We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Maria Keck. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Maria below.
Maria, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Has your work ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized?
A lot of people, when they find out I’m a teacher, assume that teaching was my plan B. They offer reassurances about how one day I’ll be able to perform my music full time, and how there’s no shame in having a fallback career. It caught me off guard the first few times I heard it, because teaching has always been my passion, and I’ve never second guessed it. The fact of the matter is that I wouldn’t be the writer and performer I am if it weren’t for my teaching. The support and inspiration and life that I receive from my students truly keeps me going and motivates me to be a better person and a better musician. Teaching music is my passion and my priority, writing and performing came second. And maybe roles will reverse in the future, but for now, I am content to let the two maintain their symbiotic and harmonious relationship as it keeps my life in balance.
Maria, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I’m Maria Keck, and I’m a songwriter and a live loop artist from Cincinnati, OH. I grew up playing the flute, and received my bachelors degree in Music Education from Xavier University. I started teaching k-5 elementary music right out of college, and, five and a half years later, still adore my job as a music teacher. But a few years ago, I was inspired to start writing my own songs. I needed a way to play my flute AND sing at the same time, so I decided to buy my first loop pedal. I began arranging simple chord progressions that I could play in layers using my flute and the loop pedal. This allowed me to sing over my stacked flute chords. It wasn’t long before I started taking my “flute loops” to open mics around Cincinnati. I met some wonderful musicians who inspired and encouraged me and jump-started my performing career around the city. I’m currently recording my first full length studio album with Matthew Heath at Four Suns Audio here in Cincinnati. The first single from that album, “Forest Queen” will be out in February, and the full album is expected by the summer of 2023. This album explores the base desires of humanity through the lens of spirituality and the natural world. It’s the perfect blend of organic sounds and electronic drums and synths. It’s playful, yet powerful. It’s simple, yet complex. I’m so proud of it and so excited to release it into the world. Look for my name around Cincinnati and neighboring midwest cities in 2023. I’d love to sing my songs for you!
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
Pay attention to creatives in your city and in your scope. When you see a musician playing in the corner at a restaurant, go talk to them and buy their merch, follow their social media, and pay attention to what they’re saying. Your participation in their art is essential, and your attention means more than you know. Plus, if you pay attention, you may discover something beautiful that you never knew you needed. Some of my favorite artists are people I stumbled upon here in my own city. Pop stars are famous for a reason, but not all great artists are pop stars. Just pay attention.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is seeing and hearing your work touch people, especially when it’s in an unexpected way. Sometimes, we write songs or paint a picture and we don’t know what it means until months or years later when we hear another human’s perspective on that thing we created and we finally understand why we did it. That’s magical.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mariakeckmusic.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ms.keck_/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MariaKeckMusic/
Image Credits
Kaden Lucas