CURRICULUM VITAE – EPHRAIM KATZ.
Ephraim’s main forte and musical field of expertise is the field of military bands.
Whilst in Israel he served as the bandmaster of the only two professional bands of Israel, the Israeli Army (Zahal) Band and the Israel Police Band.
During those years he completed his studies at the Rubin Academy of Music (The Hebrew University) in Jerusalem and graduated in 1978. That is also where he met his wife-to-be, Litzy.
Still in Israel, he conducted and wrote music for many radio and TV recordings and was involved as a Musical Director with shows and song festivals.
Ephraim and Litzy arrived in South Africa in 1984. Soon after their arrival Ephraim joined the South African Military Band, until he retired at the end of 2004. Almost twenty years of service with the South African National Defense Force. He conducted and served as the Officer Commanding of four of the senior staff bands of the SANDF. While still with the SANDF bands, before his retirement he produced three CDs, mainly of his own compositions and arrangements. He also wrote many musical arrangements of South African popular songs as well as other types of music, including the arrangement of the new National Anthem of South Africa. This has been accepted and declared the official arrangement of the National Anthem and is played today by all the South African military bands. Major Katz had also submitted a march with several other musicians for former President Nelson Mandela’s 80th birthday. His march was chosen for the presidents 80th birthday march.
Besides conducting, Ephraim has also developed a rich and versatile career as a composer and arranger of music. He composes music and writes arrangements for almost every possible musical medium and style – from military bands to symphony orchestras, light and pop bands and groups as well as choirs. Many of his compositions and arrangements had been recorded and they appear on CDs. .
When Ephraim retired from the SANDF in 2004 he was holding the position of Senior Director of Music of the SAMHS (South African Military Health Services) Band, where he was better known as Major Katz.
Ephraim has been responsible for all the music for On Cue Theatre productions since the Theatre started in 1995, mainly by writing arrangements, recording musical backing tracks and compiling and producing the music CDs to be used in the shows. However, since his retirement from the SANDF in 2004 Ephraim has become a full-time member of the On Cue Theatre team. He is in charge of one of the Theatre’s groups, he travels with them to the places of performance, supervises and assists the cast through their preparations and during the performance and often performs himself on stage, playing the clarinet and the saxophone.
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