Violist Kate Moran, 21, is pursuing undergraduate studies under Michael van der Sloot at the University of Ottawa, having previously studied with Victoria Chiang and Choong-Jin Chang at the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University.

 

She is currently a violist in the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra and has played with the Victoria Symphony Orchestra, Aspen Philharmonic Orchestra, Victoria Chamber Orchestra, Greater Victoria Youth Orchestra, Victoria Conservatory of Music Chamber Orchestra, and Peabody’s Symphony and Chamber Orchestras. Kate has also been privileged to play under world-renowned conductors such as Marin Alsop, Robert Spano, Hugh Wolff, amongst others.

 

She has won numerous awards and scholarships performing in venues across North America, including the prestigious Roberto and Mary Wood Scholarship Competition, the largest performing arts scholarship in Canada to high school students. Kate also won first prize at the BC Provincial Music Festival in both Senior Solo Strings and Senior Chamber Music and third prize in the National category.

 

She has been a soloist with multiple orchestras in her hometown and has worked with distinguished faculty such as Grammy-winning violist Kim Kashkashian, as well as Pinchas Zukerman, Colin Carr, Misha Amory, Robert Vernon, Jeffrey Irvine, Philip Setzer, Atar Arad, Nicholas Kitchen, and Martha Katz.

 

She has attended Aspen Music Festival, Heifetz International Music Institute, Bowdoin International Music Festival, Center Stage Strings, Orford Music Academy, National Arts Centre’s Young Artists Program, Online Solo Strings Intensive, and Pacific Region International Music Academy. Kate is currently both a String Maintenance Assistant and recently completed a practicum with El Sistema-based Orkidstra as part of their Educational Teaching Artists Practicum program.