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Born and raised in Kaneohe, HI, Katelyn Sweeney Ching began learning music at the age of five. She attended the Honolulu Waldorf School, where she was introduced to a variety of musical instruments, styles and performance opportunities. Music was a secondary interest for her; she planned to become a writer until she stumbled upon the craft of songwriting at age of fourteen. In high school, she wrote a collection of songs (Windswept) for piano, voice and electronics under the direction of Mark Robinson, Brent Skillicorn and Neurowaxx. While Rain continues to be the most popular song from Windswept, she considers Pacified Astronaut to be her seminal work from her debut album. At Wellesley College in Wellesley, MA, Katelyn developed a strong interest in late 20th-Century styles like minimalism and early electronic music. She developed her compositional voice with Martin Brody, Karola Obermüller and Peter Gilbert. Her senior thesis, Garden of Stars, recalls traditional Hawaiian aesthetics in combination with Gregorian Chant, as well as elements of Arvo Pärt, Steve Reich and Russian folk songs. Apart from exploring cultural syntheses, she also applies Rudolf Steiner’s theory of Organic Forms to the structure of her pieces. Written for piano, voice(s), violin, viola and cello in the classical tradition, Garden of Stars is a stark contrast from Windswept.