BEVERLY KANE BAKER
VIOLA
Beverly Kane Baker began violin lessons at the age of six with Margaret Davis. While under Ms. Davis's instruction, she traveled to Baltimore to participate in the Suzuki violin workshop and met the acclaimed Japanese teacher. After two years of study she advanced to Elizabeth Chapman's studio; as a member of the Chapman Youth Ensemble Ms. Baker performed at the Smithsonian Institute (Washington, D.C.) and at the capital building in Richmond, Virginia. She traveled for two summers to England to participate in the Purbeck Music Festival with the noted Hungarian teacher Kato Havas. During this festival, Ms. Baker performed the Telemann Viola Concerto at the Royal College of Music in London. The following summer she was voted "Most Outstanding Musician" and won the concerto competition at the Eastern Music Festival in Greensboro, North Carolina. During her senior year in high school she attended the Juilliard School of Music's pre-college division, studying viola with Christine Dethier. In 1979 she received her Bachelor of Music in performance from the University of Missouri-Columbia, having studied with Carolyn Kenneson. Ms. Baker has performed in master classes with the Beaux Arts Trio, the Tokyo String Quartet, and Lillian Fuchs, and has received numerous coachings from Wayne Crouse, former principal violist of the Houston Symphony.
In 1983 Ms. Baker joined the Virginia Symphony Orchestra as a section player and in 1987 was appointed Assistant Principal Viola. She won the Principal position in 1994 and currently holds that position with the Symphony as well as with Virginia Opera. The Virginia Symphony made its Carnegie Hall debut in 1997 and Ms. Baker performed with her colleagues on NBC's Today Show. She has performed with the Gateways Music Festival, a festival featuring African American artists, and performs regularly with the Norfolk Chamber Consort and the Virginia Chamber Players. Ms. Baker is a featured artist in solo and chamber music performances with the the Virginia Arts Festival; many of these performances have been broadcast on NPR's Performance Today. She has also performed chamber music with the Miami String Quartet and members of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. She performed J.S. Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 with Jamie Laredo and the Mozart Duo with renowned violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenburg. Ms. Baker has been featured in many solo performances with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra.
Ms. Baker has been the Ambrosia Quartet's violist since 2007; as an ensemble they have been featured on chamber music events by the Virginia Symphony Orchestra as well as the Virginia Arts Festival. She is featured on Bruce Hornsby's album Harbor Lights and her musical studies have been documented in the book Black Women in American Orchestras by D. Antoinette Handy.
In 1983 Ms. Baker joined the Virginia Symphony Orchestra as a section player and in 1987 was appointed Assistant Principal Viola. She won the Principal position in 1994 and currently holds that position with the Symphony as well as with Virginia Opera. The Virginia Symphony made its Carnegie Hall debut in 1997 and Ms. Baker performed with her colleagues on NBC's Today Show. She has performed with the Gateways Music Festival, a festival featuring African American artists, and performs regularly with the Norfolk Chamber Consort and the Virginia Chamber Players. Ms. Baker is a featured artist in solo and chamber music performances with the the Virginia Arts Festival; many of these performances have been broadcast on NPR's Performance Today. She has also performed chamber music with the Miami String Quartet and members of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. She performed J.S. Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 with Jamie Laredo and the Mozart Duo with renowned violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenburg. Ms. Baker has been featured in many solo performances with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra.
Ms. Baker has been the Ambrosia Quartet's violist since 2007; as an ensemble they have been featured on chamber music events by the Virginia Symphony Orchestra as well as the Virginia Arts Festival. She is featured on Bruce Hornsby's album Harbor Lights and her musical studies have been documented in the book Black Women in American Orchestras by D. Antoinette Handy.
SIMON LAPOINTE
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MAYA KURODA CIPRIANO
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REBECCA GILMORE
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