Kathy Edwards is a native of Huntington, West Virginia where she studied piano with William Davidson, chair of the music department at Marshall University. Under Mr. Davidson’s tutelage, she began teaching some of his early year students in 1963 and has continued until the present. She currently teaches in her home studio and also at Belmont Academy at Belmont University. She earned her B.A. in Education at Marshall University, graduating cum laude while studying with Lavelle Jones. Upon graduation, piano studies continued with Marvin Blickenstaff and Barbara Rowan at UNC-Chapel Hill, N.C. Kathy is a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music.

Kathy’s students participate successfully in a variety of local, state and larger competitions. Much of her studio regularly competes in NAMTA local auditions with most receiving the highest ratings and some going on to win at the state level. Most of her studio competes in Winterfest auditions and the Tennessee State Music Teachers’ Competition which produces winners from her studio every year. She has also had winners at Young Artists’ Achievement Awards in Nashville, Clavierfest at MTSU, the Beethoven Club in Memphis, Vanderbilt Young Artist Concerto Competition, Bartok International Piano Competition in Radford, Virginia, and The Stravinsky International Competition in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. In addition, her students have earned scholarships, performed in recitals, and has been represented in the Tennessee Governor’s school.

Professional activities include involvement with MTNA and is currently serving on the TMTA Board and is serving as Elementary Auditions Chair. She has been President, Vice-President, and Hospitality Chair of NAMTA. She also conceived and developed the state-wide “Practice-a-thon” and invited students and teachers to participate. She has brought nationally recognized talent together for the creation of the “Musicians for Mississippi”Benefit Concert. Through these efforts over $15,000 (including new Boston Piano) was sent to Mississippi to be distributed to music teachers affected by Hurricane Katrina.

She continues both her Piano Study and participates in various large performing groups. She regularly attends state conventions, World Piano Pedagogy Conventions, Workshops including Suzuki, Blair Workshop for Piano Teachers, Pace, William Westney, and Blickenstaff Workshops among others. She also has directed several children’s ensembles and musicals.

A recent high honor for Kathy is she was chosen “Tennessee Music Teacher of the Year” for 2007-2008.