2006 – 2017

Described by Leonard Bernstein as “extremely musical, a vivid personality, and a strong performer,” Kate Tamarkin has had a distinguished career of 35 years as an orchestral conductor.  Formerly Associate Conductor of the Dallas Symphony, she has held music directorships with the Monterey Symphony, the East Texas Symphony, the Vermont Symphony and the Fox Valley Symphony.  Ms. Tamarkin has guest conducted some of the world’s leading orchestras and has been profiled on CNN and NBC’s Today Show.  Bridging both the professional and academic worlds, Ms. Tamarkin retired from the University of Virginia in 2017, where she conducted the Charlottesville Symphony at the University of Virginia for 11 seasons.

Kate has a deep interest in the use of music to promote healing.  She is a Certified Music Practitioner through the Music for Healing and Transition Program, and plays the Celtic harp as a Musician in Residence at the UVa Medical Center.  She is also the Program Coordinator for the Music by the Bedside program at the Hospice of the Piedmont.  This clinical program assigns trained music practitioners to play at the bedside of hospice patients at every stage of their journey.

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