We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Carolina Calvache a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Carolina thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

When I first decided to pursue a jazz and creative music career, I knew I could not do it in my own country. Twenty years ago, there were no jazz schools, and we could only hear high-level musicians at an international every time there was a festival. Although timid and insecure, I took the risk and applied to study at the University of North Texas. Back then, my level in the jazz language could have been higher, but I knew I had enough skills to work toward my goal. No one in my family had left the country before, and for my parents, I was just the courageous of the family. I always say that to accomplish something, we need to be like a horse rising, not looking to the sides but continuing their way, looking ahead.

Two weeks after finishing my Degree at the University of North Texas, I was embarking on a new adventure, NYC.
My dream was to play with excellent musicians and record an album. However, I did not have the money to do it. Some of my friends started crowdfunding campaigns using the Kickstarter platform, allowing them to meet new audiences where people could pre-order their albums. I thought to myself, I need to do the same thing! For that, I will need help to do this album. So, I asked for help from people and started my campaign. The result was that I raised the money to record my album with great musicians and reached the hearts of 100 people who supported my music and believed in me. The recording of my first album, Sotareño, allowed me to tour with my quartet from NYC at the most important festival in Bogota, Colombia, Jazz Al Parque

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a pianist and composer from Colombia based in Miami and New York. I won the 16th Independent Music Awards with the song “La última vez .”In my nine years living in NYC, my profile as a performing artist experienced growth through diverse collaborations, resulting in engagements with prestigious institutions like the Kennedy Center, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and the New York Philharmonic and involvement in off-Broadway productions. Beyond recordings for various artists, I successfully led two jazz album projects (Sotareño and Vida Profunda), allowing me to collaborate with esteemed figures such as Ruben Blades, Jaleel Shaw, Antonio Sanchez, Michael Rodriguez, Claudia Acuña, and Jonathan Blake. Additionally, I toured with my jazz quartet, participating in numerous national and international festivals. I have an active career as a composer; I specialize in blending jazz, Latin, classical, and world traditions to craft compositions and arrangements for piano, chamber ensembles, big bands, and studio orchestras. In addition, I lead my online school (Astoria Piano Lessons), in which I teach privately and provide teaching opportunities for artists in the NYC area. I am finishing my DMA in jazz composition at the University of Miami.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being creative is my ability to touch people’s hearts through my performances and compositions. Experiencing the joy of knowing my music has transcended borders and resonated with diverse audiences across numerous countries is genuinely fulfilling. The path of an artist demands discipline and is undoubtedly a journey of continuous learning. However, the priceless reward comes from understanding that through your music, you can transform people’s lives in ways that extend beyond the boundaries of words and notes.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

When I began my music career, I struggled with extreme shyness and a lack of confidence. Despite my deep love for music and the desire for a career in the field, I felt lost and needed help figuring out how to proceed. Over the years, I maintained a composition notebook filled with ideas that never materialized into full compositions. However, 12 years later, I stumbled upon this notebook and began revisiting those old musical ideas. To my surprise, one of my friends at the time overheard a melody and expressed genuine interest in using it, encouraging me to complete the piece. I was in disbelief, as I had never imagined someone would be so captivated by my music to record it for an album. The resulting composition, titled “Trombonsillo,” became a standard piece in the classical trombone music repertoire. It is now played globally and listed as a required piece by the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM). This experience helped me overcome my insecurities. It taught me to cherish and appreciate every note within me. I now firmly believe that you never know whose heart your music may touch in the future.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.carolinacalvache.com
• Instagram: @carolinacalvachemusic
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carolina.calvache.5/?locale=es_LA
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolina-calvache-71335b41/
• Twitter: @carolinacalvach
• Youtube: carolinacalvachemusic@gmail.com
• Other: Teaching business web for piano lessons: https://astoriapianolesson.wixsite.com/piano
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6vSdARN9iEyv9Kg2Wg9P2W?si=8sq2ET6XTGiyx2Ug8viJaQ
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@carolinacalvache85?si=ClyuyQq5iwd2t_SC

Image Credits
Christopher Drunker (myself on the piano barefoot) Emra Islek (Blue picture, album Sotareño) I do not know who took the other pictures