On December 13th, Martin Katz, distinguished Professor in Piano at University of Michigan visited the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum during his first trip to China. Deeply touched by Jewish refugee stories, Katz was speechless after the visit. “I am overwhelmed,” wrote Katz in a note, “the Museum has done a very important job”.

Katz talking to the Museum staff

During his visit, Katz recognized the White Horse Café from its photo taken in 1939. “This must be the Austrian operetta White Horse Inn”, said Katz. When the Museum staff shared with Katz that the White Horse Café was exactly named after the Austrian operetta as it was opened by Rudolf Mosberg, a Jewish refugee from Austria and a big fan of the White Horse Inn, Katz said he must go there and see it himself.

Katz writing in the guestbook

Upon leaving, Katz told the Museum staff that “I knew zero of this refugee story. I will not forget this visit, and I will go home to America and never stop speaking to people about this.”

Katz taking a photo with Director Chen Jian

Profile:

Martin Katz has been dubbed “the gold standard of accompanists” by The New York Times. His 45-year career has taken him to 5 continents, collaborating with the world’s most celebrated singers in recital and recording. Martin Katz has been teaching in the University of Michigan for more than 3 decades, chairing the program in collaborative piano and coaching vocal repertoire for singers and pianists alike. His students are working all over the world, one of them being Sean Gao, a Chinese violinist active in the United States and a music professor at the University of Delaware, and the composer of Shanghai Sonatas, a new musical developed jointly with the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum. Based on the history of Jewish refugees in Shanghai, Shanghai Sonatas focuses on Jewish refugee musicians who were exiled in Shanghai during World War II. (Partial Information from the Official Website of School of Music, Theatre & Dance, University of Michigan)