Lisa Zweben is a professional violinist and violist, teacher and conductor and a native of Washington, D.C. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Violin Performance from SUNY College at Purchase, and earned an MM in Violin Performance and Doctor of Musical Arts in Viola Performance from the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. Her DMA essay is a catalogue of compositions for the viola by United States women composers. Following studies with principal teachers Charles and Heidi Castleman, Carol Sindell, and Thomas Moore, Lisa has been a member of many orchestras including the Royal Opera of Ghent, Belgium, the Naples Philharmonic in Naples, Florida, and the Miami City Ballet. Prior to moving back to Portland, Oregon, Lisa lived in Virginia for fifteen years and was active both as a performer and teacher, performing as Assistant Principal viola of the Roanoke Symphony and Principal Viola of Opera Roanoke, teaching private students and coaching chamber music at Washington and Lee University, and serving as an instructor on the faculty of Virginia Tech in Women’s Studies, and teaching a full studio of private violin and viola students. 

 

She is currently the principal viola of the Corvallis-OSU Symphony, concertmaster of the Corvallis Repertory Singers orchestra and a frequent player with the Eugene Symphony and other regional orchestras, in addition to maintaining a studio of private violin and viola students. In an effort to promote strings education in Oregon She served as President of the Oregon chapter of the American Strings Teachers Association for four years. Lisa’s passion for chamber music began when she spent summers during high school and college at the Castleman Quartet Program and she is delighted to now serve on the faculty.