Ms. Rachel Samson

 

     Rachel Samson’s first years of experience with the viola and violin took place in Columbus, Ohio, but she considers Cleveland her home and her heart. She started playing the violin at the age of 12 and the viola at the age of 13, when she heard a string quartet (and viola) for the very first time. She attended high school at Hathaway Brown School and the Cleveland Institute of Music, as part of the Young Artist Program. She also received her Bachelor of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where she studied privately with Jeffrey Irvine and Lynne Ramsey, as well as chamber music with all members of the Cavani String Quartet, and Suzuki Pedagogy with Kimberly Meier-Sims. Rachel recently earned her Master of Music degree at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance, where she was awarded a fellowship scholarship in viola, and studied with Caroline Coade and Yizhak Schotten.

 

     Rachel has participated in summer programs including The Montecito Music Festival, The Perlman Music Program, ENCORE School for Strings, The Indiana University String Academy, and has taught at the Baldwin-Wallace Middle School Strings Summer Program as well as the Mentor High School Mannheim String Orchestra Camp at Youngstown State University. Her principle teachers include Caroline Coade, Yizhak Schotten, Jeffrey Irvine, Lynne Ramsey, Heidi Castleman, Stanley Konopka, Deborah Price, and Michael Davis. Musicians for whom she has performed in masterclass include Kim Kashkashian, Ivry Gitlis, Helen Callus, Karen Ritscher, Carol Rodland, Michelle LaCourse, Susan DuBois, Kirsten Docter, Lisa Boyko, Charles Pikler, Itzhak Perlman, Peter Salaff, Joel Smirnoff, Paul Katz, Cavani String Quartet, Colorado String Quartet, The Jerusalem and Tokyo Quartets.

 

     Rachel is a firm believer in the saying “They’re rarely too young and never too old” to learn to play the violin or viola. She loves and relates well with all ages and levels of students, and is passionate about finding fun and exciting ways to learn to play. She has been teaching since 2005, and is excited to continue working with students.