Bio
Katharine (Kate) Murphy is a Las Vegas native, and graduated from the Grammy Award-winning Las Vegas Academy of Performing and Visual Arts in 2005. While in high school, she was an avid flute performer, holding principle positions in ensembles at school, and the Las Vegas Youth Philharmonic, while participating with the Henderson Civic Symphony. She expanded her abilities to other woodwind instruments, and played various saxophones in jazz band at LVA, as well as the Las Vegas All-Star Jazz Band. Kate held principle positions with the All-State orchestras, and was the Command Performer for the All-State Solo and Ensemble Flute Division for two consecutive years. At fifteen, she made her solo debut with the Las Vegas Philharmonic and the Henderson Civic Symphony orchestras.
Kate graduated from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music with a Bachelor of Music- Flute Performance, studying with Thomas Robertello. In her three years at IU, she played in the bands, the Marching Hundred, and orchestras, expanded her multiple woodwind repertoire, and took undergraduate conducting classes and private conducting lessons with Dr. Paul W. Popiel. She also played in operas, musicals, and took intensive piano and voice lessons to expand her knowledge as a conducting student.
Following her time at IU, Kate was awarded a graduate assistantship with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Band Department to complete her Master of Music in Wind Band Conducting. At UNLV, she studied with renowned conductor Thomas G. Leslie, and completed her M.M. in 2010. In her time at UNLV, she conducted the Symphonic Band, different community bands, athletic bands, and small ensembles, while still playing flute and piccolo in the UNLV Wind Orchestra and teaching privately.
Kate joined the Clark County School District (Nevada) as a band director in 2012, holding a Teaching Certificate in Music (specialized Kindergarten- Grade 12). She taught five years at Johnston Middle School, teaching band from grades 6-8. While there, Kate built a rigorous and competitive program, with her students receiving accolades and superior ratings from concert band and jazz festivals throughout the Southwestern US. Most of her students chose to continue their music educations in high school, and many of her top students were accepted into Las Vegas Academy for performance in band and jazz.
Kate and her husband Brian (and two daughters), now reside in Oshawa, Ontario. Her wish is to further educate young musicians, exploring the many different facets music has to offer, honing in on the craft of creating music, and keeping music fun and exciting, through the difficulties of perfecting the art.