Kate Belshé is a conductor, singer, musician and teacher living in Israel. In the fall of 2014, Kate Belshé was appointed as conductor and musical director of the Jerusalem Oratorio Chamber Chorus, which was founded in 1987. The choir is one of Israel's leading amateur choirs, and adds to the social and cultural fabric of the city. The choir is unaffiliated, and its membership spans the religious/secular and political divide in Israeli society. Kate has performed with this choir of 30 members in venues such as Saint Andrews Scots Memorial Church in Jerusalem, the U Nahon Museum of Italian Jewish Art, and the Gerard Bechar Center. In July of 2017, they will represent Israel at a Festival of Jewish Choirs in St. Petersburg, Russia. 

 

Kate is also the director of the middle and high school choir program at the Walworth Barbour American International School in Israel. She held this position from 2008-2011, during which time she recorded a CD with the high school chorus and founded the WBAIS Advanced Chorus in 2010, and resumed her work there in the fall of 2014. 

 

In addition to her conducting projects, Kate has sung in the Gary Bertini Chamber Ensemble and the Gary Bertini Choir (both professional groups), the Israeli Kibbutz Choir, the San Francisco Symphony Choir, USC Thornton Chamber Singers, and Williams College Concert Choir and Chamber Choir. She participated in the Bertini Chamber Chamber Choir's concert tour to Prague and Vienna in October of 2014. 

 

Kate holds degrees from University of Southern California (MM) and Williams College (BA), in Choral Music, Mathematics and English. She graduated with the highest of honors from both institutions. At USC Kate studied conducting under Dr. Jo-Michael Scheibe, Dr. Nick Strimple, Dr. Christian Grases, and Don Brinegar. At Williams College, she studied under Dr. Brad Wells (director of the exciting new ensemble, Roomful of Teeth) and Dr. Rick Hoffenberg.

 

Upon graduating from USC in May of 2013, Kate received the Departmental Award for the Choral Department, which is "conferred by the faculty upon [the student at this level] who [has] been judged to be the department's outstanding graduate." She was also appointed to Pi Kappa Lambda (a music honor society, whose award recognizes "the highest level of music achievement and academic scholarship") and Phi Kappa Phi (an academic honor society). At Williams College, Kate graduated Magna Cum Laude, was awarded the Kleinhandler Prize for Excellence in Music, and was appointed to the Phi Beta Kappa Honors Society. 

 

From 2013-2014, she was Assistant Conductor to the Meitav Vocal Ensemble at the Rosh Ha'ayin Conservatory, where she taught voice lessons and solfege lessons. From 2012 to 2013, Kate was the co-conductor of the USC Thornton University Chorus, and the Assistant Conductor of the Los Angeles Zimriyah Chorale.

 

Kate is available for conducting projects, and as a choral technician specializing in intonation. She is also available for vocal training for choirs, or for individuals, as well as solfege and music theory lessons for groups or individuals.