2013 National Hammered Dulcimer Champion is a musician and teacher hailing from the Chicagoland area in northern Illinois. She's been played piano as a child and tuba through school. Her taste in music is geared towards more eclectic sounds and it wasn't until she  started playing the hammered dulcimer that she found her authentic musical voice. The unique instrument was able to seamlessly sew together Katie's love of traditional music from around the world, 1940's jazz standards, Broadway musicals, bluegrass, and pop.  She studied under hammered ducimer master, Bill  Robinson, and has been awarded 7 consecutive folk art apprenticeship grants with the Illinois Arts Council. She has spent over a decade studying traditional music& is dedicated to teaching and continuing a traditional style of playing. She spent most of her life learning and playing music in scholarly settings  which has influenced her dulcimer playing to encompass old and new. This has led her to receive various recognitions including placing 1st in the Mid-East and Southern regional contests, and the National Hammered Dulcimer Championship. In 2019 Katie even became a finalist in the National Mountain Dulcimer Championship. Katie holds a Master;s Degree in Design & Media and an Associate's degree in music. She has taught at many festivals throughout the US. She is a multi-instrumentalist who plays mountain dulcimer, ukulele, steel pan, guitar, and more. You can hear her on a Duet CD called Kaleidoscope.  wwwkatiemoritz.com