Kay George Roberts facts for kids

Kay George Roberts was born on September 15, 1950. She is a famous American conductor who leads orchestras. She also teaches music at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell. She started and directs the New England Orchestra. She made history as the first woman and second African American to get a special music degree (doctorate) from Yale University. As of 2018, she is one of the few female African American conductors in the world.

Early Life and Learning

Kay George Roberts was born in Nashville, Tennessee, on September 16, 1950. She started playing the violin when she was in fourth grade. She played in a youth music group called the Cermona Strings Youth ensemble.

In 1964, she tried out for the Nashville Youth Symphony and got in. This group was led by Thor Johnson. When she was 17, she joined the main Nashville Symphony orchestra. In 1971, she was chosen to represent the Nashville Symphony in the World Symphony Orchestra. This special orchestra was directed by Arthur Fiedler.

College and Advanced Degrees

In 1972, Roberts finished her first college degree in Music from Fisk University. She then went to Yale University School of Music. There, she earned two master's degrees. One was in Conducting and Violin Performance in 1975. The other was in Musical Arts in Conducting in 1976.

Later, in 1986, she achieved another big milestone. She became the first woman and second Black person to get a doctoral degree in orchestral conducting from Yale University. This was a very important achievement in her musical journey.

Career and Influence

While she was at Fisk University, Kay George Roberts spent time at Tanglewood. This is a famous music center. There, she worked with the well-known composer Leonard Bernstein. She played the violin in his orchestra.

At Yale, she learned from the master composer Otto-Werner Muller. He helped her get her first chances to conduct big orchestras. She made her debut as a conductor with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra. She also conducted for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.

Roberts has also led workshops and classes with other famous conductors. These include Denis de Coteau, Seiji Ozawa, Andre Previn, and John Eliot Gardnier. She is one of the very few female African American conductors in the world.

Leading Orchestras

In 1982, Roberts became the main director of the New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra. She has also been a guest conductor for many orchestras around the world. These include the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana in Switzerland. She has also conducted for the Cleveland Symphony, the Detroit Symphony, and the Bangkok Symphony in Thailand.

In 1978, she began teaching at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. She still works there today. Roberts is the person who started the New England Orchestra and is its musical director. She is also the main conductor for Opera North, Inc. in Philadelphia. She also created the UMass Lowell String project. This program helps students from kindergarten to 12th grade get music education.

Awards and Special Honors

Kay George Roberts has received many awards during her career. The U.S. House of Representatives gave her "The Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition." This was for all the great work she has done in her community.

She also received the University of Massachusetts Presidents Public Service Award. The National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO) named her a Distinguished Alumna of the Year. These awards show how much her work and contributions are valued.

See also

In Spanish: Kay George Roberts para niños