Paul van Katwijk

Paul van Katwijk (December 7, 1885 – December 11, 1974) was a Dutch-American pianist, conductor, composer, and music educator. He was an important figure in the classical music culture of Dallas, Texas, for much of the 20th century. He served as the music director of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra for eleven years. Early life and musical training Paulus van Katwijk was born in Delfshaven in the Netherlands on December 7, 1885, to Johannes van Katwijk and Catharina Scholten. He was a pupil of Carl Oberstadt (who was in turn a student of Robert and Clara Schumann) at the Royal College of Music in The Hague, Netherlands. He subsequently studied in Vienna and Berlin with the eminent pianist Leopold Godowsky. Career Following several years of teaching in Europe, during which van Katwijk had begun to develop a reputation as a fine teacher, he came to the United States in 1912. He was appointed to the piano faculty of Christian College in Columbia, Missouri, then to similar positions at the University of Chicago and at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. In 1918 van Katwijk accepted the post of head of the piano department at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. He would remain on th