Kate Kilgus is a clarinetist in the Cincinnati area who is passionate about sharing music with others through teaching, collaborating, and performing. She recently graduated with a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and enjoys performing and teaching in the Greater Cincinnati area.
Kate performs regularly with the Mason Symphony Orchestra and several chamber groups. She serves as Adjunct Professor of Clarinet at Sinclair College as well as Wright State University. She also teaches clarinet at West Chester Academy, Western Hills Music, and several local schools.
In the spring of 2020, Kate co-founded OLEA, a chamber music group that aims to create music that is engaging and impactful for audiences. In the summer of 2022, OLEA completed residencies at the Avaloch Farm Music Institute as well as the Decoda Chamber Music Festival, both of which were fully funded. Future projects include regional touring through the United States and commissions of new works by emerging composers.
In addition to her DMA, Kate holds a MM from CCM as well as a Bachelor of Music degree in Clarinet Performance as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics from Lawrence University, both of which she received in 2018. Her primary teachers include Pavel Vinnitsky, Joe Morris, Christopher Pell, David Bell, Andrew Marriner, Amy McCann, and Meghan Cabral. She is a member of Sigma Alpha Iota National Women’s Music Fraternity as well as Phi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society.