Jeffrey Kautz
Percussion Director
​Winters Center for Autism 

​Award-Winning Solo Timpanist Jeffrey Kautz is very passionate and moved by the timpani. Jeffrey attained a Master of Music degree in Timpani Performance from NYU Steinhardt in 2019 and from Mannes School of Music in 2017 with a Bachelor of Music degree with Honors in Percussion Performance. In May 2022, he was appointed Principal Timpanist of the Centre Symphony Orchestra. Jeffrey is also currently Principal Timpanist of the Manhattan Symphonie in NYC and Principal Percussionist of the South Shore Symphony Orchestra in Long Island, NY. Before joining those groups, Jeffrey was the former Principal Timpanist of the Massapequa Philharmonic, Amore Opera, Apotheosis Opera, International Chamber Orchestra of America, and the Prague Summer Nights Festival. He was also an Actor Drummer on the HBO Series Plot Against America working with John Turturro and Winona Ryder.

Mr. Kautz has won an impressive number of prizes and awards –twenty-nine between 2015 and 2022 in competitions as a Timpanist (In Timpani Competitions) in the U.S., Singapore, Canada, Austria, Germany, Estonia, Sweden, Hong Kong, Italy, Greece, Spain, France, and Switzerland. Some of the prizes that Jeffrey was awarded are: First Prize Percussion Grand Prize Category 2021 Music Competition Online, Audience Award Winner Percussion Category Summer 2021 21st Century Talents Music Competition, First Prize 2021 The Muse International Music Competition Category E, Grand Prize Winner Classical Music May 2021 International Youth Music Competition, Gold Medal Winner Ages 24-26 Category 2021 Quebec Online International Music Competition, Best Interpretation of a Contemporary Work Award Winner 2021 My Music Awards Online Music Competition, 1st Prize 2021 “Citta Di Massa” International Competition Soloists Section Percussion Category, Champion Winner 2020 ASCO International Music Competition W3 Senior Group, First Prize Autumn 2020 North International Online Music Competition Category IX, Gold Star 2020 Music & Stars Awards Online Classical Music Competition Winds Emergent Category, First Prize 2020 International Music Competition ‘Bonn’ Grand Prize Virtuoso Senior Category, First Prize 2020 International Music Competition ‘Salzburg’ Grand Prize Virtuoso Senior Category, First Place 2020 American Protégé International Concerto Competition (based in NYC) College Students and Professional Musicians Group, Won the Brilliant Award 2020 Brilliant Talent Discovery Awards International Music Competition (based in Singapore) for the Senior Category, First Prize 2018 New York International Percussion Competition Timpani Division I, Winner 2017 Mannes Concerto Competition, and Winner of the College Age Group 2015 Philadelphia International Music Festival Concerto Competition.

 Jeffrey is currently the percussion instructor at Music & Arts in Commack, NY and was a former intern percussion instructor at both The Manhattan School of Music Pre-College and The Mannes School of Music Preparatory Division.

Mr. Kautz has appeared as a timpani concerto soloist with the Mannes Orchestra, NYU Steel Band, and the NYU Percussion Ensemble.

Besides music, Jeffrey is very involved in working with adults with Autism.
Mr. Kautz and The Winters Center for Autism organization are winners for Theresa Foundation Grant in which Jeffrey will be appointed as Music Director and Conductor for The Winters Center for Percussion Ensemble which will start in October 2022.

Mr. Kautz’s Upcoming performances in the 2022-2023 Season are: Several performances with the South Shore Symphony Orchestra in which he will appear as Timpani Soloist in March 2023 performing Michael Daugherty’s Raise the Roof for Timpani and Orchestra and several performances with The Winters Center for Autism Percussion Ensemble including appearing as one of the Timpani Soloists as well as his students in April 2023.