Accompanist

Kathleen Bartkowski

Mrs. Bartkowski graduated in May of 2004 with a Master of Music in Piano Accompanying from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where she accompanied the University Chamber Choir, Chorale, vocalists, and instrumentalists. While at UMass, she was granted the Eugenie M. May Award for Piano Performance. She earned her Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from the University of Connecticut, where she served as accompanist for the choral department, playing for the University Chorale, Concert Choir, and Graduate Vocal Ensemble, as well as for vocalists and instrumentalists. At UConn, she was awarded a University String Scholarship for two years and the Victor Borge Scholarship for four years.

Among the many groups Kathleen has accompanied are the Vermont Opera Theater, Mak’hela (Jewish Chorus of Western Massachusetts), and numerous school and community groups. She has played for American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) and Music Educators National Conference (MENC) honors choirs and conference sessions on the local, state and national levels. Most recently, she accompanied the Connecticut 2007 Eastern Region and 2006 All-State Choirs, and the 2007 MENC All-Eastern Honors Choir, a choir made up of the best high school voices from Maine to Pennsylvania. She has traveled with the UMass choirs and the Mystic River Chorale to various parts of Europe on concert tours.

Presently, Kathleen is kept busy as the Staff Accompanist at Ledyard High School, Ledyard, Connecticut, accompanying many of the nine choirs, and voice classes. In addition, she is the accompanist for the Mystic River and Vernon Chorales, auditioned community choirs based in Mystic and Vernon, Connecticut. She is frequently invited to accompany choral festivals, musicals, and other school ensembles.

For over twenty years, Kathleen has served churches throughout New England as organist and choir director. At this time, she is the Organist and Celebrate Accompanist for St. Luke Lutheran Church in Gales Ferry, Connecticut. She currently holds the position of Repertoire and Standards Chairperson for Music and Worship on the Connecticut ACDA Executive Board.

Kathleen’s professional achievements are recognized in the 2007 edition of Who’s Who in America. She lives in Colchester with her husband, Doug, and their two cats, Simon and Schuster.