THOMAS DIENER, viola
Thomas plays a 1580 viola made in Bologna, Italy by Antonio Brensius
This founding member of the Rossetti String Quartet* hails from Omaha, Nebraska. He began studying the viola at age eleven, and went on to win a scholarship to the national Academy of Art in Champaign-Urbana (Illinois) where he studied with Paul Rowland, Guillermo Perich, and Gabriel Magyar of the Hungarian Quartet. He continued his studies with Lotte Bamberger and William Lincer at the Mannes College of Music in New York.
Thomas Diener has appeared the world over in recital, as a soloist and in various chamber music ensembles. He has participated in such international music festivals as the Festival Mediterraneen and the Festival de Prades in France, the Stavenger festival in Norway, Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival in Colorado, the Sintra Festival in Portugal, and the Spoleto Festival in both Italy and the US.
Jewelry by Thomas: "Dog Tag" Line
His devotion to chamber music is exemplified by his work as a coach to young musicians at theJuilliard School Pre-college and the High School for the Performing Arts and by his participation in master classes as a quartet member with the Emerson, Cleveland, Tokyo, Stradivari, Pro Arte, and Vermeer string quartets.
A passionate advocate for music education, Thomas will introduce each piece in this chamber music concert with a commentary that is sure to connect the audience in the most informative and delightful way with the music and its creator.
When not performing, coaching or teaching master classes, Thomas indulges his passion for the visual arts making something extraodinary from the ordinary: he creates cutting-edge jewelry made from concrete and precious stones or gemstones in the rough for his company Miles McNeel Design.
The introductory remarks are just wonderful as is the playing.
This is beautiful performance. Very inspiring. Love, Avra