Join us in the gorgeous old church for an evening with Dr. Dominic DeStefano as he introduces the Sassmannshaus Tradition books and method, then mingle for an evening soiree of amazing violin and viola music. This is truly mixing business with pleasure. A great opportunity to participate in professional development and listen to some truly inspiring live music.

Find out more about the Sassmannshaus Tradition here http://www.sassmannshaus.com/index.html

Workshop (45 mins)
Sassmannshas Introduction
Dr. Dominic DeStefano will showcase the newly published 'Sassmannshaus Tradition - Early Start' books for violin, viola and cello. Teachers will be guided through the books on best use and how to get the most out of this popular method. There will be time for questions and comments.

Interval (10 mins)

Concert (45 mins)

Alexandra Hiew, violin. David Dalseno, violin. Dominic DeStefano, viola.

About the Performers

Dr. Dominic DeStefano - Viola

Dominic DeStefano has been featured in performances as a recitalist and chamber musician across North America and Europe, and as an orchestral musician has been a member of the Lucerne Festival Academy Orchestra in Switzerland, and Aspen Chamber Symphony in Colorado. After completing doctoral studies with his long-term mentors, Masao Kawasaki and Catharine Carroll, he joined the viola faculty of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) and became a teaching fellow at the Aspen Music Fesitval and School. Dr. DeStefano teaches viola and chamber music in CCM's Starling Preparatory String Project and is a founding teacher of the internet teaching program ViolinMasterclass Live at VMCLive.org. This summer, Dr. DeStefano makes appearances at the Cincinnati Fringe Festival and makes his Australian debut.

DeStefano has been featured in performances in Italy with members of the Lark Quartet and in Aspen at the Center for Advanced String Quartet Studies and studied chamber music with members of the Juilliard, LaSalle, Manhattan, and Tokyo string quartets. A proponent of new music, he performs many new works, including his own, and he has been featured on the Fresh Ink series in Aspen and the Sonic Explorations series in Cincinnati. Particularly interested in electroacoustic performance, he has worked with Pierre Boulez, IRCAM Paris, and Ensemble Intercontemporain. Current research interests focus on spectral music and the pedagogy of microtonal intonation with a publication forthcoming on the topic. Also interested in arts advocacy and leadership, DeStefano was the General Manager of the 2010 International Viola Congress and is currently Managing Director of Starling Project Foundation, which presents Great Wall International Music Academy.

Alexandra Hiew - Violin

Alexandra Hiew is a former student of Kurt Sassmannshaus and Won-Bin Yim at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), has been a prizewinner in solo and chamber competitions and performed as soloist in Italy, Germany, Australia and the US. She has participated in masterclasses with Dorothy DeLay, Paul Kantor, Felix Andrievsky, and Nelli Scholnikova. As a chamber musician, she has studied with Peter Oundjian, members of the Amernet, Tokyo and American String Quartets. Alexandra has performed extensively as an orchestral musician throughout the US and in Australia, and taken part in the Aspen Music Festival, Ashlawn Opera Festival and the Opera Theatre and Music Festival of Lucca.

Alexandra has been on the faculty of the Music Preparatory Department at Northern Kentucky University and was member of the resident faculty string quartet. Her students have received scholarships to continue their studies at universities and conservatories throughout Ohio. Most recently she accepted the invitation of Kurt Sassmannshaus to join the faculty of ViolinMasterclass Live. She has also been invited to perform a recital in Berlin early next year.

David Dalseno - Violin

David Dalseno began violin lessons at the age of six, completing his AMus at fifteen. David studied with Elizabeth Morgan at the Queensland Conservatorium, graduating with a Bachelor of Music in 2007. A recipient of a Vice-Chancellor’s University String Scholarship at the University of Tasmania, David studied with Jun Yi Ma and Jeremy Williams completing Honours in 2009. In 2010, David studied at the Sydney Conservatorium studying with Alice Waten and Ole Bohn.

David has participated in various programs within the Australian Youth Orchestra; he is a former principal player and has taken part in two international tours, Concertmaster at National Music Camp and Chamber camp. David has also recorded for the Sydney Camerata and Musica Viva. Currently, David is the principal second for the Camerata of St Johns Chamber Orchestra and plays as a casual violinist with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra.