Panther Paths: Kait Dunton Reed ’01
What does your current role entail?
I am a full-time freelance artist. I work as a pianist, composer, bandleader, recording artist, improvisor and educator. It is a varied and variable career and I have found myself employed in many different capacities. But ultimately, it is a self-managed career, which can be very challenging - but also very rewarding and exciting!
What fueled your interest for your career path?
I have been interested in music - and piano, specifically - since before I can remember. Music has always been a joy, a passion, a solace, a channel… but music as a career did not become obvious until much later. A special musical mentor in my undergrad years at UVA was the first to instill in me an understanding that perhaps my musical passion and abilities should be taken more seriously (yet I graduated with a BA in Spanish!) and I was encouraged to apply for graduate school in music. I went on to receive a masters degree in jazz studies from the University of North Texas. For the first time, I was surrounded by fellow students who were performing and composing at an incredibly high level, but even more importantly: I had entered a world where pursuing a career in music was the rule and not the exception. Inspired and encouraged by other students who were recording their own projects, I produced and released an album of my own music before returning home to Pasadena. This album and its relative success proved to be a critical juncture for my career trajectory: I discovered that my music could touch other people, even on the other side of the globe.
What's the most rewarding part of your work?
Performing and recording music is such a thrill for me, but learning that I can transmit this joy to others is even more incredible. I used to trivialize this notion, but I’m come to understand that this is an amazing thing, and it has become my guiding principle: to share joy. Of course not all music is about joy, but it is about connecting over a shared story, and to make this connection with other people is incredibly meaningful and inspiring.
What is the most challenging aspect of your work?
Effective self-management whenever I am lacking any of the following: inspiration, a deadline, a boss. It’s easy to work for others; there is (usually) a clear job description and a deadline. You do the best you can, and then it’s done. It’s easy to work towards a deadline; work expands to fill the time allotted. And it’s a thrill to work in the tractor beam of inspiration. But I flounder without deadlines - after all, when is a project really finished? The work is never really done, but a deadline provides closure. Working without a boss means it’s entirely up to me to release a new album, or put together a tour, or start a new band, or write a new song… or not. And when the inspiration isn’t there, it means digging deep to find the motivation and the momentum to just keep going, even when the path is unclear, even when we are stuck at home and the next gig could be a year or more away.
What does a normal day look like for you?
Now? It looks a lot like my home studio. But up until recently a normal day could involve rehearsals, performances, recording sessions, private teaching, composition, booking gigs and tours, marketing activities, practicing, producing, and going out to support friends and hear live music.
What's next?
Looking forward, I want to continue my work as a bandleader, pianist and composer. I hope to tour again with my trio and also introduce a new band. While we are at home, I’d like to record a synthesizer + drums duo album with my husband, who is a full time freelance drummer. I am also hoping to develop a series of exercises and videos to inspire music students to think more creatively and compositionally about traditional practice topics.
How are you willing to help fellow Poly alumni?
Any way I can! There is no clear trajectory in a music career, but it is absolutely a career built on relationships, both personal and professional. Nurturing and building these relationships is essential - you never know who might end up hiring you one day! But it’s also about giving back. There have been those that took a chance on me and helped me reach that next level in my career, and I hope to be able to do this for others, as well. But meanwhile, I am happy to be a resource for any students who are curious about navigating this industry.
What advice can you offer to fellow Panthers?
Don’t ever give up. Be patient, be kind. Believe in yourself.
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