kay was three years old when their mum first handed them a violin. kay grew up making music in many ways: playing violin in community orchestras, singing in choirs and musicals, and creating musical groups from string quartets to folk bands with friends and family. kay studied piano with Rochelle Drudge (2000-2008) and Loren Hiebert (2008-2013), and violin with Rochelle Drudge (2000-2008), Wes Hamm (2008-2010), Oleg Pohkanavski (2010-2012), and Daniel Scholz (2013-2016).
after two years studying violin at Canadian Mennonite University, a combination of physical tension and long practice hours culminated in a significant shoulder injury, moving kay in a different musical direction: a year away from university, studying body mapping with preeminent violin teacher and author Jennifer Johnson (2016-2017). while these studies brought more freedom of movement in playing violin, they also brought more freedom of musical interests; kay returned to university to study choral conducting with Dr. Janet Brenneman and composition with Randolph Peters and Neil Weisensel, graduating with a Bachelor of Music, Comprehensive Concentration, in 2020.
highlights from kay’s university studies include composing and directing storm cycle: a folk opera with librettist Cale Plett, premiered in September 2019; guest conducting with CMU Singers; and an independent study in ethnomusicology with Dr. Anna Nekola, culminating in a co-authored publication in the Oxford Handbook of Community Singing, titled Community Choirs: The Challenges and Possibilities of Inclusivity (Oxford University Press, 2024).
while in university kay maintained a private teaching studio in Winkler, teaching violin and piano to young children, teenagers and adults from 2013-2018. kay also taught violin, piano and composition through Cadenza Summer Music Week from 2013-2018, and served as program administrator from 2014-2019. through Cadenza, kay had the opportunity to learn from many celebrated Canadian pedagogues, including composer Christine Donkin, improvisor Doug Friesen, and fiddler Kelli Trottier. kay also taught violin and piano at Freedom School International’s summer learning program from 2014-2019, and directed the Homeschool Harmony Youth Choir in 2019.
alongside music teaching, kay currently works in urban organic farming as a member of Metanoia Farmers Worker Coop (2021-ongoing) and Program Coordinator for Direct Farm Manitoba (2024-ongoing), recently graduated with their 200-hr yoga teacher training certification through Yoga Centre Winnipeg (2024), and volunteers as a Crisis Counsellor through Klinic Community Health. they live in west broadway with their partner Bryn, their kitten Eleanor, and 50 houseplants.
all of these pieces of their life feel just as musical as playing the violin.
kay drudge music studio 