Congratulations to Dr. Ray Kilburn on being named 2025 IMTA Teacher of the Year!
This annual award is given during the IMTA State Conference. This year, it was held in October at Indiana University, Bloomington.
Canadian pianist Ray Kilburn has maintained a successful career that has spanned North and Central America, Europe, and Asia. Critics have been unanimous in praise of his outstanding technical abilities and artistic temperament. In one critic’s words, “if Kilburn is not the reincarnation of the great romantic pianists, he comes close”. Arthur Kaptainis of the Montreal Gazette wrote, “Kilburn came across as a pianist of serious musical aims and thorough technical command. Technical hurdles were cleared with aplomb and his warm, firm tone never faltered.” John Lambert of Spectator Magazine wrote, “Kilburn…. is a powerhouse player infused with musicianship and taste. Pianism of this caliber is rare, indeed.”
Along with a busy schedule of solo and chamber music performances, Kilburn has three solo recordings, and a fourth disc in collaboration with his father, cellist Michael Kilburn. More than a dozen tours of Japan have included solo and chamber recitals, as well as guest teaching engagements in and around city centers such as Sapporo, Kushiro, Tokyo, Ota, Hamamatsu, Osaka, Kobe, Nara, and Wakayama. Other professional highlights include tours of Canton, China, with a visiting professorship at the Xinghai Conservatory in Guangzhou; Guest teaching at East China Normal University in Shanghai and Wenzhou University; an 8-concert tour of Costa Rica as part of the Festival Credomatic; and annually performing solo recitals and a wide variety of guest teaching engagements of both national and international profile. A sampling of Kilburn’s concerto appearances include Brahms Piano Concerto No 1 with the Chippewa Valley Symphony of Wisconsin, the Beethoven Triple Concerto with the Durham Symphony, Bartok Third Piano Concerto with the Calgary Philharmonic, and three performances of a choreographed version of Prokofiev Third Piano Concerto in Montreal’s Place Des Arts with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens. Collaborations include an appearance on the Indiana Arts Awards gala with international artists soprano Angela Brown and violinist Augustin Hadelich.
Dr. Kilburn completed a Licentiate diploma and Bachelor’s degree in piano performance at McGill University, and the Master’s and Doctor of Music Degrees in piano performance at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. His primary teachers include theeminent Canadian pianist Tom Plaunt, and the late world-renowned pianist Gyorgy Sebok. Presently, he is much sought after as a performer, master teacher, competition judge, and clinician. Kilburn has judged competitions on a regular basis both nationally and internationally, including the Moniusko Slav International Piano Competition in Minsk, Belarus. Having held a number of tenured university positions, he presently holds a faculty position at Ball State University where he teaches piano performance to a full studio of majors from undergraduate through Doctoral level. His students have distinguished themselves through winning prizes in national and international competitions and obtaining faculty positions at colleges and universities around the world. His wife soprano Yoko Shimazaki-Kilburn is also on faculty at Ball State University, and their 21-year old daughter Maya Kilburn is a Kovner Fellow at The Juilliard School, gaining recognition as a violinist and social media influencer.