Katherine Kilburn, Conductor

Recipient of the Thelma A. Robinson Conducting Award, Kilburn is currently Assistant Director of Orchestras at Michigan State University. She has served as Interim Director of Orchestras at Cornell University, and at Kent State University. Kilburn has been assistant conductor of the National Repertory Orchestra, the El Paso Opera, and the Hot Springs Music Festival, among many others. A champion of new music, she has conducted numerous world and USA premieres and has been involved in several premiere recordings.

Kilburn holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in contemporary music from Bowling Green State University, a Master of Music in orchestral conducting from the University of Michigan, and a Master of Music in choral conducting from Indiana University. She also studied at the Conservatoire Darius Milhaud in France, the Royal Academy of Music in London, and Wellesley College.

Isaac Sandelin, Piano

Isaac Sandelin is 14 years old and in ninth grade at Vicksburg High School. He started taking piano at the age of six with Emily Pausley, whom he studied with for three years. She constantly encouraged Isaac to pursue pieces that challenged him technically and musically. After Mrs. Pausley moved, Isaac had the opportunity to study with Becky Nichols for four years. Mrs. Nichols ensured he had a solid foundation in technique, and pushed him to think more critically about the pieces he was playing. Soon, she passed Isaac on to the Crescendo Music Academy, where he has been studying with Ronald Cung for over a year now. With Mr. Cung, Isaac has been introduced to a vast new variety of piano literature. He has allowed Isaac to progress through more advanced literature, like Rachmaninoff, Chopin, Liszt, Bach, and Beethoven. Now, Isaac enjoys playing jazz piano for Vicksburg’s top jazz ensemble, playing tenor drums in the marching band, and playing percussion for Vicksburg’s wind ensemble. He has participated in Honor Band for percussion, and won awards for piano and marimba at Solo & Ensemble.