Singer,
songwriter, teacher and composer, Catherine Haas
Riley grew up surrounded by beautiful music.
As a child,
Riley studied piano, later guitar, and then voice.
She received her degree from Brandeis University
in 1972 and began performing and teaching music
more than 25 years ago.
Ms
Riley is certified in the Orff-Schulwerk method
of music education, which has influenced her composing
style. Later she founded a Renaissance consort and
organized Renaissance Fairs, performing period music
in costume for the public and in schools in New
York State and in North and South Carolina.
Now
in Asheville, North Carolina, Ms.Riley has collaborated
with puppeteer Lisa Sturz, writing music to accompany 2
full length puppet shows, "La Befana." and "The
Salt Crystal," which were presented to the public and
in the area schools.
For
many years, Ms Riley had focused on the inner spiritual
journey, and over a decade ago, she began composing and
performing music with spiritual themes. She has produced
two solo cassette tapes and in 2000 she released a CD.
Speaking
of the stages of her career, Riley says, "Having been
a music teacher for over 25 years, this was how I identified
myself. As I organized numerous music programs, I felt the
happiness of opening up students' innate talents and passing
on the magic that is music. As I began to sing and concertize,
being a singer became my joy. Over the last 13 years, I
started to write my own songs and share them with others.
As the responses were enthusiastic and as I became more
adept, I now call myself a singer-songwriter.
"When
I moved to Asheville 6 years ago and joined a women's community
choir, I reset a number of my solo pieces for this chorus.
Then, yearning to experience a larger choral sound, I added
men's voices to some of my pieces. These have been performed
locally, nationally, and internationally and are included
on my CD."
Because
of my love of singing, writing and sharing sacred music,
I am thrilled to offer my own music to other choral groups,
retreat centers and churches (new age and traditional),
and women's groups. I self-publish my own choral material
(SSA & SA TB) and make this music available at affordable
prices.
In
touring with my solo and choral devotional material, I have
included these choral songs at my concerts, teaching them
to the different groups gathered for weekend spiritual retreats.
I am available for such concerts and for workshops of sharing
and teaching my devotional music at new age weekends and
retreat centers!
Ms.
Riley continues to teach voice, guitar, piano and recorder
in Asheville. She also composes and performs new solo and
choral works based on spiritual themes. She is married to
artist Thomas Riley.