Violinist , Conductor, Clinician ,
Pianist, Jazz Violinist, Producer ,
Musical Entrepreneur
and above all an Educator
- C onducting and building a community orchestraF ounding a music camp Leading clinics and workshops Giving frequent solo and chamber music performances C oaching high school orchestras Maintaining a large private teaching studio Producing instructional videos
After 28 years in the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, ROY SONNE took early retirement in order to devote himself to an ever-increasing number of musical projects and interests.
Current Projects:
Violin Excursions — new dimensions in instructional videos for violin students. The central focus is “Building Musical Artistry†at every level of development, from beginner to professional -- using the resources of technology including digital media, and interactive communication online.
Classical Cabaret — evenings of classical music at Cefalo’s Restaurant and Nightclub . Eat, drink, socialize and enjoy a concert by Roy Sonne and Friends. Stay tuned for upcoming performance dates.
High School Orchestra Clinics Roy continues his activities as a Pittsburgh Symphony Ambassador , making frequent visits to many high schools in the Pittsburgh area, to do workshops and coaching sessions.
Violin tea ching — always at the center of his life. He maintains a large private teaching studio in his home in Mt. Lebanon, PA. He is also on the faculty of the Carnegie Mellon University Preparatory Department and theMusic Institute For the Development of Personal Style .
Jazz Violin Excursion . Roy started playing jazz violin at age 60, after a 40 year career as a symphony musician. Through playing jazz, Roy's musical universe became so much richer that he became determined to share this experience with other classically trained string players. Working with some exciting and phenomenally talented folks, he founded the Pittsburgh Jazz and Fiddling Camp at Duquesne University , now preparing for its fifth season and recently renamedStrings Without Boundaries
A native of New York City, ROY SONNE started playing the violin at the age of five. When he was fifteen he joined a chamber-music class at the Mannes College of Music prep department, which kindled his lifetime passion for string-quartet playing.He went on to study music at the New England Conservatory, the Mannes College of Music and Ohio State University . His violin teachers includeRaphael Bronstein and Dorothy DeLay . He studied piano with Richard Tetley-Kardos and conducting with Carl Bamberge r.
In 1969 he became concertmaster of the National Symphony Orchestra of Bolivia . He made his professional conducting debut with that orchestra in 1970 followed by appearances with the National Symphony Orchestra of Costa Rica . During that period he also concertized widely as violin soloist throughout South and Central America.
Returning to the United States he played in the Columbus String Quartet for four years and then joined the faculty of Wittenberg University where he taught violin and chamber music and conducted the University Orchestra.
In 1980 Roy joined the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra .He played in their first violin section until 2008 when he took early retirement in order to devote himself to an ever-increasing number of musical projects and interests.
Combining his interests in conducting and teaching, with his affinity for working with amateur musicians, in 1992 he became Music Director of the Edgewood Symphony Orchestra . In twelve years he built that orchestra into the leading community orchestra in the Pittsburgh area.
Roy is deeply involved in educational activities. He maintains a large private teaching studio in his home in Mt. Lebanon PA He is on the faculty of the Carnegie Mellon University Preparatory Department . He is also on the faculty of the Music Institute For the Development of Personal Style . He is also a Pittsburgh Symphony Ambassador , making frequent visits to many high schools in the Pittsburgh area, to do workshops and coaching sessions.
In 2003 Roy fulfilled a lifetime yearning, taking up jazz violin. He studied jazz improvisation with James Johnson at the Afro-American Music Institute and James Guerra at City Music Center. He attended the Christian Howes/Yamaha Creative Strings Camp . He was a founding member of “ Blues on First†Pittsburgh’s Jazz String Quartet. He has performed with Daphne Alderson, John Burgh, Jeff Grubbs, Jeff Mangone, Tom Roberts, Doug Levine.
Through playing jazz, Roy's musical universe became so much richer that he became determined to share this experience with other string players. In August 2004, Roy organized Pittsburgh's first Jazz String Workshop for classically trained string players. Based on the success of that workshop, in 2005 he organized the Pittsburgh Jazz and Fiddling Camp , now preparing for it's fifth season and recently renamed Strings Without Boundaries .
Somehow, Roy manages to find time to keep up his skills as a pianist. He has made a specialty of accompanying violinists and often appears as accompanist for his PSO colleagues.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmoAQWCfmk4
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Demo sample of
ACCOLAY MASTERCLASS
To order the full 62 minute DVD please visit:
http://violinexcursions.com