Katy is the Visiting Assistant Professor of Horn in the School of Music at the University of Iowa.

For more information about the Horn Studio at the University of Iowa, please visit: https://horn.studio.uiowa.edu/

Teaching Philosophy

My approach to teaching revolves around the treatment of each student as valuable, and individual. They are expected to come to lessons and classes prepared to engage in thoughtful discourse and performance. Every student responds positively to something, gets joy from something, and my job is to discover what that is and relate it to their experience in my class.

I promote a supportive, friendly atmosphere in the studio, with a focus on creating a “team” mentality. My teaching philosophy is informed by the knowledge that students decide to major in music because it is a source of joy, and through careful study and planning they will mature into thoughtful musicians. I regularly ask my students about their musical goals, long– and short–term. Ultimately, my own goal is to provide students with a guidebook and a path for continuing to enrich their lives once they are on their own. I prepare them for a lifetime of supporting music through performing, engaging with their community, and being a patron of the arts. Finally, I provide students with a consistent adult presence while they transition from young adult to adulthood and I take that responsibility very seriously. I give students a safe space to express themselves and experiment with performance and learning situations, skills that are immensely valuable to anyone, music major or non–music major.