KATHARINA BRAMKAMP ...on herself

BORN 

- Katharina Bramkamp

BIRTHDAY

- 16th December 1961

EDUCATION

- Schillerschule Essen, Leibnizgymnasium Altenessen, Universität Bremen

FATHER

- Helmut, Essen

MOTHER

- Anna, Essen

HUSBAND

- Thomas Tillmann-Bramkamp

CHILDREN (Grown up)

- Cannot be named for fear they are disappointed. LOL!

Katharina BRAMKAMP

In my family there was a lot of singing, going on holidays by car we spent hours singing old German folk songs and (as it was up to my father) a lot of satirical songs, too.

At the age of six my parents sent me to join the recorder choir of our parish.

(I was glad when I finally was allowed to leave after six years and didn’t think of recorders for 40 years. But last year,  2017, I phoned my (now elderly) recorder teacher to thank her for what she taught me. It was such a strong basis.)

When I restarted playing, in 2012, recorders seemed to grow (from soprano to alto to tenor and recently to bass) quickly. These days my favourite one is my „Traumflöte“ tenor.

Between eleven and fourteen I was a member in a very ambitious children’s choir. We sang chorals and musicals, no stuff for children. I loved it and left the choir when a new leader decided kids should sing kid’s songs.

As most of my comrades did I learned to play the guitar with the help of „Peter Burschs Gitarrenbuch“ at the age of fourteen, Hannes Wader and Cat Stevens were my heroes. And Pink Floyd.

The first time on stage was when at sixteen „Radio Luxemburg“ called me and asked me to sing in a competition. I didn’t believe them and thought someone was mocking me. It turned out that I had recorded a song on a cassette and my mother had sent it to the radio station without letting me know. I made the second prize, standing on the stage with a bad cold and a fever.

(After an early marriage and a helpful divorce) in my early twenties I had a short career as a singer/songwriter but dropped it to be a teacher and  start a family with my second husband Thomas.

Three passions: family, music and teaching. Teaching had its time and will always be important, but music has become the second passion again. (Family always comes first. Sorry guys.)

For years and years the only music I played was songs around camp fires with friends and singing Ian Bruce songs in the car…. As the kids grew up I found the time to get back to music seriously, especially folk, maybe 7 years ago I started playing the bodhran and tin whistle on folk sessions. 

The Above Wild Water release tour when I first played recorder and sang for Ian and Vic 6 years ago. The tour when Ian had no voice due to a very heavy cold. It was crazy. I had 4 hours to prepare but it worked out well.

So well that I was brought into the band more and more regularly. Now I am a permanent fixture I am glad to say.  I love it.

We all have other musical irons in the fire. So...In December 2016 Frank and I started our new band Tammie Norrie  together with Martina and Henning. We're loving that too. Thank you for reading.

KATHARINA