Kathryn Bakke, recognized pianist/entertainer and speaker, is even more unique as a musical artist with a profound hearing loss in both ears who lately has received a cochlear implant.

Entertaining with an almost complete loss of hearing, the one sense most crucial to her profession, she represents great and inspirational achievement.

Many people with a hearing loss or other disability wonder if they can go on in their chosen field or continue their previous activities, socially or physically. Kathryn demonstrates that they can. She has been compared to a paraplegic marathon runner.

After her second major hearing loss, she went on to do the following:

AS A MUSICIAN:

• Earn a master's degree in piano performance.
• Hold church organist and choir director positions
• Teach piano students, including many contest winners.
• Judge piano exams and competitions.
• Compose a variety of music including Christian, humorous, and serious composition for piano solo and four-hands, vocal and choral.
• Entertain with a variety of theme show series each year, both seasonal and for special occasions in a widening area which includes the entire upper Midwest, Seattle, Southeast United States and Washington D.C.
• Producer and principal artist for three compact discs

AS A SPEAKER:

• Active and prize-winning Toastmaster.
• Member of National Speakers Association, speaking on hearing challenges and issues.
• She is also becoming known for her motivational musical keynote speeches on overcoming impossible challenges.
• Entertain for groups from senior venues to private parties to corporate events
• Member of

AS A WRITER:

• Write for national magazines on the topics of music and hearing loss.
• On invitation, submit stories and became a finalist in the search for a Chicken Soup for the Soul book relating to disabilities
• Writes articles for national hearing loss newsletters as well as beginning work on her first book, entitled, "Sure I Can Hear, But I Want to Listen!"

AS A VOLUNTEER

• Former member of board of directors for Hearing Society of Minnesota
• Continue active church membership, volunteering on several committees through the years
• Board member of Association of Adult Musicians with Hearing Loss.

Kathryn is married, the mother of two married children, grandmother of four. She loves to read. She and her husband are enthusiastic power volleyball players and long distance bicyclists. Her cosmopolitan outlook is influenced by her extensive travel, to all parts of the United States, Europe and Asia.

She presently maintains an active entertaining and speaking schedule, including over 250 appearances in 2006.

The themes include all the holidays; themes related to businesses, such as computers, doctors groups, travel agencies, antique conventions and service agencies as well as special occasions such as weddings, anniversaries and birthdays.