Strings

Student Playing Violin Cosi FanTutti Feb 2020
Figure:

With a faculty of world-renowned soloists, chamber musicians and orchestral artists, SMU Meadows students enjoy unique access to some of the finest pedagogues and visiting artists internationally.

Meet Our Faculty

Aaron Boyd Aaron Boyd

Aaron Boyd

Chair of Strings, Director of Chamber Music

Chad Hoopes Chad Hoopes with Violin

Chad Hoopes

Professor of Practice in Violin

Diane Kitzman Diane Kitzman

Diane Kitzman

Adjunct Associate Professor, Violin

Ronald Houston Ronald Houston

Ronald Houston

Adjunct Associate Professor of Viola and Violin

Barbara Sudweeks Barbara Sudweeks

Barbara Sudweeks

Adjunct Professor, Viola

Ellen Rose RoseEllen

Ellen Rose

Adjunct Associate Professor, Viola

Pierre Lapointe Pierre LaPointe

Pierre Lapointe

Adjunct Associate Professor of Viola

Andres Diaz Andres Diaz

Andres Diaz

Professor of Cello

Christopher Adkins Christopher Adkins

Christopher Adkins

Adjunct Professor of Cello

Brian Perry Brian Perry with Double Bass

Brian Perry

Adjunct Associate Professor, Double Bass

Bryan Burns Bryan Burns, guitar

Bryan Burns

Adjunct Assistant Professor of Guitar

Annie Lin Annie Lin

Annie Lin

Collaborative pianist, Adjunct Professor of Practice

Emily Levin Emily Levin

Emily Levin

Adjunct Associate Professor of Harp

Naoko Nakamura Naoko Nakamura

Naoko Nakamura

Adjunct Assistant Professor of Harp

MEADOWS CHAMBER MUSIC

The Meadows Chamber Music program provides an opportunity for string players to perform exceptional chamber music ranging from trios to nonets. Not limited to the traditional string quartet, students may also perform a much more extensive repertoire including chamber music with pianists or woodwind or brass players. The Meadows Chamber Music program features side-by-side performances with faculty and guest artists playing alongside students. 

MEADOWS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

The Meadows Symphony Orchestra, directed by Edward Cumming, performs an extensive season of concerts annually and collaborates with the Meadows Choral Ensembles, the Meadows Opera Theatre and the Meadows Division of Dance. The orchestra is comprised of gifted students from around the world, including Eastern Europe, Asia, South America, and other areas, as well as from every region of the United States. Many of the orchestra’s students are active as international soloists, participants in major music festivals and prizewinners at international competitions. 

UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS

The Bachelor of Music in Performance prepares undergraduates for a performance career and for private studio teaching. Members of the string faculty draw upon accumulated knowledge and skills developed over many years as successful performers and teachers. This program of study provides a balanced performance curriculum of orchestral excerpts and solo and chamber repertoire, together with performance in orchestra every semester throughout the four-year degree. There are also opportunities to perform in the Meadows Jazz Orchestra and the Meadows World Music Ensemble. All undergraduate music degrees include a balanced curriculum of music theory, aural skills, music history, pedagogy and interesting elective courses together with a well-rounded general college curriculum. These courses provide a solid foundation for a lifetime of continued learning, creativity and artistic fulfillment.

String players may also pursue degrees in Music EducationMusic Therapy or Composition while still developing professional-level musicianship. These degrees include performance-level string study while developing undergraduates' skills and knowledge for these careers. A Bachelor of Arts in Music degree facilitates double majors or the inclusion of Pre-Med or Pre-Law courses.

GRADUATE PROGRAMS

The Master of Music in Performance degree prepares students to pursue a career in performance or to undertake further studies at the doctoral level, positioning them to become college studio professors. The degree is completed in four semesters of study with a minimum of 30 credits required for graduation. The Performer Diploma and Artist Diploma are two-year programs (20 credits) for musicians in their final stages of preparation for professional performance careers. Please contact the appropriate faculty for your instrument or the department chair for details.

Scholarships and Financial Assistance

All undergraduate applicants are automatically considered for academic merit and artistic scholarships by applying to SMU and to Meadows. View additional information on the undergraduate financial aid and scholarship process here.

Graduate financial assistance is available through merit scholarships, graduate assistantships, and work-study positions. The FAFSA is required for work-study and graduate assistantships.

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