"Martin Katz must surely be considered the dean of collaborative pianists," said the Los Angeles Times, and Musical America magazine created an award expressly for him: Accompanist of the Year. One of the world's busiest collaborators, he has been in constant demand by the world's most celebrated vocal soloists  for more than five decades. He was fortunate to accompany Marilyn Horne for almost all of that time. He has also appeared and recorded regularly with Frederica von Stade, David Daniels, Jose Carreras, Karita Mattila, Cecilia Bartoli, Kiri Te Kanawa, Kathleen Battle, Piotr Beczala, Joseph Calleja to name just a few. Season after season, the world's musical capitals figure prominently in his schedule. 

Mr. Katz is a native of Los Angeles, where he began piano studies at the age of five. He attended the University of Southern California and studied the specialized field of accompanying with its pioneer teacher, Gwendolyn Koldofsky. While yet a student, he was given the unique opportunity of accompanying the classes and lessons of such luminaries as Lotte Lehmann, Jascha Heifetz, Pierre Bernac, and Gregor Piatigorsky. Following his formal education, he held the position of pianist for the US Army Chorus in Washington, D.C. for three years, before moving to New York where his international career began in earnest in 1969.     

In more recent years, invitations to conduct orchestral evenings and operas have come with increasing frequency. Mr. Katz has partnered several of his soloists on the podium for orchestras of the B.B.C., Houston, Washington, D.C., Tokyo, New Haven and Miami. He has also been pleased to conduct several staged productions for the University of Michigan's Opera Theatre, the Music Academy, and San Francisco Opera’s prestigious Merola program. 

Finally, the professional profile of Martin Katz is completed with his passionate commitment to teaching. For four decades, the University of Michigan has been his home, where he has been happy to chair the School of Music's program in collaborative piano, and also play an active part in operatic productions. He has been a pivotal figure in the training of countless young artists, both singers and pianists, who are now working  all over the world. The University of Michigan has recognized this important work, awarding him the first Artur Schnabel professorship, and more recently named him a Distinguished University Professor. He chose to name this award after his teacher, Gwendolyn Koldofsky, herself a cornerstone at the Music Academy for many decades. In addition to his work at his home school, he is a regular guest teacher at Helsinki's Sibelius Academy, Songfest, Chicago College of Performing Arts, Canadian Operatic Arts Academy, and the New National Theatre of Tokyo.  

Mr. Katz’s comprehensive guide for accompanists, “The Complete Collaborator,” published by Oxford Press, is widely seen as the seminal work on this subject.

Mr. Katz attended the Music Academy in 1964, and was named a recipient of the Academy’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 1999.

GABRIELA SALVADOR RIERA 18, born in Valencia, Spain, is earning her bachelor's degree at Oberlin College Conservatory of Music, where she studies with Sibbi Bernhardsson. She won Second Place in the 2023 Sphinx Competition Junior Division and has performed as a soloist with both the Buffalo Philharmonic and Erie Philharmonic.

MATTHILDUR TRAUSTADÓTTIR 20, born in Rimini, Italy, is earning her bachelor's degree at Oberlin College, studying with Sibbi Bernhardsson. She was the Absolute Winner of the 2025 Fenix International Music Competition and Soloist of the Year at the MÍT Concerto Competition. She has performed with the MÍT Symphony Orchestra and Oberlin Orchestra.

ANGELES HOYOS 27, born in Tivoli, Colombia, is a master's degree student at Bard College, studying with Audrey Wright. She won 1st Prize at the 2020 Premio de Interpretación Jóvenes Solistas de Bogotá and 2nd Prize at the 2018 Frank Preuss International Violin Competition. In 2022, she served as concertmaster on tour with Filarmónica Joven de Colombia.

INES DOULET 19, born in Paris, France, is earning her bachelor's degree at Rice University Shepherd School of Music, studying with Kathleen Winkler. She won 1st prize in both the Flame International Competition and the Prodige Art Competition in 2018. She served as Principal of the Shepherd Symphony Orchestra performing Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 2.

KATE LEE 20, born in Irvine, California, is earning her bachelor's degree at The Colburn School of Music, studying with Robert Lipsett. She won second prize in the 2022 SoCal Philharmonic Competition and was as a soloist with the South Coast Symphony. She has collaborated with renowned artists Pinchas Zukerman, James Ehnes, and Augustin Hadelich.

YUBIN KIM 20, born in Vancouver, British Columbia, is earning her bachelor's degree at The Juilliard School, studying with Hyo Kang. She won the 2023 West Coast Music Society Competition. She has performed with the Juilliard Orchestra and Aspen Chamber Symphony, and previously served as concertmaster of the Vancouver Youth Symphony Orchestra.

SEOHO BANG 25, born in Seoul, Korea, is earning her master's degree at The Juilliard School, studying with Ronald Copes. She won the 2020 Music Education Newspaper Competition and has performed with the Juilliard Orchestra. She is also affiliated with the Arts Symphony Orchestra in Korea.

SAM SUN 24, born in Mountain View, California, has completed his master's degree in viola performance at Northwestern University, studying with Hellen Callus and Weijing Wang. He won the Northwestern Viola Prize in 2024. He is a substitute musician with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Co-Principal Viola with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago.

HO FEI NG 24, born in Hong Kong, is earning his Doctor of Musical Arts at Rice University Shepherd School of Music, studying with Ivo-Jan Van der Werff and serving as a Teaching Fellow. He won the Robert Oppelt Prize in 2022, serves as Principal Viola with the Shepherd School Orchestra, and has appeared as Guest Principal with Symphony in C.

YOONA PARK 22, born in Seoul, Korea, is earning her bachelor's degree at The Juilliard School, studying with Hsin-Yun Huang and Heidi Castleman. She won the YoungArts National Competition in 2021, is the assistant principal viola of The Juilliard Orchestra, associate viola faculty at Cremona Music Studio, and was principal viola of the New York Youth Symphony Orchestra.

MIA KIM BERNARD 20, born in Hoboken, New Jersey, recently completed her bachelor's degree at The Juilliard School, studying with Astrid Schween. She has performed as a soloist with the New Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra, and as a section member with the Juilliard Orchestra at Carnegie Hall. She was a 2024 fellow at The Norfolk Chamber Music Festival.

SOPHIE DENG 18, born in Seattle, Washington, is earning her bachelor's degree at San Francisco Conservatory of Music, studying with Richard Aaron. She won the 2022 Oklahoma City Philharmonic Young Musician and 2021 South Kansas Concerto competitions, and has performed as a soloist with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic and Oklahoma Youth Orchestra.

LAUREN MATHEWS 22, born in Houston, Texas, recently completed her bachelor's degree at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, studying with Richard Aaron and Brinton Smith. She won the Aspen Music Festival Low Strings Concerto Competition in 2022 and performs with the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra and Detroit Opera Orchestra.

GLORIA LEE 23, born in Teaneck, New Jersey, is earning her master's degree at The Juilliard School, studying with Timothy Eddy and Zvi Plesser. She is a member of the Juilliard Orchestra, was Principal Cellist for the Peabody Symphony Orchestra, and is a recipient of both the Juilliard and the Morse and Elliott Scholarships.

DIEGO GARZA-ROMERO ('22) 24, born in Edinburg, Texas, has recently completed his master's degree at Indiana University, studying with Jeffrey Turner and Kurt Muroki. Diego also attended the Music Academy as a fellow in 2022. He has participated in masterclasses led by Robin Kesselman, Joseph Conyers, Jeff Bradetich, Braizahn Jones, and Andres Martin.

JACK BURROWS ('24) 23, born in Seattle, Washington, completed his bachelor's degree at Pacific Lutheran University (PLU), studying with Holly Boaz. The returning Music Academy alum won the Angela Meade Competition in 2023. Roles include Paris in Roméo et Juliette with Vashon Opera, and King Melchior in Amahl and the Night Visitors with PLU Opera.

ANASTASIA MINASHVILI ('24) 23, born in Tbilisi, Georgia, is earning her Bachelor of Arts at Tbilisi State Conservatoire, studying with Gocha Bejuashvili. She has performed as Flora Bervoix in La Traviata with the Opera and Ballet Theater of Tbilisi, and as Dorabella in Mozart's Così fan tutte and Cherubino in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro at the Tbilisi State Conservatoire Opera Studio.

SAEYEONG KIM 24, born in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi, Korea, is earning her Doctor of Musical Arts at New England Conservatory, studying with Cynthia Meyers. She won the 45th Annual James Pappoutsakis Flute Competition in 2025 and has served as Principal Flute with the Peoria Symphony Orchestra under George Stelluto.

JACOB GLASER 21, born in New York City, New York, is earning his bachelor's degree at Rice University Shepherd School of Music, studying with Richie Hawley. He won the 2022 Leone Buyse Prize, performed as Principal with the Tianjin Juilliard Orchestra, and was appointed as a Section Clarinetist with "The President's Own" United States Marine Band.

CIAN BRYSON 21, born in White Rock, British Columbia, is earning his bachelor's degree at the University of Toronto, studying with Eric Hall and Jaakko Luoma. He has served as Guest Principal with the Tampere Philharmonic in April 2025 and as Substitute Bassoonist with the Finnish Radio Symphony during the 2024-2025 season.

CAMERON AKIOKA 25, born in Los Angeles, California, is earning her Doctor of Musical Arts at Northwestern University, studying with James Giles. She won the 2025 Musicians Club of Women Competition: Senior Division Gold Medal and the 2022 Seattle International Piano Competition: Silver Medal. She recently performed as soloist with the Downey Symphony.