Mr. John F. Beard

John Beard (viola; violin; chamber music), received a BM in performance from Indiana University, a MM at the University of Maine, and did further doctoral work in viola, theory, and conducting at Catholic University in Washington, D.C. His major teachers include William Primrose, David Dawson for viola; Robert Gerle, Vidor Nagy and Joseph Fuchs for violin; Henry Fuchs and Suzuki Piano teacher training with Joan Krzywicki for piano: Murray Sidlin and Harold Faberman for conducting.

In Europe, John was Assistant Principal Violist with the Symphony Orchestra of Bavaria and the Gartnerplatz State Opera Theater in Munich, and also performed with the L’Opera di Genova in Italy. In the US, he has been a member of the Charleston and Savannah Symphonies, the Concert Soloists of Washington, and the Green Bay Symphony.

An active chamber musician, Mr. Beard has performed with many ensembles, including the Katadhin and Columbia string quartets, the Corona Trio in Germany, the Dorian Ensemble and Rochester Quartet in Minnesota, and the Conservatory Chamber Players in Wisconsin, and has appeared on Wisconsin Public Radio’s “Live from the Elvehjem” series in Madison

John has developed his conducting skills as Music Director of several youth orchestras and community orchestras in Minnesota and Wisconsin, and has been a Conducting Colleague/Fellow under Harold Farberman at Bard College in NY and further studies in conducting with Murray Sidlin in Minnesota. Mr. Beard has also studied piano with Henry Fuchs at the University of Rhode Island and Joan Krzywicki, Suzuki Teacher Trainer, at the University of Florida in Coral Gables. John developed a Suzuki piano studio, and has enjoyed working with children, using the Suzuki method to develop musical skills to the very young (starting at three years old). For the past twenty years John has had a piano studio teaching both traditional and Suzuki piano methods, besides his violin/viola students. He has prepared both string and piano students for solo and ensemble festivals, college entrance auditions and student recitals.

Prior to moving to the San Antonio area, Mr. Beard was an Adjunct Instructor of Upper Strings and Orchestra at the University of Wisconsin Marathon County. In Minnesota, he has been an Artist-in-Residence for the St, Francis Music Center, a teacher and coach with the D.C. Youth Orchestra Program, a faculty member at the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Michigan, a private instructor in the Georgetown ISD, a violin/piano instructor at the Northwest School Of music in Austin, violin/piano instructor at the Musical Art Center San Antonio, Texas, and Adjunct Professor at Northeast Lakeview and Northwest Vista Colleges, San Antonio.