Meet Maria Keck

Today we’d like to introduce you to Maria Keck. 

Hi Maria, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I started playing the flute when I was seven years old. I decided to get serious about music my senior year of high school and ended up getting my BS in music education at Xavier University in Cincinnati. I graduated with peace in my heart knowing that elementary music was the profession for me. I have been teaching at the same elementary school since I graduated from Xavier (2017) and I wouldn’t trade that job for the world. A couple years out of college, I started writing my own songs. I bought myself a loop pedal and began to experiment with looping my voice and my flute. I’d layer in a beat, then orchestrate chord progressions that I’d layer with my flute. From there, I had the freedom to sing and improvise over the loops. Over the past two years, I have honed both my writing and looping styles. I started going to open mics, playing small venues around the city, and meeting some of the best musicians and most authentic people in the Cincy music scene who have helped propel my confidence and my career forward. I’m still dedicated 100% to my teaching career, but see a bright future that involves both teaching and performing. It’s super empowering for me that I can do both, and I love to share that with my students. My goal is to have an album recorded in the next year and to start expanding my reach to nearby cities in the Midwest. Beyond that, only time will tell. 

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
The biggest obstacle to my success has always been me. Maybe that’s a cliche, but it’s true. I hit creative walls all the time. I feel like an imposter often. I lose myself in the trap of comparison constantly. I do a lot of journaling in these times. I talk to friends who understand and can give me pep talks. But most of all, I just make myself get up and keep going. I play through old songs. I remind myself of my favorite performances and the raw energy I feel in the magical moments that happen on stage. I remind myself that life is a constant journey of mountains and valleys and that the despair I feel one day will not be there forever. 

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
As an artist and performer, people describe me as the “flute looper”. I’m a live loop artist, which means that I record my voice and instruments in real-time loops in front of a live audience. Essentially, I mix different layers of rhythm, melody, and harmony on the spot to create a more complex and full sound. The most unique part about my act is that I use a flute to create many of my musical layers. Sometimes, I even beatbox. My loop station also allows me to add effects to these sounds, like reverb, filters, pitch modulators, etc. This means I can create a much more diverse variety of sounds than what my voice and instruments make on their own. This flexibility allows me to go from ambient, meditative, lyrical songs straight into upbeat dance tracks all using the same set of tools. I’m proud that I’ve developed my own style and that I can feel confident in my music because it comes directly from me. Every lyric I write points back to a moment in my life, whether that’s a place of pain, growth, hope, or excitement. I can sing about my deepest emotions, and I have the ability to create a mood that conveys those emotions to my audience. Sometimes, I want you to dance with me in celebration of life. Sometimes, I want to pull you into a deep meditation. Either way, I love connecting with audiences through my music. It is the most pure form of joy for me. 

What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
For me, the most important ingredients to my success are confidence and authenticity. And these two things go hand in hand. If I find myself trying to look or act or sound like another artist or colleague, I start losing faith in who I am. And from there, the confidence goes very quickly. The times when I am in the deepest states of flow are when I am fully embracing my uniqueness and my purpose in my career as a teacher and as an artist. 

Contact Info:

• Website: mariakeckmusic.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ms.keck_/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MariaKeckMusic

Image Credits
Kaden Lucas
Mary Keck
Benjamin Luckhaupt