Kathryn Woodard
Kathryn Woodard at Ostia (Italy), July 2018
Born1969
Dallas, Texas
EducationUniversity of Music and Performing Arts, Munich; University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music
Occupation(s)Musician, Educator
Websitekathrynwoodard.com

Kathryn Woodard (born 1969) is an American pianist, scholar, composer, and educator. She was born in Dallas, Texas, the daughter of Christina and George Woodard, a shortwave radio engineer. She is recognized as an interpreter of music by composers from Turkey and East Asia.[1][2][3][4] Her work as an educator has addressed musicians who seek relief from injuries and an increased awareness of the body in motion.[5][6]

Career

After initial studies in Dallas with noted new music pianist, Jo Boatright, Woodard moved to Munich, Germany where she continued studies with Yasuko Matsuda and later with Gitti Pirner at the University of Music and Performing Arts (Hochschule für Musik) in Munich. She pursued graduate studies at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music with Frank Weinstock and began a focus on piano music by composers outside of the Western tradition. At the same time she began to learn the Alexander Technique to overcome physical limitations in her playing, studying primarily with Barbara Conable.[5]

In 2001 Woodard served as a consultant for Turkish music with the Silk Road Project to help identify composers for the Silk Road Ensemble to commission. From 2000 to 2004 she was adjunct assistant professor at Hunter College, and in 2004 she accepted a position at Texas A&M University in its fledgling music program. Woodard's scholarly research has focused on timbral experiments in piano music and on the works of Turkish composers such as Ahmed Adnan Saygun (1907-1991).[7][8] More recent presentations have focused on the perception of rhythm and the process of learning rhythms.[9][10] In addition to recordings on the New Albion and Albany record labels, she has released two recordings on her own label Sonic Crossroads.[4] This entity is now an educational initiative promoting global piano music to students around the world through publications, classes and assessments.[11] With several publications she has brought the piano music of Turkish composers to a broader audience.[12]

Discography

Compositions

  • The Calm Before... Two pieces for viola and piano (2019)
  • Budapest 1919 - Three songs for high voice, clarinet, viola and piano (2016/2019)
  • Creepy Suite Six pieces for piano (2019)
  • Ancient Omens Three pieces for piano (2018)
  • Royal Portraits Four pieces for piano (2014)
  • Glimmer - Chamber work for oboe, clarinet, cello and percussion (2010)
  • Lyric Suite - A set of improvisations for prepared piano (2008)

References

  1. Brookes, Stephen (October 3, 2008). "Kathryn Woodard". The Washington Post.
  2. Chism, Olin (April 5, 2004). "Pianist Kathryn Woodard Crafts Exotic Program at the Crow Collection". Dallas Morning News.
  3. Smith, Steve (September 16, 2007). "Youth and Beauty, and Wails, Whispers and Growls". The New York Times.
  4. 1 2 Bedetti, Andrea (November 2013). "Review of Journeys and Silhouettes CDs". CD Classico (Italy).
  5. 1 2 Woodard, Kathryn (2009). "Recovering Disembodied Spirits: Teaching Movement to Musicians". British Journal of Music Education. 26 (2): 153–172. doi:10.1017/S0265051709008419.
  6. Woodard, Kathryn (June 2018). "Understanding and Accessing the Body Map When Training Movement". Art in Motion 2018: Training for Creative Excellence. Symposium Program: 60–61.
  7. "Interview: Kathryn Woodard Discusses the Music of Ahmed Adnan Saygun". Fanfare Magazine. 33 (6). 2010.
  8. Woodard, Kathryn (2007). "Music Mediating Politics in Turkey: The Case of Ahmed Adnan Saygun". Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East. 27 (3): 552–562. doi:10.1215/1089201x-2007-032. S2CID 143740608.
  9. Woodard, Kathryn. "Traversing the 'Devil's Staircase': Perception and Notation of Folk Rhythms in Piano Music from the Balkans (and Beyond)," presented at the IMS Regional Meeting for the Balkans, Bucharest, Romania, September 2–6, 2019.
  10. Woodard, Kathryn (2021). "Syncopation, Cross-Rhythm and Aksak Meter: A Workshop in Pedagogical Approaches". Art in Motion Symposium: RHYTHM!.
  11. "Sonic Crossroads - Online Assessments". soniccrossroads.com. Retrieved 2022-10-28.
  12. "London College of Music | Leading Music Exams & Diplomas From LCM. - University of West London". lcme.uwl.ac.uk. Retrieved 2022-10-28.
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