Dr. Kate MacKenzie is a bassoonist, educator, arts administrator, and advocate dedicated to fostering vibrant artistic communities. She is the Executive Director and a longtime member of The Sound Ensemble, a contemporary chamber orchestra committed to engaging and innovative performances.

Beyond performance, Dr. MacKenzie is a passionate advocate for the arts. She works at the intersection of arts administration, policy, and economic development, serving on the board of the Lake Stevens Arts & Parks Foundation and the Snohomish County Arts Commission. She has played a key role in numerous arts initiatives, including founding the Lake Stevens Community Concert Band and supporting creative sector growth through the Cultural Arts Network of Snohomish County.

As a bassoon historian, Dr. MacKenzie’s research focuses on the overlooked contributions of women in bassoon performance. She has presented lectures and workshops nationwide, including at the International Double Reed Society and the Meg Quigley Bassoon Symposium. Her work on performance anxiety and gender has been published in The Double Reed Journal (Understanding Performance Anxiety: An Analysis of Gender and Double Reed Musicians, Vol. 36 No. 2).

Dr. MacKenzie holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Arizona State University, a Master of Music from Miami University of Ohio, and a Bachelor of Arts in Music from the University of California, Davis. Her primary teachers include Dr. Albie Micklich, Dr. Christin Schillinger, David Granger, and David Seidel.

To find out more about my research on performance anxiety, please feel free to read through my Doctoral Research Project. Please send me a message if you do, I’d love to hear your thoughts!