Shane Barker

Shane Barker, violist, is “an avid and die hard chamber musician” praised for his “sumptuous sound and top notch musicianship” by eminent composer Eric Ewazen. Shane was a 2013 finalist in Midori Goto’s International Community Engagement Program, is a founding member of the Philadelphia Harp Trio and has appeared as guest artist with the Alighieri Duo and Princeton Chamber Players. He has organized and performed in benefit concerts for the Trevor Project, Autism Speaks, Komen for the Cure and the Veteran’s hospital in Lyons, NJ. An ardent proponent of expanding the viola repertoire, Shane has given numerous premiers of solo works by Jeremy Gill, Julia Alford-Fowler, and Andrew Litts among others. The New York Viola Society invited him to perform the Britten Lachrymae at Lincoln Center in a concert celebrating the composer’s 100th Birthday. Shane has performed under the batons of Rosen Milanov, Charles Dutoit, Luis Biava, Charles Barker, James Allbritten and the late Joseph Primavera in Carnegie, Alice Tully, Verizon and Avery Fisher Halls. As Assistant Principal viola of the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra, he performed for concerts commemorating the retirement of Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. Shane served as teaching assistant to Sheila Browne and has also studied with Karen Ritscher, Evelyn Jacobs-Luise, Ann Roggen, Helen Kwalwasser and Joseph dePasquale. Highlights of next year’s concert season include and all Schumann program with pianist Barbara Browne in Philadelphia and New York, concerts for voice and viola with baritone Scott-Wesley Hawley, and recitals of viola music by Philadelphia Composers with pianist Ekateria Popova.

 

A sought after and respected teacher, Shane has served on the viola and chamber music faculties of Temple Music Prep and Community Scholar’s Program, Studio on Walnut, and the Noble Arts Institute of Music.  His former students have gone on to study at The University of Pennsylvania, Mansfield, Westchester and Penn State Universities, Philadelphia’s Creative and Performing Arts High School, Girard Academic Music Exchange, All-City Orchestra and Philadelphia Youth Orchestra programs. In 2007, and 2008 he was guest artist at the Princeton Chamber Player’s Play Week Festival, where he gave lectures on avoiding over use injuries and efficient practice habits, and has also presented “Viola Boot Camp” and “Instant Immersion Chamber Music”