As San Francisco Symphony principal violist Jonathan Vinocour and associate principal Yun Jie Liu join the viola faculty of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, they bring the total number of SFS members on the faculty to 29, including 18 principal, associate, or assistant principal players. It's a serendipitous fact that Davies Symphony Hall and the Conservatory building are only three blocks away.
The Conservatory is proud of its "highly focused and intensive program in viola." Fewer than 20 students work with a faculty of five studio teachers including Jodi Levitz, Liu and Vinocour as well as Paul Hersh and Madeline Prager.
In addition, San Francisco Symphony assistant principal violist Katie Kadarauch teaches a course on repertoire excerpts that prepares students for orchestral auditions. Students enjoy performance opportunities with the Conservatory’s orchestral, baroque, new music, and chamber ensembles, and compete in an annual concerto competition to win a solo appearance with the Conservatory Orchestra.
Another regular event, the Viola Project, features premier performances of works written specifically for the instrument by student composers. Recent master classes have included internationally-known artists including Grammy Award-winning violist Kim Kashkashian and Roberto Díaz, president and CEO of the Curtis Institute of Music.