Erica Ward, Violin
Violinist Erica Ward received her MM with Paul Kantor at the Cleveland Institute of Music, and her BM at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music with Camilla Wicks and Wei He. Erica served as Artist in Residence at Appalachian State University and Guest Lecturer at Western Kentucky University, while guest of the Degas Quartet. She has collaborated, among others, with the Luna Nova Quartet, Annie Fullard, Desmond Hoebig, Mack McCray, and Cary Lewis of the Lanier Trio. She maintains an active schedule as chamber musician, freelance and recording artist. Additionally, Erica just commissioned her second new work by Cleveland composer Jeremy Allen. Erica lives in Cleveland with her husband Andrew, daughter Esther, and fluffy white dog, Ollie. Website: http://www.ericaward.com/
Violinist Erica Ward recently completed her first two performances of the Complete Beethoven Sonatas for Piano and Violin with pianist Karl Lo. Ms. Ward is a founding member of the Mauthe String Quartet, which formed with the express purpose of bringing music to unreached areas of the Cleveland community. She previously served as Apprentice of Teaching in the San Francisco Conservatory Preparatory Division and as a mentor and coach in the San Francisco Public Schools String Program and the Cleveland Institute of Music Summer Chamber Music Camp. Additionally, Ms. Ward has served as Administrative Intern for the San Jose Youth Chamber Orchestra and violinist and member of the Board of Directors for the Cleveland-based contemporary ensemble FiveOne Music. Outside of the realm of classical music, Ms. Ward has performed with the San Francisco-based Urban-alternative rock band MOVE, and is featured on their album, All of the Above.
Ms. Ward has collaborated, among others, with the Degas Quartet, Luna Nova Quartet, Annie Fullard, Desmond Hoebig, Lynne Ramsey, Mack McCray, and Cary Lewis. She has studied chamber music with Mark Sokol and Ian Swensen, Peter Salaff of the Cleveland Quartet, and the Cavani, Tokyo, Avalon, Ying, and Maia String Quartets. As a guest of the Degas Quartet, Ms. Ward has served as Artist in Residence at Appalachian State University and Guest Lecturer at Western Kentucky University. Ms. Ward has performed with the San Jose Chamber Orchestra, Erie Philharmonic, Stockton Symphony Orchestra, Modesto Symphony, and the Russian Chamber Orchestra, and was acting concertmaster of the Suburban Symphony for the 2008-2009 season. Summer festivals include the Icicle Creek Chamber Music Institute and the Zephyr International Chamber Music Festival in Italy.
A native of Portland, Oregon, Ms. Ward received her BM from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and her MM from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where her principal teachers were Camilla Wicks, Wei He, and Paul Kantor. Website: http://www.ericaward.com/
