Biography

Katherine Schmit is a performing and teaching artist based out of Madison, Wisconsin. She is the brass instructor and manager for the Wilder Deitz School for Creative Music and a founding member of The Wayword Ensemble. In the Spring of 2025, Katherine earned a master’s degree in trumpet performance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she studied with Jean Laurenz. She earned her bachelors degree in music education with an emphasis in trumpet performance from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

 

Katherine is an active performer in the Madison area, playing with the Madison Symphony, the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, the Wisconsin Chamber Choir, Aurora Brass Quintet, and her chamber group, The Wayword Ensemble. The Wayword Ensemble combines brass chamber music and storytelling to encourage audiences to reconnect with nature. In addition to playing with Wayword, she is a composer and arranger for the group.

For over six years, Katherine has taught trumpet lessons to dozens of students of all ages. She is passionate about helping her students find their unique artistic voice. She takes a holistic approach to music teaching, setting her students up to become lifelong music makers. Outside of trumpet playing and teaching, Katherine is a composer, arranger, poet, dancer, and more.

In 2023, Katherine received the Russ Swanson Outstanding Band Member award, a recognition given to one student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln each year. She was also awarded the Hixson-Lied Student Leadership award in 2023 and was named UNL’s Distinguished Undergraduate Artist/Scholar in 2022. In 2020, Katherine was co-winner of the Lincoln Municipal Band’s John Shildneck Young Artist award. Her trumpet teachers include Jean Laurenz, Scott Quackenbush, Tom Kelly, and Darryl White. Katherine is the membership secretary for the Madison Jazz Society and a member of the International Trumpet Guild, and the International Women's Brass Conference, and Kappa Kappa Psi Honorary Band Fraternity.