The Strings Area offers applied instruction in violin, viola, cello, double bass, classical guitar, and harp. String students in undergraduate and graduate degree programs participate in string chamber ensembles including cello, bass, and guitar ensembles as well as the Contemporary Chamber Players and the Collegium Musicum for Early Music. Each semester various small ensembles perform in the Chamber Music Festival concerts hosted by the Ceruti String Quartet, the faculty quartet-in-residence. The Memphis Bass Thing provides exciting opportunities for bassists. Performing and listening skills are developed through weekly master classes, monthly area workshops, and studio recitals. In addition, internationally distinguished guest artists visit the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music to give master classes. Recent visitors include Donald Weilerstein, James Buswell, Heidi Castleman, Arnold Steinhardt, Suren Bagratuni, the Kandisky Trio, and the Muir String Quartet. The University Symphony Orchestra, directed by Dr. Pu-Qi Jiang, performs several concerts each year and also collaborates with the Opera Division. The Orchestra is open to all students by audition, including non-music majors.

Degrees offered in Strings are Bachelor of Music, Master of Music, Doctor of Musical Arts, and the Artist Diploma in Violin.

For more information on Strings, contact the Area Coordinator, Lily Afshar.

• Lily Afshar (D.M.A.)
• Leonardo Altino (M.M.)
• Soh Hyun Altino (D.M.A.)
• John Chiego (M.M.)
• Marisa Polesky (B.M.)
• Lenny Schranze (M.M.)
• Marian Shaffer (B.A.)
• Timothy Shiu (M.M.)