He is a violinist, composer and teacher whose father is the violinist and composer Henry Kates, who started studying the violin when he was 3 years old. He took further studies with several violin teachers, including Norman Carol who was the Concertmaster with the Philadelphia Orchestra. He also studied chamber music with various teachers and the viola with Joseph dePasquale who was Principal Viola with the Philadelphia Orchestra .
He became a member of The Philadelphia Orchestra in 1980 and during his career with them as been a guest concertmaster most years since 1981 with the Orchestra Society of Philadelphia and Peter Nero and the Philly Pops. From 1990 he has been a violin soloist at the Holocaust Memorial Observance Ceremony in Philadelphia. He has also performed in local areas in Philadelphia every year at soup kitchens, hospices and nursing homes.
As a composer he has written several works for solo violin, chamber ensembles and voice and as a chamber musician is a founding member of Liebesfreud Ensemble and Midsummer Quartet.
Recordings he has been heard include Peter Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 “Pathetique”/Dumka by The Philadelphia Orchestra, Holiday Pops by Peter Nero and The Philly Pops and W.F.J.S. IV by Bill Sharkey.
In the field of musical education he has bee a guest lecturer at Philadelphia Elderhostel and Temple University and given presentations and master classes at schools nationally and internationally. He is also on the faculty of the Philadelphia International Music Festival.
Sources:
- https://www.philorch.org/your-philorch/meet-your-orchestra/musicians/philip-kates/
- https://philadelphiamusicfestival.org/our-faculty/strings/philip-kates/
- https://www.tpschool.org/blog/2014/4/1/master-class-with-violinist-philip-kates
- https://liebesfreud.org/bio
- https://www.discogs.com/artist/4625607-Philip-Kates
- https://www.allmusic.com/artist/philip-a-kates-mn0000733369