Kate’s creative connection

Paula Xiberras

Henry Mundy, a master portrait painter, teacher, composer and musician lived and worked in Tasmania. It was tragic circumstances that saw him take his own life at the Ship Hotel.

When she was in Tasmania to perform at the Federation Hall last year musician Kate Ceberano felt a strange sadness while in St David’s Park,only later realising it was Henry Mundy’s final resting place. This fact made such an impact on her because Kate is the great great great granddaughter of Henry Mundy. The experience was for Kate almost as if Henry was giving her a metaphorical pat on the back for continuing the family artistic tradition. It’s not the only familial link with Tasmania, Kate’s granddad Douglas was born in Hobart and lived in various places around Tasmania.

Recently Kate’s mum Cherie was in Tasmania for a special exhibition to celebrate Henry Mundy’s life.

When I spoke to Kate recently, after I introduced myself as being from the Tasmanian, I could almost sense the beam in Kate’s voice as she proudly said of herself ‘I’m Tasmanian’.

It would certainly be tempting to claim Kate as our own. This vivacious performer has been part of the Australian music scene and our lives since she began her career as a teenager. Her new book ‘I’m talking’ is the biography we have all been waiting for. The title is also a nod to one of her early bands.

‘Tasmanian’ Kate is a citizen of the world, her dad Tito migrated from the Philippines to be raised in Hawaii, eventually coming to Australia with just a ukulele and a surfboard. A judo instructor working in the Philippines he aims to return to Australia on retirement. Perhaps some details of Tito’s wooing (of which dancing was an important part) of her mum might point to a genetic connection to Kate’s recent successful foray into dance when she competed and won ‘Dancing with the Stars’,

When Kate did ‘Dancing with the Stars’ and won, it was an ironic experience because at the time Kate had a throat problem and wasn’t able to speak…with her main method of communication absent Kate developed another form of expression in dance. From the harrowing experience of being without her voice Kate now helps advise those facing the same frustrating throat procedures and challenging recuperation.

Kate’s longevity in the arts sees this book as an essential read for anyone entering the music business. Kate discusses the compromises that sometimes exist between artistic and commercial success and gives valuable advise to upcoming musicians, including on ‘how to read your audience’ such as Friday night audiences being ‘exhausted and needing fuel’ and corporate audiences needing ‘inspiration and improvisation’.

Kate herself continues to inspire by staying grounded and keeping it real. For Kate, family is of the essence and the book is filled with stories of family including her long lost and much loved brother Bey. A lovely story is about Kate finishing a gig to return home to see her darling daughter Gypsy perform in a school play, where she is playing the horses ‘behind’ Kate muses refreshingly, that we all have to play that part sometimes!

Kate’s book ‘I’m Talking’ is out now published by Hachette