Remembering Violist and Educator Kay Pech (1940-2024)

By Laurie Niles: In her final years, Los Angeles-area violist and educator Kay Pech was an octogenarian who could run circles around all the rest of us. I've been serving on the board of our local American String Teachers Association section (CalASTA-LA) for the last two years - and she had served for decades. Her death at age 84 earlier this month came as a shock to all of us because right until the end, she was making things happen. Kay was born at a time when attitudes were different - her college violin professor told her "this is all well and good, but you’re only going to get married anyway." She said that "at that time I could not have named one professional woman solo violinist, but that didn’t deter me." Kay Pech devoted her musical talent, administrative aptitude and tireless energy to music education on every level - teaching violin and viola students privately, creating and sustaining educational programs, and supporting her fellow teachers. She was also an advocate for chamber music and for women in music. She was "the glue" that held our CalASTA-LA section together, serving on the board for as long as anyone can remember. (Incidentally, she was a longtime Violinist.com member, having joined in 2012.) Born June 27, 1940 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Kay started playing the violin at age four, and she began teaching while still in her teens. "All told, she taught, coached, and conducted strings for more than 70 years, from ages 13-84," according to her sons Marc and Jon Andreas. Kay earned her Bachelor of Music Education degree in violin performance from Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa, as a pupil of Leo Kucinski; and her Master of Arts degree in viola performance from the University of Iowa, where she was a pupil of William Preucil. She also did graduate studies in violin performance at the University of Southern California as a pupil of Eudice Shapiro. A passionate feminist and environmentalist, Kay wrote an extensive exploration of "Women and the Violin" (read it here) in which she explored "the history of women violinists born before 1950, music written by women for the violin to the present, and societal attitudes toward women violinists.” She did plenty of performing, serving for 43 years as Principal Violist of the Disneyland Orchestra. She also served as Principal Violist of the Downey Symphony and the Assistant Principal Violist of the Pacific Symphony, and she performed as a violinist and violist with the Long Beach Symphony, San Gabriel Symphony, Pasadena Symphony, Los Angeles Mozart Orchestra, Oklahoma City Symphony, Sioux City (Iowa) Symphony and was the Concertmaster of the Wichita Falls (Texas) Symphony Orchestra. Even in the last few months of her life she was "full speed ahead" - running her 28th annual Chamber Music Institute of Southern California in late July and showing every intention of running ASTACAP exams scheduled for September. She continued to play her viola - her sons said that even after having a stroke in July, she played string quartets with friends in late August. "If something needed to get done, Kay could be counted on to get it done in a timely and detailed manner," said CalASTA-LA Past-President and Treasurer Wendy Velasco. "She went above and beyond what was expected and did the most excellent job possible. It was Kay Pech who started our Annual Awards project, our Chamber Music Festival and our local ASTACAP exams." An avid chamber musician herself, Kay wanted all students to experience the joy that she felt when playing in an ensemble, so she helped found the Chamber Music Institute of Southern California. Every summer, she would form quartets from local students and offer an intensive two weeks of rehearsals and performances. She volunteered her own time for all the administrative work to keep the costs as low as possible and found grants to help with tuition assistance so that all students could participate. "Kay was a remarkable woman who was focused on the gift that music education brings to a child’s development," Wendy said. "She gave her time and her expertise to help build a better future for music education. She will be missed by all those whose lives she touched. You might also like:

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