Violist Katherine Lawhead grew up in Cleveland, having spent her formative years in Northeast Ohio’s rich classical music scene playing in the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra and the Contemporary Youth Orchestra. She went on to receive her bachelor's degrees at the University of Michigan in both viola performance and arts administration, under the tutelage of Detroit Symphony violist Caroline Coade. Her summers were spent at festivals such as the Chautauqua Institution studying with Roland and Almita Vamos, the Zephyr Chamber Music Festival and the Alba Music Festival in northern Italy, the National Music Festival in Maryland, and various string quartet seminars in New York City. 

 

Katherine moved west to complete her master's degree at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music with Jodi Levitz, receiving intensive chamber coachings from the Telegraph Quartet, Ian Swenson, Bettina Mussumeli, and Jonathan Vinocour. While in the Bay Area, Katherine taught privately and at KIPP SF Bay Academy; she also played principal viola with the Golden Gate Symphony, in the conductor-less chamber ensemble One Found Sound, and with the Berkeley Symphony.

 

Since finishing her studies, Katherine has spent her time freelancing and teaching in New York City, in addition to working as the administrative director at Schmidt Artists International. In the past year, she’s recorded music videos with major artists Rich the Kid, Burna Boy, the Chainsmokers, and Winona Oak. More recently, she has split her time between the east coast and Honolulu, Hawaii, playing in the Hawaii Symphony while furthering her professional arts management work and PR clients, and also recording projects for a digital concert series with the Chesapeake Orchestra.