Katherine Howarth is a clarinettist based in Orange, NSW. Katherine completed a Bachelor of Music Performance in clarinet at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, achieving First-Class Honours. Scholarships awarded to Katherine during her undergraduate degree include The William and Marie Souter Encouragement Awards in 2018 and 2019 and the Vice Chancellor’s Global Mobility Scholarship. During her time at the Sydney Conservatorium, Katherine studied clarinet and bass clarinet with Susan Newsome. During her studies, Katherine performed in masterclasses with international clarinettists Jose Franch-Ballester and Dimitri Ashkenazy and lessons with Robert Hill, Janet Hilton, Richard Hosford, and Timothy Lines while on tour in the U.K.

Katherine was the principal clarinettist of the Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra (2019), Wind Symphony (2019) and toured China with the SCM Modern Music Ensemble as bass clarinettist (2019). She has also performed with the Sydney Youth Orchestra (2018-2021) and was the principal clarinettist during their 2019 international tour of the U.K. Katherine made her debut as concert soloist with the Sydney Youth Orchestra in their opening 2021 concert, performing Claude Debussy’s Première Rhapsodie for clarinet and orchestra. In addition to orchestral performances, Katherine has participated in various chamber music mentoring programs, including Ensemble Offspring’s Hatched Home Academy (2020).