Natalie Chami
Piano, Voice, Music Tech
With an unwavering commitment to music and the arts, Natalie Chami has dedicated her career to nurturing aspiring musicians. Holding a degree in Music Education from Northwestern University with a specialization in classical voice and choral music, Chami embarked on her professional journey as a founding faculty member at the Chicago High School for the Arts in 2009. As Vocal Chair, Chami developed a comprehensive curriculum encompassing music theory, keyboard skills, vocal technique, choir, integrated arts, and music technology. Notably, she collaborated on spearheading the development and implementation of anti-racist and trauma-informed teaching methodologies at ChiArts, fostering an inclusive and empowering learning environment.
Alongside her teaching endeavors, Chami, under the alias TALsounds, is known for her work in drone, ambient, and improvisational music. She has cultivated a distinguished solo career spanning over 15 years, crafting a distinctive blend of personal and transporting music. Her compositions seamlessly integrate synth work, operatic vocals, and meticulous atmosphere crafting. Chami has released albums on various labels, toured internationally, and earned acclaim for her significant contributions to the avant-garde electronic scene from publications such as Pitchfork, The Fader, The Washington Post, and The Chicago Tribune.
Driven by her passion for synthesizers, her love for electronic music, and her dedication to music education, Chami harmoniously transitioned from classroom teaching to her pivotal role as a Synth Host for the online marketplace, Reverb.com. This journey led to her current position as Product Manager for Synthesizers at Korg USA, a role she assumed in 2021. Chami’s mission is to introduce a wider audience to the world of synthesizers and improvisational music-making through synthesizer curriculum development, sound design, live streams, marketing videos, and collaborative efforts with her international team to optimize product features and user experience.
Natalie Chami’s multifaceted career also extends into film scoring, sound installations, and serving on artistic panels. She remains deeply committed to education, providing private music instruction and frequently guest lectures and hosts workshops at esteemed institutions such as Northwestern University, George Washington University, CalArts, American University, and the University of North Carolina. She hopes to consistently inspire others to push boundaries and to enrich their souls with an unwavering dedication to individuality, community, and diversity in music and the arts.