Annie Kay

Born in Santa Rosa, California, USA as the youngest child of four, Annie Kay was raised in Manila, Philippines and in Vienna, Austria where she currently resides. She grew up to the sounds of her Austrian family singing harmony to old folk songs, her mother’s and later her brothers’ and her own less sophisticated piano playing, her school choir’s music and lots of radio music. As a teenager she moved to Vienna with her parents and three brothers. With just a smattering of piano and guitar education, her interest always revolved around singing. Shortly after settling in Vienna she auditioned and was accepted for a part in her local church’s musical group.

As an adult, Annie got together with 4 instrumentalists and formed the band patchwork.fm. At practically the same time she also joined the newly formed Jazz Chor Wien and was soon singing solo Jazz, Blues and Gospel parts in all the choir’s programs. She also got a part in this choirs’ soloist ensemble which later became a separate entity performing as a 5-member vocal ensemble named re:spirit. Annie and re:spirit parted ways in 2009.

Annie Kay participated in the Berklee Summer School in Los Angeles. In Austria she gathered musical inspiration from jazz seminars instructed by such Austrian vocal artists as Conny Giese, Inge Pischinger and Inès Reiger. She later sought out shooting star Sandra Pires who kindly recommended her a voice teacher. Thus she became the student of Dr. James E. Moore and later of Monika Ballwein. Annie Kay attended the Vienna Konservatorium (Waltraud Köttler) and the encore program at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, Los Angeles (Carl Schroeder, Carol Rogers, Coreen Sheehan-Hiketa, Dena Murray, Doug Wood, Michael Campbell, Robin Randall). She continues to attend vocal workshops, including under the tutelage of Monika Ballwein and Cathrine Sadolin.

Kay has sung in various music productions, including children’s audio productions such as Die Knickerbocker Bande, Bronti der Supersaurier (Thomas Brezina), a feature film (Die Supernasen), TV films (Schubert Trilogie: Mit meinen heißen Tränen and Nippon Animation: Die singende Familie Trapp – a cartoon adaptation). She has co-written and published an original song title with Stefan Foidl for the CD Debut in Time (God Lives). Her voice features in music jingles and as the friendly answer phone voice welcoming customers for various Austrian companies. Annie Kay also edits the English lyrics of and teaches pronunciation and accent reduction to other musicians.

After her first baby break, Annie Kay returned to the stage with her first album “More Than Meets The Eye”. Now her second extended break from music due to her second child’s birth comes to an end. Expect to hear more of her in times coming.

Apart from her musical life, Annie Kay holds a degree in translation and conference interpretation and owns a translation and interpretation agency and language school with her brother. She speaks German, English, French, and Spanish.