Violin
Heather Misula (C)
(C) = Canandaigua, (R & C) = both Rochester and Canandaigua locations. All others teach in Rochester.
Instrument/Department: Violin; Ensembles
Joined Hochstein Faculty in: 1997
Master of Music degree from State Conservatory in L'vov, Ukraine; Bachelor of Arts from Musical College in Ternopol, Ukraine. Currently concertmistress of Genesee Valley Orchestra and Chorus and a member of the Emmanuel String Quartet. Received Suzuki training at the Eastman School of Music and the Ithaca Suzuki Institute.
Instrument/Department: Violin; Viola; Director of Concertino Strings
Joined Hochstein Faculty in: 2008
Hometown: Porto Alegre, RS - Brazil.
Favorite place to travel: Bahia, Brazil; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Berlin, Germany; New York City.
Favorite or most influential teachers were: Susan Kempter, Carmelo de los Santos, Luiz Bencke
When I’m not at Hochstein, you can find me: in a park or at home.
People with whom/Places I’ve performed include: former member of the Orquestra de Câmara Theatro São Pedro (Brazil), Orquesta de Jóvenes del Mercosur (Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay tour), and Jugend-Sinfonie-Orchester Bremen-Nord (Germany). Performed in Theatro São Pedro-Brazil, Sala São Paulo-Brazil, Teatro Colón-Argentina, Keller Hall-Albuquerque, NM.
My favorite book is: So many… but the one I keep going back to is The Lord of the Rings.
My pets include: I love cats!
Favorite things to do in Rochester are: Listening to the RPO. The parks!!!!
People would be surprised to know that I: Played trumpet and trombone for a long time and only switched to violin by accident.
What I most admire about my students is: how smart they are! I love the way they can surprise me and accomplish thing I wouldn’t think of.
My favorite restaurant is:The Cheesecake Factory.
Master of Music degree in Violin Performance and String Pedagogy from the University of New Mexico; Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, in Brazil. In addition to many years of teaching in his native Brazil, he has most recently been an individual violin and group class instructor in the University of New Mexico Lab School, as well as a teacher for the Rio Grande Suzuki Association in Albuquerque, NM. Attained Suzuki teacher training for Books 1 through 10.
Instrument/Department: Violin
Joined Hochstein Faculty in: 2007
Hometown: Odense, Denmark. Town of Carl Nielsen and Hans Christian Andersen.
Favorite places to travel: the French island of Corsica, northern Norway, Italy, Switzerland, San Francisco. Would like to go to Greenland, Greece, Japan, and explore the American National parks…….the list is long.
Favorite or most influential violin teachers were: Palle Heichelman, Catherine Tait.
When I’m not at Hochstein, you can find me: rehearsing contemporary chamber music, doing photo projects, updating my websites, having dinner with David, planning the next concert, walking, swimming or talking with my daughter or my dad on the phone.
People and ensembles with whom I have performed include: Japanese koto player Ryuko Mizutani in Duo vio-LINK-oto, pianist Sylvie Beaudette in Liptak-Beaudette Duo, violinist Margaret Leenhouts in Legno Duo, oboist Kathleen Suher who is co-director with me of Sinfonietta Cordancia. University of Rochester Symphony Orchestra (concertmaster), Den Fynske Sinfonietta (concertmaster), Odense Symphony Orchestra, Sønderjylland’s Symphony Orchestra, Trio la Corda.
Places I’ve performed include: in Europe: Denmark, Norway, Austria, England, Germany, Italy (incl. Rome), Russia (Moscow and St. Petersburg). In the USA: San Francisco, Honolulu, St.Paul MN, and throughout New York State.
Favorite music: I like to listen to many different kinds of music. Currently, the 1920’s and Indian violin music are particular interests.
My pets include: two cats Oberon and Titania (Obi and Tanni). I also enjoy the company of my daughter’s two rats, Dave and Bill – when they visit from college!
Favorite things to do in Rochester are: Walking at the Ontario Lake, on Oxford Street when the Magnolias are out, Highland Park, Mendon Ponds. Concerts, movies at the Little, the Public Market....
People would be surprised to know that I: have windsurfing, ballet dancing and platform diving in my past – and a degree in piano performance.
What I most admire about my students is: the personal relationships we develop through music. A curious and engaged student always makes my day and when a student gives me a homemade Valentines Heart or plays me the birthday song…..it’s completely worth all the scales!
Find out more on my website: www.pialiptak.com
Doctor of Musical Arts degree and Master of Music in Violin Performance from the Eastman School of Music; Diploma in Violin Performance from the Carl Nielsen Academy in Denmark. Former faculty member of the Odense Music School (Denmark), and currently maintains a private studio in Rochester. Concertmaster of the University of Rochester Symphony Orchestra, and performs extensively with the Liptak–-Beaudette Duo (violin and piano), and the Duo vio–LINK–oto (violin and Japanese koto). Recorded CD from Centaur Records (CD 2882). Has performed throughout Europe and North America.
Instrument: Viola and Violin
Joined Hochstein faculty in: 1989
Hometown: Huntington, NY.
Favorite place to travel: Vieques, Puerto Rico and Bretagne, France.
Favorite or most influential teachers were: Martha Katz, original violist of the Cleveland Quartet.
When I’m not at Hochstein, you can find me: Teaching 110 string students at Victor Primary School.
People with whom/Places I’ve performed include: Josh Groban, Leonard Bernstein, Placido Domingo, Itzhak Perlman and Barry White and the “Love Unlimited Orchestra”
My favorite book is: I read a couple books a week- but a recent favorite is “Water for Elephants”.
My pets include: all the wild critters that visit our backyard- turkey, deer, fox, lost ducks, etc.
Favorite things to do in Rochester are: Hiking the many wonderful trails, gazing at Lake Ontario and seeing anything playing at the Little Theatre.
People would be surprised to know that I: am the 2002 National Karate Champion!
What I most admire about my students is: Their tenacity!
My favorite restaurant is: Rooney’s- yummy!
Master's and Bachelor's degrees in Fine Arts from SUNY Buffalo. Studied with Martha Katz of the Cleveland Quartet. Member of the Suzuki Association of America. Has performed with the Buffalo Philharmonic from 1976-2003. Also performed with Syracuse Symphony, Love Unlimited Orchestra with Barry White, Fortissimo! and Tanglewood Festivals, Mercury Opera Company, Rochester Oratorio Society and regional chamber orchestras. Featured on" Live from Hochstein" and "Spotlight on Faculty". Also teaches Suzuki strings and general music at Victor Primary School.
Instrument/Department: Violin
Joined Hochstein Faculty in: 2011
Master of Music degree in Violin Performance from New York University's Steinhart School where she served as Adjunct Lecturer in Violin; Bachelor of Music degree in Violin Performance from Wheaton College Conservatory. Ms. Misula has Suzuki Certification Levels 1-4 through her work with Suzuki pedagogue, Rebecca Sandrok. An alumnus of Hochstein School, Ms. Misula was a winner of the Hochstein Youth Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition as well as a scholarship chamber ensemble student. While at NYU, she was the recipient of the Billy Joel Scholarship, and she continues to be active as a performer in the Rochester area.
Instrument/Department: Violin; Suzuki Violin
Joined Hochstein Faculty in: 1996
Bachelor’s Degree in Violin Performance from Soochow University in Taipei, Taiwan. Master of Music in Violin Performance and Literature, Eastman School of Music. Toured North America with the Taipei Sinfonietta and the Yin-Qi Symphony Orchestra. Member of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra since 1997, and has performed with the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra, Rochester Oratorio Society, and Skaneateles Festival Orchestra. Has performed in the RPO’s Educational String Quintet, a group dedicated to bringing classical music to the elementary school children of the Rochester City Schools, and with the chamber group Quartsemble.
Instrument/Department: Violin
Joined Hochstein Faculty in: 1999
Master of Music Education from Nazareth College; Bachelor's degree in Music Education and Certificate in Music in Special Education from the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam. Former music teacher with the Catholic Diocese of Rochester; currently a string teacher with the Brighton School District.
Instrument/Department: Violin
Joined Hochstein Faculty in: 2008
Bachelor of Music Education from Penn State University, along with Suzuki violin teacher training from the Ithaca Suzuki Institute. Formerly an elementary and intermediate string orchestra director and violin instructor in the North Penn School District (Pennsylvania), and she will be teaching in the Greece public school system this year.
Instrument/Department: Violin
Joined Hochstein Faculty in: 2000-2006, rejoined in 2011
Studied Suzuki Pedagogy with Mr. Sanford Reuning at Ithaca College and completed the graduate level teaching apprenticeship at Ithaca Talent Education. In addition to her work in Ithaca, Ms. Tarantelli has taught at various Suzuki Institutes and workshops. She is also the founder/director of Mendon Talent Education.
Instrument/Department: Violin
Joined Hochstein Faculty in: 2007
Hometown: Yerevan, Armenia.
Favorite place to travel: Home.
Favorite or most influential teachers were: Zvi Zeitlin, Abram Shtern, Villy Mokazyan, Levon Zoryan.
When I’m not at Hochstein, you can find me: Performing at Eastman, teaching at Nazareth or at home…and if all fails, most likely grilling or cooking something.
People with whom/Places I’ve performed include: Let’s go with countries…Armenia, Slovakia, Germany, France, Italy, Mexico, El Salvador.
My pets include: Domingo the goldfish.
Favorite things to do in Rochester are: Anything with friends.
Tigran Vardanyan was born in Yerevan, Armenia. He began his violin studies with his father at the age of six. Later he attended the Sayat Nova School of Music and the Tchaikovsky Specialized Music School, studying with Professors Levon Zorian and Villy Mokazian. While still very young, Tigran was given opportunities to perform as a soloist with the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra, the Armenian Chamber Orchestra, and the Armenian TV and Radio Orchestra.
In 1994 Tigran immigrated to the USA to study with the renowned Ukrainian violinist, Abram Shtern, at the Crossroads School for Arts and Sciences in Santa Monica, CA. In 1996 he moved to Rochester, NY to study at the Eastman School of Music with Professor Zvi Zeitlin.
Tigran is a winner of many competitions and awards, such as First Prize in the 1991 and 1993 Armenian National Competitions, the Gold Medal in the 1992 Amadeus Competition for Young Artists, the Leni Fe Bland Foundation Award, the Maurice Sklar Music Scholarship, the “Encourage” Award from the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, the 1996 and 1997 Starling Foundation Awards at the Eastman School of Music, the Performer’s Certificate from the Eastman School of Music, and two Concerto Competitions as a result of which he performed the Shostakovich Violin Concerto No.1 with the Eastman School Symphony Orchestra under the direction of David Gilbert and the Sibelius Violin Concerto with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Christopher Seaman.
Since 1998, Tigran has been a member of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2007 he joined the faculty at the David Hochstein Memorial Music School, and in 2010 at Nazareth College. He continues to perform as a soloist and chamber musician at various music festivals and concert venues in the Middle East, Europe, Central America and North America. His repertoire includes concertos and showpieces by Bach, Brahms, Bruch, Chausson, Glazunov, Khachaturian, Mendelssohn, Mozart, Paganini, Prokofiev, Saint-Saens, Sarasate, Shostakovich, Sibelius, Szymanowski, Vieuxtemps, Vivaldi, Wieniawski, along with various recital programs.
Tigran became a US Citizen in 2009 and lives in Rochester, NY.
Instrument/Department: Violin; Ensembles
Joined Hochstein Faculty in: 2001
Additional position(s) at Hochstein: Co-chair, Suzuki Strings Department
Hometown: College Station, TX
Places I've performed: Heidelberg, Germany; Bahamas
Favorite/most influential teachers: Catherine Tait; Charles Castleman
When I'm not at Hochstein, you can find me: Playing with my rabbits and other little critters.
Mr favorite book is: The Harry Potter series.
My pets include: 7 rabbits, 4 Guinea pigs, 1 dwarf hamster, 1 bird.
Favorite things to do in Rochester are: kayaking and volunteering at the downtown animal shelter.
People would be surprised to know that I: used to play solo handbells.
My favorite local restaurant is: Korean House Sodam.
Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the Eastman School of Music. Former member of the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra. Received Suzuki teacher training at the Ithaca Suzuki Institute, the Suzuki Institute of the Paulouse in Pullman (WA), and the Southern Ontario Suzuki Institute.
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