus as her Lord and Savior, although she had known the Lord intimately and innocently for many years. In her senior year of high school she really "let the voice out" with public appearances in a Junior Miss Pageant and a role in "The Music Man". Graduation night was full of musical awards from the high school and two universities.
Kaly enrolled in Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA, with the intention of becoming a lawyer; being a musician just didn't seem like a practical way to make a living. It was during this period at Gonzaga, that Kaly met an instructor she regards as a major influence on her decision to become a musician. It was through the efforts of Phil Mattson (nationally renowned vocal jazz arranger/musician) that Kaly learned the depths of how to command excellence through the discipline of intense study and rehearsal.
Encouraged by her father's words: "...this is one decision you have to make with your heart", Kaly decided to major in music in her sophomore year. She relates, "It was the one thing I felt I HAD to do." On the horizon was more change: an early marriage and a new college.
Kaly transferred to Whitman College in Walla Walla, WA and obtained her Bachelor of Art's degree in music (voice/performance) in 1985. She is a trained soprano whose junior and senior year recitals included repertoire from Bizet's "Carmen arias" to Schumann's song-cycle "Frauenliebe und Leben." She sang the role of 'Mercedes' in the opera Carmen. However, from the onset of her marriage at age 20, Kaly's young faith in her Lord became troubled; her belief in her abilities and self-esteem went into a major decline .
She now looks back on those years as part of a difficult learning experience in a 'spiritual and emotional desert'
"It is said that one's true vocation is something you cannot run away from no matter how hard you try. Well, try I did...believe me, God does catch up with you" - Kaly
Kaly has worked as a piano teacher since age 15 and added vocal coaching at age 29. She has sung 1st/2nd soprano in 4 Symphony Choruses including such major works as Brahm's Requiem, Beethoven's 9th Symphony and the Verdi Requiem. However, it is the warm resonant lower range that she most enjoys performing with. She currently resides in Gig Harbor, WA with her three children and her basset hound. For her, rediscovering her dreams of using her talents as a vocalist and musician has been part of a spiritual rebirth.
