ABOUT KAVAH
KAVAH is a family philanthropic entity established by Katrine and Harry Gray. It supports a variety of arts, humanitarian, environmental and educational initiatives around the world. At the core of KAVAH’s mission is the belief that the arts are universal, fundamental aspects of human society and behavior, and that like food and water, they are essential for humanity to survive and thrive. Hence the arts are a basic right and must be available to all. KAVAH strives to nurture humanity through the support and cultivation of healthy ecosystems, with a particular focus around the arts, arts education, and community. Each KAVAH endeavor is an expression of the family’s philanthropic mission
Katrine Gray
Katrine Gray is an immigrant from China. She holds M.B.A and M.Ed. degrees and speaks multiple languages. She is a philanthropist, cellist, writer, dancer and a documentary film producer.
She is a co-founder of KAVAH, a private philanthropic entity whose efforts span from “ganglands” to art museums to universities, and from Northern California to Chicago to Ghana. She is a co-founder and Board Treasurer of the Cantata Collective, which endeavors to present all Bach cantatas to the public free of charge while paying soloist-level musicians a fair wage. She produces large scale choral and symphonic concerts in Historically Informed Performance style.
At the core of her philanthropic mission is the belief that the arts are innate, that they are fundamental aspects of human society and behavior, and that like food and water, they are essential for humanity to survive and thrive. Therefore, the arts are a basic right and must be available to all.
She plays the Baroque cello, studies modern and Urban Jazz dances, and is currently producing a documentary film about an internationally renouned orchestra conductor. In her native language of Chinese, she published short stories and translations of poetry. Her debut short story in Italian has won a scholarship in Palermo. Written in English, her novel Crescent Lane will be published in spring 2025.
She is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a traveler, the mother of two strong-willed young women, and partner to a collaborative and encouraging husband.
Harry Gray
Harry Gray holds a master’s degree in music education and a Ph.D. in music theory from Northwestern University. He is a lifelong singer-songwriter, multi- instrumentalist (chiefly: guitar, banjo, piano, bass) and music educator.
His career began while a teenager, teaching guitar at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. He spent 7 years as a classroom teacher, and later became Assistant Director of Education for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, where he oversaw community outreach programs and developed multicultural orchestra concerts. Most recently he spent 16 years as a K-6 music teacher in Berkeley, California. He has released two albums of original songs, and currently performs in several Bay Area ensembles ranging from bluegrass to jazz, to classic rock and American folk music. He also volunteers as a music teacher at a shelter for women and children, and writes program notes for classical music concerts.
Harry is a co-founder of KAVAH, a private philanthropic entity focused on the arts, education, humanitarian causes and conservation. He is an avid supporter of community music-making and its impact on peoples around the world. He is the father of two strong-willed young women, and grateful partner to a collaborative, creative and supportive wife.