Praised for his projecting and accurate tone, violist, Nathan Theodore studied with Mariana Green Hill, Dubravka (Dubi) Moshfegh, and Michael Zaretsky of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. At the New England Conservatory (NEC), he earned a level III Certificate with honors and was a semifinalist in the 2017 NEC Concerto Competition. That same year, at the age of 13, Nathan auditioned into Benjamin Zander’s world-renown Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra (BPYO) and has toured throughout Europe, Brazil, and Greece.
Nathan has performed in various masterclasses and recitals including a performance for Rebecca Young, Associate Principal viola of the New York Philharmonic. As a 9th-grader, he participated in the Massachusetts Music Educators Association (MMEA) Eastern District Senior Festival Orchestra and All-State Festival Orchestra. He also auditioned into BEAM (Bridge to Equity and Achievement in Music), Boston University Tanglewood Institute (BUTI), and was the violist for STEP’s Honor’s Quartet for four years.
As a student mentor, Nathan helped younger students develop musical and theory skills. He was awarded the 2019 Arthur Kravitz Scholar award “for one advanced Project STEP student … based upon: Merit … Dedication … Community Involvement.” and the 2021 George James Webb Scholar award for “demonstrated progress, dedication, and commitment…”. In 2022, through STEP’s partnership with Ashmont Hill Chamber Music, Nathan collaborated and performed in concert with renowned professional violinist and Itzhak Perlman protégé, Randall Goosby. This performance was well received and reviewed by Lee Eiseman* publisher of the Boston Musical Intelligencer and by A.Z. Madonna** for the Boston Globe.
Nathan joined Project STEP through the Kindergarten FOCUS program in 2010. He is currently a senior attending the University of Notre Dame on a full scholarship studying Chemical Engineering and is principal violist of the University’s Symphony Orchestra.
*“… [V]iolist Nathan Theodore, a shining example of the Project Step-Ashmont Hill partnership, had joined Goosby in the Rondeau from Mozart’s Duet No. 1 in G Major for violin and viola.” “Without any shyness he stood his ground with Goosby, exchanging fire and dominance as Mozart required. His tone projected well and accurately, but beyond that, his show of confidence and engagement beyond his years gave great pleasure to his many rooters. His instrument spoke quickly and sweetly as he aligned perfectly with the Strad-wielding Goosby, and he never less than held his own.”
**“… High School senior and violist Nathan Theodore acquitted himself finely alongside Goosby in a movement of a Mozart duet.”
Photo by Matthew Muise 2022
