Kate Kilgus, Clarinet
Kate Kilgus, Clarinet
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Dr. Kate Kilgus is a clarinetist in the Cincinnati area who is passionate about sharing music with others through teaching, performing, and collaborating. In August 2024, she completed her Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory and currently enjoys an active and multifaceted career in the Greater Cincinnati area.
As a performer, Kate plays regularly with the Mason Symphony Orchestra, Cedarville Orchestra, School House Symphony, and OLEA Ensemble, a trio which she co-founded in the spring of 2021. With a focus on making chamber music and new music engaging and impactful for audiences, OLEA Ensemble is dually based in Chicago and Cincinnati and has performed in over 25 intimate venues across both cities. This past season, OLEA Ensemble commissioned six new works by composers Owen Hopper, Brad Balliett, Shane Scott Cook, Christopher Jessop, Jacy Pedersen, and Annie Barr McAllister. OLEA Ensemble has completed residencies at the Akropolis Chamber Music Institute, SOS ART, Avaloch Farm Music Institute, and the Decoda Chamber Music Festival. In the summer of 2016, Kate was invited to attend the Music Academy International in Trento, Italy, where she performed in the orchestra for a production of Mozart’s Cosi fan Tutti. She was also a finalist in the Lawrence University Wind Ensemble Concerto Competition in 2017 and was given a Graduate Incentive Award at CCM in 2018.
As a teacher, Kate develops healthy technique, personal confidence, and a lifelong interest in music in all her students. Kate currently serves as Adjunct Professor of Clarinet at Sinclair College and Wright State University. In addition, she teaches private lessons and sectionals at West Chester Academy, Western Hills Music, Beechwood Independent Schools, and East Central Schools, interacting with over 50 students each week. She draws on pedagogical approaches which she researched for her dissertation, titled “Mind-Body Awareness: Reconceptualizing Higher Education Music Performance Curricula” to find comfortable, healthy, and sustainable ways of approaching the clarinet for each student. Her students have been accepted to regional Honor Bands, All-State bands, and collegiate music programs all while discovering their unique talents and voices through the clarinet.
In addition to her DMA, Kate holds a Master of Music degree in Clarinet Performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, a Bachelor of Music degree in Clarinet Performance from Lawrence University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics from Lawrence University. Her primary teachers include Pavel Vinnitsky, Joe Morris, Christopher Pell, and David Bell. She has performed in masterclasses with Anthony McGill, Anton Rist, and Alexander Fiterstein. Kate is a member of The International Clarinet Association, The Association for Body Mapping Education, and Phi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society.
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