Katharine DeBoer Collection

Dr. Katharine L. DeBoer graduated from the University of Vermont and earned her masters and doctoral degrees in vocal performance at the University of Illinois, where she won the Gunsalus Competition in Voice. She was initiated into Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi, later serving as the vice-president and president of UNR's chapter of Phi Kappa Phi. She performed the songs of Franz Schubert frequently in the United States from 1990-1997, accompanied by John Wustman.

DeBoer joined the faculty of the University of Nevada, Reno, in 1995 as Director of Vocal Studies in the Department of Music. She created a program in applied voice that provided expanded academic and performance opportunities for students, and participated in collaborative projects with the Departments of Foreign Languages, Theater, and Dance. In 2003-2004 she served as Collegiate Faculty for Vocal Physiology and Vocal Pedagogy at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. She consulted with the UNR Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology and served on their graduate committees.

A concert soprano, her speciality was oratorio. She also performed chamber music. She co-created the "Colloquium: From Poetry to Song" with Dr. Judith Whitenack, giving 13 annual recitals with faculty from the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures. She also performed with the San Mateo Masterworks Chorale, the Sacramento Chorale, the Stockton Symphony, the Nevada Opera, the Reno Philharmonic, Reno Baroque and Toccata, the Reno Chamber Orchestra, Reno Early Music, and the Chamber Music Society of Sacramento. She made three performing trips to Europe from 2008-2013.

She retired and became Emerita Director of Vocal Studies in 2015.