Kathleen Murphy Kemp

Kathleen Murphy Kemp has served on the Hochstein faculty as cello instructor and chamber music coach since 1980. As a graduate of the Eastman School of Music, she earned a Bachelor of Music degree and a Master’s degree in Performance and Literature, as well as the Performer’s Certificate.

She was Assistant Principal Cello of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra starting in 1977and retired after 50 years. She also served on the faculty of the Eastman Community School and collegiate faculty as Assistant Professor of Orchestra Studies and Coordinator of the Orchestra Studies Diploma Program. She also supervised secondary cello teachers at Eastman.

She has participated in the Chamber Music Rochester series, Roycroft Chamber Music Festival, Skaneateles Festival, Fortissismo Festival, and Academy of Medicine Salon Concerts, as well as Aspen Music Festival, Sarasota Festivals, and Music Academy of the West where she was a concerto winner.

As a strong advocate for music education, Kathleen served more than 10 years on the Rochester Philharmonic Youth Orchestra Board and during her tenure developed the RPYO Mentor. She is also the co-founder of the chamber music program at the Hochstein School – a program for beginning through advanced young musicians with an interest in learning the art of chamber music playing.

Kathleen devotes much of her time to educational volunteerism and has been honored with the RPO Volunteer Recognition Award, Philharmonic League Fanfare Ward for Education, and RPO Special Educator award. She is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda and was awarded Musician of the Year by Mu Phi Epsilon. The Monroe County School Music Association awarded her with the Richard Snook Memorial Award.