Michelle LaCourse
Encyclopedia
Michelle LaCourse is a viola
player and string department chair on the faculty of the Boston University College of Fine Arts
.
, and Karen Tuttle
at the Peabody Conservatory of Music. LaCourse served as a longtime teaching assistant to Karen Tuttle and currently serves as a faculty member of the annual Karen Tuttle "Coordination" Workshop.
She performs on a viola made for her in 2000 by Steven Keller of Keller and Son in Philadelphia.
Viola
The viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
player and string department chair on the faculty of the Boston University College of Fine Arts
Boston University College of Fine Arts
The Boston University College of Fine Arts is unit of Boston University. The College consists of the School of Music, the School of Theatre, and the School of Visual Arts. Each of the individual schools offer degrees in the performing and visual arts at the undergraduate and graduate level...
.
Education
LaCourse began her musical studies in the Traverse City School System. She has studied with David Holland at the Interlochen Arts Academy, Robert Swan at Northwestern UniversityNorthwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
, and Karen Tuttle
Karen Tuttle
Karen Tuttle was an American viola teacher, famous for her "coordination" technique, which emphasizes being comfortable while playing the instrument. She was originally a violinist who chose to become a violist when she wanted to study with William Primrose, whose technique and ease in playing...
at the Peabody Conservatory of Music. LaCourse served as a longtime teaching assistant to Karen Tuttle and currently serves as a faculty member of the annual Karen Tuttle "Coordination" Workshop.
Performances
As a soloist and chamber musician, LaCourse has performed throughout the United States and Europe and in South America, including recent performances in Italy, Spain, and Brazil. LaCourse was formerly a member of the Lehigh Quartet, the Delphic String Trio and the Aeolian Trio. As an orchestral musician, she has performed with the Baltimore Symphony, and was formerly principal violist of the Chamber Orchestra of Grenoble France and of the Concerto Soloists Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia. LaCourse has commissioned a body of work for both solo viola as well as viola and piano from composer James Grant. A recording of these works, "Chocolates: Music for Viola and Piano by James Grant" is scheduled for release by MSR Classics in February 2009. Ms. LaCourse often performs with composer and pianist Martin Amlin, who is also on faculty at Boston University; this collaboration is featured on this recording.She performs on a viola made for her in 2000 by Steven Keller of Keller and Son in Philadelphia.