Basil Vendryes (79-81, 83) (20th year) (Viola, Chamber)  Principal Violist of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra since 1993. He is a former member of the San Francisco Symphony (1982-95), the New York Philharmonic (1984-85) and the Rochester Philharmonic (1979-82). As violist with the Aurora String Quartet (1986-95) Mr. Vendryes performed in New York, London and Tokyo. He currently is on the faculty of the Lamont School of the University of Denver, where he teaches both viola and chamber music. Mr. Vendryes has taught at the San Francisco Conservatory, Summer Music West, and the Raphael Trio Summer Chamber Music workshop. In Denver, he participates in educational programs that bring music to  schools throughout the area. Mr. Vendryes is also the founder/director of the Colorado Young Sinfonia, a chamber orchestra that comprises some of the best young talent in the Denver area. Basil Vendryes was born in 1961 to West Indian parents, and began his musical training in the public schools at the age of eleven. He received scholarships to the Manhattan School and  The Eastman School, where he studied with Sally O’Reilly, Francis Tursi and Heidi Castleman. Mr. Vendryes won prizes in the 1981 American String Teachers Association and 1988 Bruno Giuranna Viola Competitions. He has appeared as soloist with the Colorado, Aurora, Jefferson, Littleton, Lamont Centennial, and Biola Symphonies, Evergreen, Artea and American Chamber Orchestras, Sinfonia San Francisco and the Boulder and  Oakland Youth Symphonies. Festival appearances include Spoleto, Heidelberg, Ouray, Lake Winnepesaukee, Las Vegas, Marin, and the Grand Tetons. He has recorded chamber music for the CRI and Naxos labels. He plays on a fine Italian viola made in 1887 by Carlo Cerruti.