He picks up his guitar to tune. A new hum comes from each string as he picks them with his fingers, one by one. The pitches become higher as he moves from the low E string to the high E string, and soon the guitar is tuned. Orchestra director and guitar teacher Steven Katz sits atop his stool, one foot on the ground with the other leg bent balancing on a bar with his guitar resting on his left thigh.
Through his high school years at Niles North, Katz was never involved in the orchestra program, but instead held a passion in playing guitar. When he went to college, his intentions were to continue with a career in playing guitar, but was soon introduced to the string bass, where a new passion emerged.
“Playing bass just fit. It was like putting the right shoes on the right feet. I was put into one of the middle orchestras in college, but after a year, I was moved into the top orchestra. I began to really love playing the bass and everything that keeps an orchestra running; music, composing music, and soon, directing an orchestra,” Katz said.
Before working at Niles West, Katz taught orchestra for two years at University of Illinois Champaign Urbana, and one year at Batavia High School where he completely rebuilt the orchestra program from scratch.
“I attended University of Illinois in Champaign Urbana with intentions the intentions majoring in guitar as a Chicago folk guitarist, but became interested in directing orchestra through the back door,” Katz said.
“This will be my 25 year teaching at Niles West,” Katz said. “Our program here consisted of 60 string players when I first started, but today, we have a little over 160 string players and still growing!”
“I can see that he [Katz] is trying his best when preparing for each concert and would do anything to make our concert the best it can be. He gives us so many resources and ways to better ourselves as a player and a person,” senior philharmonic student Ruby Ladrido said.
The orchestra program is split into three groups; symphonic which consists of the highest level strings who also play along with the woodwind and brass instruments, philharmonic which is the middle level, and concert, the third group.
“I really enjoy playing in the orchestra,” said senior symphonic student Susie Lee. “Mr. Katz brings in a lot of professionals that work with us to get better, and then we put on a concert with that person.”
Some professionals that have played with the Niles West orchestra are Mark Wood, Lyric Opera, and Burage.
Orchestra has traveled around the world along with the band and choir. They have traveled to Europe three times, Hawaii, many states in America, and they also played at Obama’s first inauguration.
“Our students go very far after graduating from our program, some even become music teachers,” Katz said. “It’s a great feeling knowing that through our program, we have given these students the skills they needed for success.Each student who’ guitar playing involved in our program has the potential to become something great, and seeing them succeed is one of the best things about being a teacher.”
Story written by Giovanna Zavell with contributions from Ashley Pak.
