CURRICULUM VITAE
NITZA KATS
PIANIST

Office:

Department of Music
144 Powell Hall

Post Office Box 6968
Radford, Virginia 24142

Phone: (540)-831-5495
Fax: (540)-831-6133

e-mail: nkats@radford.edu

Education:

University of Minnesota, 1969-1972.
Degree awarded: Master of Fine Arts (major in piano performance).

Rubin Academy of Music, Jerusalem, Israel, 1961-1962.
Degree awarded: Artist Diploma (major in piano performance).

Rubin Academy of Music, Jerusalem, Israel, 1959-1961.
Degree awarded: Teaching Certificate (equivalent to a B.A.)

Chamber Music Summer School, Zichron Ya’aqov, Israel, 1960-1962.

Private studies with:
Bernhard Weiser, Malcolm Bilson, Pnina Salzman, Sonya Vallin, Leonard Shure, Leon Fleisher, Nadia Reisenberg, Clifton Matthews, and Ray Luck, among others.

Professional Employment:

Radford University, Radford, Virginia, 1984-present
Associate Professor of Music 2003 - present
Assistant Professor of Music, 1997- 2003 (Tenure granted 1998).
Temporary Full-Time Faculty, Instructor of Music, 1990-1997.
Adjunct Faculty, Instructor of Music, 1984-1990.

Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, Adjunct Faculty, 1974-1983.

University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Instructor of Music, 1969-1971.

Dunia Weizman Conservatory, Haifa, Israel, Instructor of Music, 1965-1968.

Rubin Academy of Music, Jerusalem, Israel, Instructor of Music, 1961-1965.

Private instruction, 1959-1991.

Academic Instruction at Radford University:

Applied Piano

Undergraduate Recital

Graduate Recital

Piano Pedagogy

Ear Training and Sight Singing (all four semesters)

The Art of Music

Introduction to Music Literature

Directed Study

Performance Experience: (selected list)

Solo Piano Performance:
Solo recitals, including the annual “Almost Spring” recitals at Radford University, 1962-present.

Participation in Faculty Recitals, Virginia Tech and Radford University, 1973-present.

Participation in the Rebecca Orr Memorial Benefit Concert, 1984-present.

Two-Piano Performances:
Repertoire for two pianos, two pianos and percussion, concerti with orchestral reduction
1982, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1999.

Chamber Music Performances:
Numerous performances since 1959, including: duos with violin, cello, clarinet, flute, oboe, bassoon, percussion and voice. Trios, quartets, quintets etc. with various combinations of voices, winds, strings, brass, percussion and piano.

Orchestral Participation:
Appearances with the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra and with the New River Valley Symphony, playing piano, organ, harpsichord and celeste.

Solo with Orchestra:
University Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Virginia Tech, 1982.
New River Valley Symphony, 1994, 2000.

Piano with Dance Performances:
Radford University, 1987, 1991.

Above performances were given in Israel, Virginia, Minnesota, North Carolina, New York Wisconsin and West Virginia. Selected performances were broadcast on Israel Public Radio and on public radio stations in the United States.

Masterclass Participation (Selected representative list of artist-teachers):

Nadia Reisenberg, Adele Marcus, Leonard Shure, Malcolm Bilson, William Masselos and Edward Auer, among others.

Masterclass Attendance (Selected representative list of artist-teachers):

Claude Frank, Leon Fleisher, Vlado Perlemuter, Guido Agosti, Menahem Pressler, Samuel Lipman, Jeaneane Dowis, Fernando Laires, Nelita True, Ruth Slenczynska, Jonathan Feldman, Misha Dichter, Ruth Laredo, Paul Badura-Skoda, Cecil Ousset, Nikolai Petrov, Gyorgy Sandor, Ann Schein, John Perry, Loiz de Moura Castro, Ilana Vered, Nina Svetlanova, Eugene Pridonoff, Jerome Lowenthal, Russell Sherman, Rebecca Penneys, Thomas Schumacher, Anne Coscienly, Malcolm Bilson, George Lucktenberg.

Festival Participation (Selected list):

Aspen Music Festival Piano Seminar, Aspen, Colorado, 1976.
Chopin chez George Sand - Second Piano Festival, La Châtre- Nohant, France, 1993.

Conference Participation (Selected list):

Dalcroze Society of America National Conference at Westminster Choir College of Rider University, Princeton, New Jersey, 1998.

Southern Composers League Festival of New Music, Radford University, Radford, Virginia, 1997.

Society of Composers, Region III Conference, Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Virginia, 1992.

Society of Composers, Region III Conference, Radford University, Radford, Virginia, 1991.

Annual World Piano Pedagogy Conference, 1997-present

Adjudication (Selected list):

Piedmont Music Teachers Association’s 13th Ribbon Festival, Martinsville, Virginia, 2001.

Piedmont Music Teachers Association’s 11th Ribbon Festival, Martinsville, Virginia, 1999.

State Auditions, Virginia Music Teachers Association State Convention, James Madison University, 1993.

Preliminaries, Bartόk-Kabalevsky-Prokofiev International Piano Competition, Radford University, 1984-present.

National Guild of Piano Teachers’ Auditions, 1986-present.

Annual Rebecca Orr Memorial Piano Technique Festival, Radford University, Radford, Virginia, 1984-present.

Virginia Governor’s School, Radford University, Radford, Virginia (late 1980th).

Virginia Music Teachers Association’s Fall Festival, Hollins College, Virginia, 1983-1989.

Collegiate Artist Competition, Virginia Music Teachers Association, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, 1981.

State Auditions at the Virginia Music Teachers Association State Convention, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia, 1993.

Virginia Lion’s Bland Music Scholarship Competitions (mid 1970th).

Topics of Workshops Presented:

How to Adjudicate
Developing Technique in the Piano Studio
Technique and Imagination
Etudes for Piano
How to Help Your Students’ Technique Be More Productive, Stimulating and Enjoyable

Administrative Experience:

First Vice President, Highlands Chapter, Virginia Music Teachers Association, 2001-present

President, Highlands Chapter, Virginia Music Teachers Association, 1983-1985.

Historian, Highlands Chapter, Virginia Music Teachers Association, 1978-1981.

Founder and Director, Rebecca Orr Memorial Piano Technique Festival and Scholarship Competition, 1984- present.

Founder and Program Coordinator, Annual Rebecca Orr Memorial Benefit Concert, 1983- present.

Membership in Professional Organizations:

Theta Mu Chapter of Pi Kappa Lambda, the National Music Honor Society, 2000-present.

The Dalcroze Society of America, 1998-present.

Adjudicator, National Guild of Piano Teachers, 1986-present.

The National Guild of Piano Teachers, 1980-1992, 1999-2000.

Music Teachers National Association, 1977-present.

Virginia Music Teachers Association, 1977-present.

Highlands Chapter, Virginia Music Teachers Association, 1977-present.

Patron, Alpha Zeta Chapter of Mu Phi Epsilon, 1997-present.

Awards, Honors, and Recognition:

Radford University Ten Years Service Recognition, 2000.

Full status, Graduate Faculty at RU, approved by the Graduate Affairs Council, 1999.

MTNA (Music Teachers National Association) College Faculty Certificate, 1996-present.

MTNA Professional Certificate, 1986-1996.

Virginia Music Teachers Association Certificate, 1986-present.

University of Minnesota scholarship, 1969-1971.

American-Israel Cultural Fund Scholarship for Chamber Music Summer School, Israel, 1960-1962.

Scholarship competition winner, American-Israel Cultural Fund, 1960, 1961.

Graduate Faculty Status, 2004

Radford University 15 years Service Recognition, 2005

Grants:

Various travel grants, awarded by Radford University Faculty Professional and Instructional Development Grant, by the College of Visual and Performing Arts, and by the Department of Music. These include Radford University Faculty Professional and Instructional Development Grant to participate in “In Search of Chopin” Festival and “Chopin chez George Sand” Second Piano Festival ( La Châtre-Nohant, France), and to attend the first annual Piano Festival of the French Piano Institute in Paris, at the Ecole Normal de Musique de Paris, 1993.

Students Winners or Finalists in Competitions: (Partial list)

Radford University Honors Recitals: Spring 1987, Spring 1988, Fall 1988, Spring 1989, Fall 1989, Spring 1994, Fall 1995, Spring 1996, Spring 2001.

Presser Scholarship at Radford University: 1996, 2002.

Virginia Music Teachers Association Concerto Competition: 2nd place winner, Charlottesville, Virginia, 1989.

Lynchburg Fine Arts Center Piano Competition: two students, 1987.

Bartόk-Kabalevsky-Prokofiev International Piano Competition: Honorable Mention, 1995; Katheryn G. Obenshain Award: tie for 2nd place, 1999, 2nd place, 2000, 1st place 2001, tie for 1st place, 2002, 2nd place, 2002.

Virginia Lion’s Bland Music Scholarship Competition.

Rebecca Orr Memorial Technique Festival and Competition.

 

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