This page will take a moment to load – thanks for your patience. Kate is a classically trained pianist and an award-winning performing songwriter. From 2009-2015, she was the senior songwriting instructor at the Sarah McLachlan School of Music; Kate is also available as a songwriting coach and has been contracted to lead several community songwriting programs. She has toured throughout Canada and the States, as well as played extensively in her hometown of Vancouver, BC performing the music she writes, and yes, that IS Kate with actor Ryan Gosling and his band, Dead Man’s Bones on the home page! That photo was taken at a memorable gig at the Venue in 2009…
MY CD COMPILATION is now available for download and streaming on a number of platforms: Amazon Music / Apple Music / Deezer / iTunes / YouTube Music. “Somebody Else Take the Wheel” is a 12-track compilation of recordings of songs spanning nearly 30 years of my career so far. Right click printable artwork to download.
Original painting copyright 2018, Aarona Polsky
Upcoming performances are listed on the News & Performances page.
All words and music written by Kate MacColl, unless otherwise noted.
You Will Wait
Sweet, Sweet Love
Me ‘n B ‘n Tori
A “Commended” entry in the 2022 UK Songwriting Competition; written over the course of several months from August 2021 to January 2022 while I re-invented my life by taking it on the road…
Recorded and engineered by Jodie Bruce @ Frequency Sound 528, Kelowna BC (June 2022)
Violin: Chloe Davidson
Cello: Nils Loewen
Lyrics: Kate MacColl, Sam Masich
Music: Kate MacColl
Recorded and engineered by Jodie Bruce @ Frequency Sound 528, Kelowna BC (June 2022)
Piano / Vocals / Percussion: Kate MacColl
A “Commended” entry in the 2022 UK Songwriting Competition; recorded and engineered by Jodie Bruce @ Frequency Sound 528, Kelowna BC (June 2022)
Impossible
Can We Move On?
Two Friends
Recorded and engineered by Jodie Bruce @ Frequency Sound 528, Kelowna BC (June 2022)
Audio and video recording by Jodie Bruce on location @ Frequency Sound 528, Kelowna BC (October 2019)
In 2013, Kate MacColl commissioned Julie Tomaino to create a dance piece for her song, “Two Friends”, a song that is also the initial inspiration for the original musical she has written, “This Is Now”; the musical ran for 6 shows in June 2018 in Vancouver, BC.
“There are people who have money and there are people who are rich.” ~Coco Chanel
Engineered and co-produced by Elliot Polsky
Director / Choreographer: Julie Tomaino
Director of Photography: Loic Mabily
Video Editor: Stacey Tolmer
Dancers: Kimberley Ganter and Jacq Smith
We’ve Reached Our Stop
I’ll Come Back
Where Life Begins
Named ‘Semi-Finalist” in the 2012 UK Songwriting Contest
Lyrics: Kate MacColl
Music: Kelly Pettit, Kate MacColl
Arranged by Kate MacColl for piano
Engineered and co-produced by Elliot Polsky
Footage shot on location on the Downtown East Side of Vancouver, BC by Curtis Cleveland and Saied Marcondes. Additional footage shot on location at the Sarah McLachlan School of Music.
Final edit by Tim Rockey, Rockeyshores Productions
Video copyright 2014 Kate MacColl
A “Commended” Entry in the 2013 UK Songwriting Contest
Engineered and mixed by Marc Bjorknas
A song 15 years in the making… well worth the wait
That Was Then
What I Call Life
Lucy
A “Commended” Entry in the 2012 UK Songwriting Contest
Engineered and mixed by Will Howie
Drums: Brennan Saul
Bass: Joseph Lubinsky-Mast
Recorded at UBC’s Gessler Hall with additional tracks recorded at Vertical (now Monarch) Studios, and Watershed Music, Vancouver BC.
Based on a character played by Gwyneth Paltrow in a chick flick from the ’90’s called “Moonlight and Valentino”, also starring Jon Bon Jovi as the romantic male lead… Gwyneth – if you hear this, let me know what you think…
Engineered and co-produced by Elliot Polsky
What’s Right Or Wrong
I Keep Going
Drive, Drive
FINALIST, 2002 Kerrville New Folk Song Competition
Engineered by Mark Fortin
Drum sequencing: Mark Fortin
Lyrics: Terry Varney
Music: Terry Varney, Steve Mitchell, Kate MacColl
Arrangement for piano: Kate MacColl
Engineered and mixed by Will Howie
Drums: Brennan Saul
Bass: Joseph Lubinsky-Mast
Recorded at UBC’s Gessler Hall and Vertical (now Monarch) Studios, Vancouver BC.
FINALIST, 2002 Kerrville New Folk Song Competition
Engineered by Mark Fortin
Saxophone: Charlie Huntley
Drums: Elliot Polsky
Life So Far
Somebody Else Take the Wheel
Take Back Your Shoes
Someone told me that if you plant the branch of a lilac tree and keep it watered, it can re-root…
Engineered and mixed by Will Howie
Some songs are just handed to you, like a gift…this was one of them.
Guest guitarist: Steve Mitchell
Written while I was walking around barefoot one day…
Engineered and mixed by Will Howie
Drums: Brennan Saul
Bass: Joseph Lubinsky-Mast
Friday Night
Fly
Cliches
Engineered and mixed by Will Howie
Drums: Brennan Saul
Bass: Joseph Lubinsky-Mast
Recorded at Vertical (now Monarch) Studios, and Watershed Music, Vancouver BC.
Pride
Famous Pop Singer
Stuck in the Wrong Lane
Recorded December 2011 on the Bosendorfer at UBC’s Gessler Hall
Engineered and mixed by Will Howie
Engineered and mixed by Will Howie
Drums: Brennan Saul
Bass: Joseph Lubinsky-Mast
This was my signature song when I played the songwriter circuit back in the ‘90’s – a folk-rap hit so to speak
Conga: Kate MacColl
Recorded and engineered by Jodie Bruce @ Frequency Sound 528, Kelowna BC (June 2022)