MEET OUR MUSICIANS - BECKY RODMAN (VIOLA)

I was sleeping with a plastic toy violin at the age of 3 1/2 and finally convinced my parents at the age of five that I was really serious about playing the violin. 

Just about everything I do in my life relates to music in one way or another, mostly as a volunteer and helping young musicians advance their careers. My involvement with musicians at my son’s school, Crossroads School for Arts & Sciences and winners of Concert Artists Guild in New York resulted in very rewarding experiences. I had a teaching studio for decades and played violin and viola for films and television. I became a violin maker when I went to live in Cremona,  Italy in 2000.  I thought I would stay a couple of years and learn to make an instrument that I would like to play. I ultimately stayed for 14 years and came back to the States in 2014. I have a Foundation and I loan my instruments free of charge to emerging artists.  

 I have been called a chamber music “addict” for most of my life. My idea of a good time is to get friends together to read chamber music! In 1990 I founded the San Juan Islands Chamber Music  Festival and ran it in my home on Guemes Island for 11 years. Since returning to WA State,  I became the Executive Director  for the Manhattan String Quartet’s KentMusic Chamber Music Conference In Seattle. This summer we celebrated the fourth year of that endeavor. 

 I was asked by Zain to join and quickly discovered that I had many friends in the Orchestra.  

My advise for young musicians would be for them to get into good practice habits where they make the most out of their practice time. My other thought is that young musicians should just show up wherever they hear of opportunities to play and be involved in music. If they do, good things will come to them. 
 

For more information about Becky's Foundation, visit  http://www.maestrocremona.com/

Updated August 2019