John Beard

Master of Music, Viola Performance.

John Beard received a BM in performance from Indiana University, a MM at the University of Maine, and completed further doctoral work in viola, theory and conducting at Catholic University in Washington, D.C. His major teachers include William Primrose, David Dawson, Robert Gerle, and Vidor Nagy.

In Europe, John was Assistant Principal violist with the Symphony Orchestra of Bavaria and Gartnerplatz State Opera in Munich, and also performed with the L’Opera di Genova in Italy. In the US, he has been a member of the Charleston and Savannah Symphonies, the Concert Soloists of Washington, and the Green Bay Symphony.

An active chamber musician, Mr. Beard has performed with many ensembles, including the Katadhin and Columbia string quartets, the Corona Trio in Germany, the Dorian Ensemble and Rochester Quartet in Minnesota, and the Conservatory Chamber Players in Wisconsin, and has appeared on Wisconsin Public Radio’s “Live from the Elvehjem” series in Madison.

Mr. Beard has also studied piano with Henry Fuchs at the University of Rhode Island and with Joan Krzywicki, Suzuki Teacher Trainer, at the  University of Florida in Coral Gables.  John developed a Suzuki piano studio, and has enjoyed working with small children using the Suzuki method to develop musical skills for the very young (starting at three years old). For the past twenty years John has had a piano studio teaching both traditional and Suzuki piano methods, in addition to his violin/viola students.  He has prepared both string and piano students for solo and ensemble festivals, college entrance auditions and student recitals.

Mr. Beard has served as an Adjunct Instructor in Upper Strings Orchestra at the University of Wisconsin Marathon County, has been a Minnesota Artist-in Residence for the St. Francis Music Center, and a teacher and coach for the D.C. Youth Orchestra Program.