Portrait
Kati Albert - singing teacher with heart, soul and engagement (a portrait by Carina Prange)
Kati Albert belongs to those singing teachers, which assert a very high claim to herself and to her students and all that not only because of a vagary but because that is the only way that allows her to lead her ”loyal assistant” to an "organized way with chances to being successful. Moreover she is the organizer of the "Berliner SängerInnenbörse" (Berlin SingerExchange) which is very well known in Berlin in the meantime.
Music has been her companion at a very early age, since there was always home music at her home in Budapest where she originally comes from. Every member of her family played an instrument with more or less claim. So the to arrange her study in that direction was not predictable- but she had planed to do one restriction: I wanted to study all styles of singing not only standard classic." Therefore Jazz music became one of the focus points she had chosen, which she is still very connected to. She was tough singing by Attila Garay, later on Norbert Gottschalk, Judy Niemack, Phil Minton and other teachers - Now she is teaching very successfully on her own.
I started as a street musician - sometimes I played ten, twelve hours a day...
What brought a young lady - at that time as pretty as today- to Germany? Of course again music -at first. The journeys were a whole adventure: "I was on tour with a baby blue Trabi in Germany, and started very low as a street musician. I used to have a duo partner for eight years with whom I h d excessively Trabi tours. In Germany we were in all big cities, playing ten, twelve hours sometimes, until we had earned the necessary amount of money.. we than slept in the car.....- we often were invited to play from little pubs, directly from the street. That would not be possible now a days"
Sail and Sing…
After having lived in Nürnberg in the meantime-, she came to Berlin after finishing her study. Not only because Berlin is known as the "great city of music" but because it was the only interface between singing and sailing" - Because sailing is the most favorite hobby Kati Albert has. Although there is not so much time left for her to enjoy it. There has been a basic change. Since 1997 Kati Albert commutes from Berlin - where she teaches at first place - and Hungary - where her child lives. The constant traveling between Berlin an Hungary takes a lot of time and nerves: "sometimes it takes a whole day of travelling." - This life between two different worlds takes two: - enormous discipline and endurance.
When Kati teaches in Germany she does it with heart and soul." Since 1996 I organize the SingersExchange once in the semester in corporation with the music schools I am involved with and diverse Jazz clubs of Berlin. It is on one hand the final concert of my singing classes on the other hand a forum that offers singers which are learning, the possibility. to extend their praxis on stage and to meet kindred spirit musicians .She offers a lot to her students but asks for something in return: Especially a huge motivation and engagement ." while year ago young singers where there with all their heart and were willed to do some sacrifices, and to give up some enjoyment, it has changed nowadays: "Time is short-lived, young people have great expectations - but without being willed to invest any effort, wanting to enjoy as many activities in their life as possible.."- That does take some of the motivation away Kati Albert has, but still she sticks to her concept, wanting "to do something together with young people and letting it grow."
I am not interested in people due to the color of their skin or their nationality - that does not interest me at all.
Astonishingly there does not seem to be any Hungary community" in Berlin- at least any Kati Albert knows about. This is no important fact for her." Only because somebody is Hungary that does not mean that he or she is closer to me than other nationalities. I am not interested in people because of their nationality or the color of their skin. - that is not important for me at all."
Kati Albert is planing further projects, she wants to maintain the existing SingersExchange, Live music training (at the Landesmusikakademie), Vocal ensemble (once per month), singing theory (twice a week), summer music camp ( at the Plattensee). Added to that a further teaching rail is planed sooner or later: "the history of jazz music" But in fact it has already shown, that things like the maintaining of living standards is a problem to tackle :" I always compare this whole project with a bicycle - I must constantly step, to keep on moving. Things are to be planed very long time before, to have a chance to be fulfilled one day." The fact that Kati Albert is always extremely engaged makes it very important for her to utilize her energy in a way that makes sense. The following saying which can also be considered as her posy, is very helpful for her: "God gives me the serenity to accept the things I can't change, the courage to change the tings I can, and the wisdom to know the difference." (Chr. Friedrich Oetinger)
Weitere Informationen zu Kati Albert finden Sie unter:
- Vita
Importantant biografic data
- Band
The jazzensemble "Kati Albert Band"
- Other Qualifications
Workshops, masterclasses and retraining
- Others
Other activities by Kati Albert
