Phillip Tietze

The American Sinfonietta's violist, Philip Tietze, serves as an Assistant Professor at West Virginia University (WVU). He received his Bachelor's Degree from Indiana University and his Master's Degree from the University of Southern California. He was a full scholarship student at the University of Southern California (USC) in the class of Donald McInnes and graduated Phi Kappa Lambda. Also on the Viola faculty of the American Sinfonietta Performance Academy, he served on the faculties at Wichita State University and Colorado College.

Mr Tietze has been the Assistant Principal Violist with the American Sinfonietta since 1993 and served as Principal Violist of both the Wichita Symphony and the Colorado Springs Symphony Orchestras, as well as a member of the Denver Symphony Orchestra. Solo and chamber music recital appearances have included a solo recital performance on the Phillips Collection Recital Series in Washington, D.C. that was broadcast over National Public Radio.

This past year, Philip Tietze has added the role of conductor and composer to his list of musical activities. As founder and director of the West Virginia University Collegium Musicum, he conducted several works of J.S. Bach during the Collegium's initial season in 2000-01 which celebrated the 250th anniversary of the composer's death. In addition, Professor Tietze has given numerous performances recently of his own work for solo viola, "Yaiim Noraim", composed for the High Holy Days.