At the young age of two, Merietta Oviatt began studying music and her journey as a musician commenced. Though she began her studies on the violin, fate brought her to try the viola at age 11, and she has had a musical love affair with the viola since. Merietta attended Idyllwild Arts Academy in Idyllwild, California and made her debut at the age of 16 with the Desert Symphony Orchestra. After graduating from Idyllwild, Merietta received a full scholarship to attend Louisiana State University where she majored in viola performance. After her studies at LSU, Merietta accepted a Dean of Arts position with the Uintah School of Music and the Arts in Vernal, Utah. While in Utah, Oviatt completed her Bachelor of Science Degree in History and English from Utah State University. She most recently lived in Louisiana where she was the Principal violist of the Rapides Symphony, and violist with the Acadiana and Southeast Texas Symphonies. She taught full-time Suzuki strings at the Acadiana Symphony Conservatory of Music and she was also the full-time Suzuki strings teacher at the J. Wallace James Arts and Technology Academy where she volunteered her time to be the faculty advisor for the Tri-M Music Honor Society as well as the Star Blazing Fiddling Club. Merietta taught Suzuki viola, violin, and cello at Pomco Music Studios and was the Artistic Director at Pomco Records, LLC. Merietta is an extensive performer/soloist and speaker on issues dealing with music/arts in the schools and arts integration in the classroom. Oviatt recently moved to Las Vegas where she will complete her graduate studies in Music Performance and Education at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She will continue to teach Suzuki strings in Las Vegas and will continue to pursue her performing , speaking, and teaching careers.Merietta’s teachers have included Jack Ashton, Allen DeVeritch, Christopher McKellar, David Dalton, Clyn Barrus, Jersey Kosmala, Andrew Duckles, Beverly Bias, and Karen Ritscher. She has been chosen to participate in master classes held by such notable names as Karen Tuttle, Donald McGinnes, Carol Rodland, Jeffery Irvine, and Kim Kashkashian.Oviatt has been a certified viola/violin Suzuki teacher for eight years. She has trained with such notable Suzuki teacher trainers as Elisabeth Stuen-Walker, Edmund Sprunger, Dee Martz, Vera McCoy-Sulentic, and master teacher trainer William Pruecil.Merietta is an adjunct board member of the Uintah School of Music and the Arts, which she co-founded, and holds memberships in the American String Teachers Association, American Viola Society, International Viola Society, MENC, National Federation of Music Teachers, National Music Teacher’s Association, ASCAP, and the Suzuki Association of the Americas, amongst others. Merietta recently performed at the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall this June and performed for the 2007 Latin Grammy Awards. Oviatt has spoken at the American String Teachers National Convention in Detroit as well as the KIPP School Summit in Arizona on Arts Integration in the classroom. Merietta released her debut CD in December of 2005 and work has just wrapped on her newest CD "Merietta Oviatt - That Old Time Gospel" to be released for purchase Fecruary 2008. Samples of her current CD have brought rave reviews by fellow musicians as well as critics as being “different†and “excitingâ€. In addition to her musical releases, Oviatt is also planning to release her first children’s book, which is centered on music education. She hopes that her performing, publications and speaking engagements will help bring more attention to the need and importance of music/art education and integration into the classrooms of both public and private schools.
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