Meet Cathy Statz

 
Tell us about yourself (career, family, hobbies):
My spouse Tom and I moved to Wroclaw, Poland in August 2022; Tom is an English teacher at an international school, and I work on cooperative education projects remotely for several North American organizations--work I have done and loved for over 30 years. I enjoy traveling light (especially by foot and public transit in big cities), and singing; before we moved to Poland, I was a long-time member of The Master Singers of Eau Claire, an auditioned chamber ensemble (you can hear our recordings on Lori Skelton's Wisconsin Classical show on NPR around the winter holidays).
 
What is your proudest accomplishment?  Why?
The previous question is a good lead-in! While I'm proud of having built a strong, positive, camper-and-staff-led culture in the camp program I directed, I also have a special performance moment I'll always remember: I served as a soloist for a large festival choir event at La Madeleine Church in Paris in July 2019, commemorating the 75th anniversary of D-Day. Accompanied by over 300 voices, a chamber orchestra, and with no benefit of microphones, you can hear me (and a fellow vocalist) singing just after the 35 minute mark at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hW2CfAivIMs (I have a short bit near the end of the movement, as well). The performance was the culmination of many hours of group and personal preparation, set in a beautiful and historic venue, with a large and responsive audience, and to commemorate a meaningful event in world history. I was both proud and humbled, feeling we were there to acknowledge the sacrifice of not only those who served during WWII, but of the countless civilians who experienced something most of can barely imagine.
 
What would you sing at karaoke night?
It's funny; I have a degree in voice performance, but I actually don't like karaoke. I could, however, do a mean lipsynch (and dance!) to Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" in college--a tradition I maintained up until my last season as the camp director for Farmers Union Camp at Wisconsin Farmers Union Kamp Kenwood in summer 2022!
 
What was your first job?
Well, that depends how you define it. My first paid work was on our family's small dairy farm in Dane County, doing chores, unloading hay, picking stones, etc. I got a checking account in 7th grade for my farm wages, and wrote checks to pay for my school lunches, gym clothes, school trips, etc. from that account. My first payroll job was at the local Hardee's restaurant. My first full-time job was as education director for Wisconsin Farmers Union, a position I held for 26 years and only resigned from because Tom & I moved to Poland.
 
If you could travel to a place that you haven’t been to, where would it be? 
Hmm...I'd love to "check off" the only continent I haven't yet been to: Antarctica! (But I don't like the cold, so no big expedition for me; just a chance to step foot there--and then get back into to the warm boat!)
 
What’s the best/worst concert you’ve ever been to?
Well, I'm not sure about worst as an audience member, but maybe a performance worst: I was a featured singer with a local church choir and lost my nerve and my place during a very difficult solo piece in the concert and had to stop and ask the harpist to start over; that was mortifiying! 
 
Best? Well, I'm currently defining "concert" in the classical (rather than popular) music sense, so I might have to say a joint concert with the National Choir of Israel, back when I was a college student at Lawrence University in Appleton - it was a moving experience to perform with them on a newly commissioned piece (sung in Hebrew). 
 
For popular music? I saw Sting and Peter Gabriel in a joint concert a Summerfest a few years back, and that was pretty great, too!