Katherine Howarth

The Music and Performing Arts Faculty at Kinross Wolaroi School has been incredible to work with and very supportive since my appointment at the beginning of the year.”

Katherine Howarth, Coordinator of Instrumental Music

Coordinator of Instrumental Music

There are more bad things about the pandemic than you can count on two hands. Best-laid plans gone awry, timetables thrown up in the air, and a future shrouded in doubt. But, among the chaos are silver linings, and one of those is Katherine Howarth’s arrival.

As the curtains closed on performances, events and Sydney in general, Ms Howarth returned to her childhood home of Orange in search of a career change and some fresh country air.

“After studying and working in Sydney for five years, I wanted to move away from the stressful and crowded city life and back to a country town,” said Ms Howarth. “The Music and Performing Arts Faculty at Kinross Wolaroi School has been incredible to work with and very supportive since my appointment at the beginning of the year.”

The School’s new Coordinator of Instrumental Music loves a challenge and the busy role is keeping her on her toes.

“I do a range of different jobs. It changes as we approach different events on our Performing Arts calendar. I divide my time between administrative work, including helping to look after 27 peripatetic instrumental staff members and over 300 students who take individual tuition every week, as well as assisting our incredible Performing Arts Administrator Sharon Martin and teaching theory classes and private music tuition.” Prior to KWS, Ms Howarth was part of Sydney Conservatorium of Music’s front of house concert management team, which involved helping to run and manage weekly concerts. She also performed in orchestras and chamber ensembles across the city and taught clarinet at Sydney Conservatorium Open Academy and schools around Chatswood and Turramurra.

It’s an impressive resume and Ms Howarth isn’t bowing out of Sydney’s performing arts industry altogether, remaining the principal clarinet of Sydney Youth Orchestra (SYO).

“The principal clarinet leads the section (and gets all the beautiful solos), and as a result of COVID-19 restrictions, the SYO has given me the opportunity to perform in small chamber ensembles made up of members of the orchestra, covering a substantial range of repertoires,” said Ms Howarth. “I have been part of the Flagship program for four years, and earlier this year I made my debut as concert soloist with the orchestra, performing Claude Debussy’s Premiere Rhapsody.”

“SYO has been an integral part of my training, alongside my undergraduate studies on clarinet at Sydney Conservatorium, and something I wish I had access to growing up in Orange. Their programs facilitate a range of different levels and interests for young musicians, and to be a part of the SYO family has been a highlight of my musical career.” Ms Howarth hopes to develop opportunities similar to SYO as part of KWS’ co-curricular music program.

“I would love to see the music program at Kinross become a drawcard for the school and something we can be proud to share with the wider community,” said Ms Howarth. “We are so fortunate to have staff and teachers who work tirelessly to provide for our students, and I would love to see as many students as possible engage with the music program, both in the classroom and through co-curricular activities.”

Ms Howarth can’t remember a time when she didn’t love music and has built a life around her passion. When she’s not working at KWS, she’s practising the clarinet and working towards a Masters in Musicology at Sydney Conservatorium.

“My job doesn’t involve that much music-making, so I am regularly travelling to perform and rehearse in Sydney (COVID-19 permitting) and have made it my mission to play through all the repertoire I own from A to Z, which is going to take a while!” said Ms Howarth •