Career Milton Katims

katims born in brooklyn , educated @ columbia university. parents russia , austro-hungarian empire. father changed family surname katimsky years after arrived in new york. started violinist belgian-born violist, conductor , educator leon barzin advised him switch viola. katims played number of chamber music ensembles, including new york piano quartet, , violist notable budapest string quartet collaborated 15 years , made 6 highly regarded recordings, beginning in 1941. played @ various festivals casals festival in puerto rico.

katims gave viola master classes in china , israel, taught @ various colleges such juilliard in new york , northwestern in suburban chicago, university of washington, , transcribed , edited viola music. joined nbc symphony orchestra in 1943, replacing well-known william primrose on first-desk of section. during decade orchestra, katims developed close relationship conductor arturo toscanini , became assistant. conducted orchestras such new york philharmonic, philadelphia orchestra, boston symphony, london philharmonic, cleveland orchestra , montreal symphony. organized series of chamber music concerts titled candlelight musicales, in spanish ballroom of olympic hotel, visiting soloists such violinist isaac stern, cellist leonard rose , pianists leon fleisher , claudio arrau. katims play viola , wife virginia, cello. 1 of katims major accomplishments in seattle conversion of civic auditorium opera house. leadership crucial in securing public money project, auditorium destined shared seattle opera , pacific northwest ballet seattle symphony.

in 1966, katims named seattle s first citizen seattle real estate board, , portrait featured on cover of seattle telephone book. 1976 1985 katims served artistic director of university of houston school of music. influence enabled school attract , hire several notable musicians, such carlisle floyd, elena nikolaidi, , abbey simon, faculty.