Title: Music Director
Company: The Classical Station
Education: BA in Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Classical Piano Performance, Child Psychology and Philosophy, Valdosta State University (2015)
Career History: Music Director, Fuquay-Varina Presbyterian Church (2022-Present); Music Director, The Classical Station (2022-Present); Music Director Assistant, The Classical Station; Announcer, The Classical Station; Creative Arts Instructor, Colquitt County Arts Center (2018-Present); Private Piano Instructor (2012-Present)
Katie Aufenthie, Music Director at the Classical Station, has been recognized as a Marquis Emerging Leader for their contributions and achievements in the field of education.
Inspired by her maternal grandmother, a pianist and lover of music, Ms. Aufenthie started taking piano lessons at four years old. She knew early on that she wanted to dedicate herself to improving her skills, beyond the 20 minutes of practice she started out doing. While studying classical piano performance at Valdosta State University in her home city in Georgia, she started giving private lessons in 2012, which she would go on to do for 13 years. In addition, she discovered a classical music radio station that captivated her, shaping her aspirations along with becoming a music director. She started announcing on the station late at night while working another job during the day, and later became an assistant music director.
With a Bachelor of Arts in multi/interdisciplinary studies, classical piano performance, child psychology, and philosophy in 2015, Ms. Aufenthie started teaching the creative arts at Colquitt County Arts Center in 2018, a post she still holds. Since 2022, she’s been active as the music director at The Classical Station and at the Fuquay-Varina Presbyterian Church, where she directs the choir. In her role at the station, her responsibilities include printing the scheduled music for the radio announcer; researching every composer and providing facts to be read on the air; ensuring that scheduled compositions are available in their music library; and working on highlights and coordinating with U.S. holidays, composer birthdays, and special events that the station will have for its quarterly magazine.
In addition to her primary endeavors, Ms. Aufenthie sings in a competitive chamber choir, which toured England, a fulfilling and rewarding experience for her, has written composed several pieces of music—including for independent video games and films—and is a longtime member of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers. Outside of music, her inherent artistic skills have been utilized through Land of Luna, LLC, a handmade macramé business she owns that promotes “handcrafted, nature-inspired artwork” and has made a major art festival in Knightdale, North Carolina. A special education teacher in her free time, she teaches yoga to children with special needs. In the summer of 2024, she played the piano for a retirement home and was subsequently hired by the church to provide comfort, through music, to people in hospice care.
Looking ahead, Ms. Aufenthie hopes to create a program that collects instruments, refurbishes them, and donates them to children who do not have access to instruments. Additionally, the program will aim to provide scholarships for music education. She has several plans for her career, personal life, and creative pursuits, and plans to continue to volunteer her services as a songwriter. She also wants to see Land of Luna grow by offering art from other artists.