Dr. Kathryn Irwin is Assistant Professor of Percussion in the University of Louisiana
Monroe School of Visual and Performing Arts. Dr. Irwin is a percussion performer and
educator from Petal, Mississippi. In 2018, she completed the Doctor of Musical Arts
degree in percussion performance at Michigan State University with Gwendolyn Dease
and Jon Weber. She completed her Master of Music degree in percussion performance
at the University of Kansas with Ji Hye Jung and adjunct professors Lee Vinson and
Brandon Draper. She received her Bachelor of Music Education degree from Louisiana
State University with percussionist Brett William Dietz.
Dr. Irwin has performed with scholastic and professional ensembles throughout the
United States, Europe, and Asia. Performances include Toho Gakuen School of Music
in Tokyo for renowned percussionist Keiko Abe, Soochow University in Taiwan, the Cortona
Sessions for New Music in Italy, the Eutiner Festspiele and Carl Maria von Weber Concert
of Chamber Music in Germany, and the Percussive Arts Society International Convention
in Indianapolis. She has also performed in notable masterclasses and clinics given
by the members of Sō Percussion, Robert van Sice, Tom Freer, Keith Aleo, Meehan/Perkins
Duo, Ayano Kataoka, Naoko Takada, and many others.
As an active soloist and chamber musician in the percussion community, Dr. Irwin is
an advocate of expanding the percussion repertoire and prioritizes commissioning new
works. She has commissioned composers such as Elliot Cole, Molly Joyce, Joe W. Moore
III, Brett William Dietz, and Dave Molk. She enjoys working on collaborative projects
with artists of other mediums and professionals outside the field of music as well.
The most recent commission of Is This Madness?, a work for solo percussion and electronics, aims to raise awareness and grow support
for members of the bipolar community through performances and clinics. This project
consisted of a collaboration with a member of the bipolar community, a licensed psychiatrist,
and composer Joe W Moore III.
Dr. Irwin has led masterclasses at schools in Taiwan and universities across the United
States. Additionally, she has worked with many middle and high school performing ensembles
in Florida, Michigan, Mississippi, and Louisiana. She has a studio of private students
and experience teaching percussion ensemble, marching percussion, concert band, and
elementary music.
Listen to Dr. Irwin perform Rebonds b by Iannis Xenakis
VAPA
VAPA Music