Our faculty prepares students for a multifaceted career in performance, teaching, and creative entrepreneurship. All three are important. Through personal mentorship, students learn to broaden their horizons, become business savvy, and, of course, hone their craft.

We specialize in the undergraduate music experience. This means you’ll always be taught by professors, never by graduate assistants. When artists like Yo-Yo Ma or the Tokyo Quartet come to Richmond, it’s our undergraduate string players who get to work with them!

Attend a shadow day to spend the day with us, take a lesson, and see what we’re all about. 

Or attend a pre-college event that take place throughout the year. 

Sign up for our mailing list to be notified of VCU string events.

Degrees Offered

Movement within degree programs is flexible. You can enter VCU in one degree track and move to a different one while you are here.

The BM in Music Education is designed for those who plan to teach in a public school setting. The licensure you receive is valid in Virginia and 29 license-reciprocal states. 

The Music Ed program includes classes in performance (lessons, orchestra, chamber music, masterclass), musicianship (theory, aural skills, history, music industry), music education (teaching techniques and methods), and general education requirements. Detailed degree requirements.

The Bachelor of Music in Performance is designed for those who want to become performing musicians. It includes performance classes (lessons, master class, orchestra, chamber music, etc.), musicianship classes (theory, aural skills, history, music industry), electives, and general education requirements. Most performance majors go on to graduate school for further study. Detailed degree requirements.

Performance majors often add minors to increase their earning power (minors, by the way, are declared after you start at VCU). Some popular minors are:

The Media Scoring major prepares you for a dynamic career as a composer for visual media. In addition to taking courses in performance, musicianship, and general education, media scoring majors take courses in composition techniques, digital audio, music production, plus orchestration and arranging. 

For more information, please visit the media scoring page.

The Bachelor of Arts in Music is the most flexible music degree as it includes 30 open electives. Students tailor the degree to match their career goals.  The degree includes 60 credits of core music (lessons, master class, orchestra, chamber music, theory, music history, etc.), 30 general education requirements, and 30 open electives. Detailed degree requirements.

Bachelor of Arts in Music majors are often interested in working in the broader music industry—retail, arts management, studio work, etc. BA majors commonly add minors to further career goals. We also have many BA students who complete a pre-med sequence. Some popular minors are:

Strings and Harp Audition Requirements

For detailed information about auditions, visit the auditions page.
Audition Requirements

Strings and Harp Faculty Members

Susanna Klein (violin, area coordinator)              

Anna Williams (violin)                

 Stephen Schmidt (viola)           

 Danielle Wiebe (viola)               

 Dana McComb (cello)                 

Ayca Kartari (bass)                          

Anastasia Jellison (harp)           

Daniel Myssyk (orchestra) 

Sandy Goldie (music education) 

Opportunities for Strings and Harp Students

Richmond is a thriving musical city that inspires students and nurtures talent—every single day. VCU string players gig on the weekends, and by the time they are upperclassmen, many are teaching private lessons at one of the many area music schools near the campus.

Internship opportunities are only blocks away. VCU string students have interned with the Richmond Symphony, the Richmond Youth Orchestra, the Atlantic Chamber Ensemble, and the Virginia Film Office.

The Rennolds Concerts, the premiere chamber music series in Richmond, plays at VCU, and our students receive free tickets!

Guest Artists

  • Xavier Foley, bass (International Artist)
  • Bonnie Hampton, Cello (Juilliard School)
  • Tokyo String Quartet (International Artists)
  • Jennifer Koh, Violin (International Artist)
  • Lilac 94 Harp Duo
  • Roberto Diaz, Viola (President of Curtis Institute)
  • Elizabeth Atkins, Violin (National Symphony)
  • Ira Gold, Bass (National Symphony, Peabody Conservatory)
  • Peter Wispelwey, cello (International Artist)
  • Rachel Barton Pine, Violin (International Artist)
  • Escher Quartet (International Artists)
  • Brooklyn Rider (International Artists, State University of New York)
  • Zuill Bailey, Cello (International Artist, University of Texas at El Paso)
  • Lawrence Dutton, Viola (Emerson Quartet, Manhattan School of Music)

  • Paul Watkins, cello
  • Catalyst Quartet
  • Dover Quartet
  • Inmo Yang, violin
  • Lara St. John, violin
  • Cuarteto Latinoamericano
  • Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center Attacca Quartet
  • Laredo-Robinson Duo
  • Anne Akiko Meyers, violin
  • Joshua Roman, cello
  • Miro Quartet
  • Emerson Quartet

Ready to apply?

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