Violin

Chicago College of the Performing Arts at Roosevelt University; Callisto Ensemble

Violinist Stefan Hersh enjoys a varied career, equally at home as a chamber musician, soloist, orchestral musician and teacher. A founding member of the Callisto Ensemble, Hersh is currently on the faculty of the Chicago College of the Performing Arts at Roosevelt University in Chicago. He is known nationally as a guest artist, teacher, lecturer, and performer. Hersh moved to Chicago in 1995 from Minneapolis where he was Principal Second Violin with the Minnesota Orchestra. He was the Second Violinist of the Chicago String Quartet, and a member of the Chicago Chamber Musicians until 2000. Hersh was Associate Professor with De Paul University from 1995-2003.

Mr. Hersh began his career in his native San Francisco Bay Area where he studied at the San Francisco Conservatory with Isidore Tinkleman, David Abel and Camilla Wicks. As a student Hersh attended the Aspen and Tanglewood festivals. Hersh was Concertmaster of the San Franciso Chamber Orchestra from 1985-1989, and founded several chamber music series' in the San Francisco area in the 1980s. In 1989 he joined the Vancouver Symphony as Assistant Concertmaster where he remained until joining the Minnesota Orchestra in 1991.

Stefan Hersh has been heard as a chamber musician nationwide in venues including the Bard, Ravinia, Olympic, Skaneatles, Moab, Taos, Colorado College, Roycroft and Chamber Music West festivals. In 1993 Hersh performed Mozart's Concertone for Two Violins with Violinist Joseph Silverstein and the Minnesota Orchestra. Hersh's 1995 solo performance of Max Bruch's Scottish Fantasy with the Minnesota Orchestra drew critical praise from the press and was featured on national radio broadcasts through Public Radio International.

Stefan Hersh comes from a musical family. Hersh's paternal grandparents were both professional musicians. Recital collaborations between Hersh and his father, pianist Paul Hersh have included complete Beethoven and Brahms Sonata Cycles across the U.S. and lecture/performance residencies at a number of American Universities. Stefan and Paul Hersh have recently completed recordings of Beethoven Sonatas for Violin and Piano.