Nancie Kester

Nancie Kester is a recently retired faculty member of the Music Department at Diablo
Valley College. She currently teaches piano, theory and composition in her independent
Berkeley studio. Ms. Kester received a BA in music composition and piano from
California State University, East Bay. Ms. Kester has composed and arranged
numerous works for chorus, piano and instrumental ensembles and won prizes in the
2012, 2013, 2015 and 2022 MTAC Composer’s Today competitions. After completing a
Masters of Music Education, Kodály Emphasis from Holy Names College and teaching
Kodály for several years, Ms. Kester received a Gerbode Foundation grant for training
local musicians to become music teachers in the Kodály approach. Ms. Kester has also
been involved in the collection, publication, arrangement and performance of traditional
songs from California and the West. She is a co-author and partner in Calicanto
Associates, publisher of books, CDs, choral arrangements, and musical plays featuring
songs with historical relevance. In this endeavor, Nancie has given workshops and
performances throughout the United States.