Biography
Known for her creative arrangements and compositions, striking vocals, and skillful violin playing, Kara Baxter defies easy classification, preferring to infuse her music with wide-ranging influences from her musical life. A violinist since the age of 4, Kara grew up in a musical family, playing classical music, singing, fiddling, and song writing. Kara studied classical violin at the University of Colorado, Boulder. It was at CU where Kara began singing jazz, and after graduating, moved to Chicago to study Jazz Voice and Commercial Music at the Chicago College of Performing Arts of Roosevelt University with Patricia Barber and Mike Molloy.
Kara began composing, arranging and writing original songs during her time in Chicago, and after moving back to Nebraska began teaching Jazz Voice and directing a vocal jazz ensemble at Doane University. Kara completed her Doctorate in Jazz Composition at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln in 2014, studying with Eric Richards. Kara has taught at the collegiate level since 2006 at places such as Doane University, Nebraska Wesleyan University, University of Nebraska, Hastings College and Casper College, and is passionate about giving students in Nebraska and rural areas opportunities in strings and jazz.
Kara performs with her jazz combo, and appears as a guest soloist with Big Bands, Orchestras, and choirs throughout the Midwest. Her arrangements and compositions have been performed by Lincoln’s Symphony Orchestra, Jazz MN-a professional big band in Minneapolis, the Hastings Symphony, and the Powder River Symphony, among others. She has recorded two CD’s, Black Coffee, a duo with pianist Julia Andrews, and On This Journey, featuring vocal group QuinteCentral and the Kara Baxter Big Band. This project features a live performance of Kara’s original suite for Big Band and Five voices, as well as arrangements of standards. Kara maintains a small private teaching studio, plays with Lincoln’s Symphony Orchestra, and freelances as a singer and violinist in the Midwest.
Kara resides in Lincoln, NE with her husband Wes and their three sons, dog, cats, and fish.