Katy Faracy

Biography

Combining a passion for musical theater, performance, and teaching, woodwind specialist Katy Faracy has appeared with the Grammy-nominated Milwaukee Jazz Orchestra, acclaimed contemporary music ensemble Present Music, and Sheboygan Symphony Orchestra. Passionate about exploring the music of our time, she co-founded and extensively toured with the woodwind quartet Crimson Winds, which specializes in wind doubling and standard repertoire. Her eclectic interests run the gamut from traditional and contemporary classical to jazz, pop, funk, and musical theater. She has performed or premiered chamber works by Logan Rutledge, Olivia Kieffer, and Ethan Cypress, and presented other works by such acclaimed composers as Amanda Schoofs, Stacy Garrop, Anna Meadors and Andrew Koss.
Colors, flavors, warmth and cold are what surrounds Katy when experiencing musical listening. Her playing and musical intuition is heavily influenced by her synesthesia. As someone who’s senses intertwine while experiencing sound, Katy strives to make these experiences felt by those around her. In addition to music, Katy has a love for craft beer, breakfast food and, an absolute fixation for the color yellow.
A graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, she spent her time studying saxophone, clarinet, and flute, and discovered her love for musical theater. She is dedicated to music education, and teaches private lessons on all of her woodwind instruments, enjoying regular opportunities to present educational clinics and master classes as both soloist and as a chamber musician.
Settling in New York City, Katy is pursuing her master’s degree in woodwind doubling at Montclair State University, where she is on the extension division faculty, providing private lessons and chamber coaching. She is also a member of the orchestra for the national Broadway tour of Chicago the Musical.