Kären Salveson
Kären Salveson is the creative force behind Grace Lutheran's outreach to kids through music. As the daughter of a Lutheran pastor and camp director, several themes ran through her life as she grew up, like variations on a melody:
- Soloist, discovered as a major talent at age 18 months when she sang "I'll be a Sunbeam for Jesus" for the Miriam circle.
- Instrumentalist, forced to study Piano, violin, and bassoon, but learned, as well, to love them.
- Composer, developed skill when her piano teacher neglected to check the required pieces for weeks at a time.
- Learner, studied and performed plays and music during college at St. Olaf (in Minnesota) and Iowa State University, earning a degree in vocal performance.
About 20 years ago, she married her high school sweetheart, Brooks Price, and life moved west to Palo Alto. They have four children, Reid and Kira, both graduated from St. Olaf, Dane (currently attending St. Olaf) and Kael, still in the Palo Alto schools. Karen's life plays the same melodic themes, but with more complexity:
- Soloist, can be heard intermittently at services at Grace Lutheran.
- Instrumentalist, plays piano for the Children's choir, CMT, and special services at Grace.
- Composer, began writing music when she found a dearth of children's music that wasn't dismal or saccharine; now writes music for children and all ages, including musicals, hymns, songs, and liturgies.
- Learner, directs and works with many people and groups, including Grace's children's choir, Christian Music Theater (CMT), and One Voice (a community youth Gospel choir), getting to know each person and their gifts.
Karen does not like to sit still for long, however, and wants to add more variations and themes to her melody, such as biker, hiker, yoga practitioner, and swimmer, while changing keys and the beat to play "Fire and Rain" on the guitar, cook like an Italian (a challenge for a Norwegian), complete the Friday New York Times crossword puzzle, and become a contestant on "The Amazing Race."
