“World class musician” hails the Frankfurter Rundschau. The Ottawa Citizen mentions his “satin sound” and interpretation that is “uncommonly rich and introspective”.

 A native of Israel, Shmuel Katz began his violin studies at age 8 and picked up the viola at age 13, he maintains a performing career on both instruments. He graduated with honors from the Tel-Aviv Conservatory in 1992 and then served as first violinist of the Israeli army string quartet and a concertmaster of the Israeli army chamber orchestra as a part of the Outstanding Musicians Program of the Israel Defense Forces. He served as a concertmaster and soloist with the Young Israel Philharmonic, the Israel Conservatory Chamber Orchestra and the Thelma Yellin High School for the arts Symphony. 

Mr. Katz received his Bachelor and Master Degrees from the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied violin and viola with Pinchas Zukerman and Michael Tree. He has also performed in Masterclasses given by Isaac Stern, Itzhak Perlman, Josef Gingold and Dorothy DeLay and coached by members of the Guarneri, Cleveland, Tokyo, LaSalle and Julliard Quartets.  Among his numerous competition awards in the US and Europe is the first prize in the CIMS Chamber Music Competition in Palermo, Italy and the second prize in the HAMS viola competition in Chicago, IL. Mr. Katz has been a recipient of the America-Israel Cultural Foundation scholarships since 1986.    

Shmuel Katz participated in several prestigious festivals, most notably the Verbier Festival in Switzerland, Rolandseck Festival in Germany, Interlochen Arts Camp in the USA and Kfar Blum Chamber Music Festival in Israel. As a member of the Michael Trio, he has appeared in Italy, Austria, Spain, USA and Israel. Mr. Katz performed as a soloist with numerous orchestras both as a violinist and a violist and in chamber music concerts with such artists as Pinchas Zukerman, Tabea Zimmermann, Michael Tree, Ralph Kirschbaum and members of the New York Philharmonic.  

Shmuel is principal violist of Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra and Pennsylvania Ballet Orchestra. He is a frequent substitute with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, NY Philharmonic, NY City Opera and Orchestra of St. Luke's. He also performs and tours regularly with Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, where he also appears as a principal violist.

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 photo-Sophia Kessinger
Shmuel Katz, Israeli violist and violinist

Mr. Katz plays a viola made by Hiroshi Iizuka in 1998.  Its unique shape is modeled after the Viola D'Amore.

          viola d'amore