Catherine Pickar
cpickar@gwu.edu
Bachelor of Music, 1974, University of Kentucky School of Music Master of Music, 1980 The George Washington University
Professor Pickar was Associate Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at The George Washington University from 1983 to 2001, where she currently serves in an adjunct position. In addition to her choral work, she taught classes in music theory, music appreciation, feminist studies and was musical director of multiple joint productions between Departments of Theatre & Dance and Music. She was a recipient of GW’s Junior Scholar Incentive Grant for which she composed a suite of choral works for SATB and children’s choir that have been performed by ensembles at The National Cathedral and The University of Kentucky among others. In 1984 she was awarded the George Washington Award by the president of the University for her outstanding contributions to The George Washington University. Highlights of her conducting career include featured ensembles at the American Choral Director’s Association Conference, The American Musicological Society’s National Meeting, Firenze Fiorita 1994, the summer music festival of Florence Italy, conductor of the Kentucky All-Festival Chorus and the Kentucky Collegiate Women’s Chorus. She studied conducting and score preparation with Sara Holroyd, Robert Shaw, Joseph Flummerfelt, Margaret Hillis and George Steiner, assisted in preparation of a score and chorus for Robert Shaw and was assistant to the director of the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra from 1977 – 1979.
Professor Pickar was founding editor of Women and Music: A Journal of Gender and Culture currently published by University of Nebraska Press. She established, with alumni support, The Harmon Choral Associates, an 800-member alumni organization to support choral activities at The George Washington University.