Viola Bootcamp

Dr. Patrick LeStrange is a sought-after educator and musician in the Washington, D.C. area, where he currently serves as a Viola and Violin Teaching Artist at the Mason Community Arts Academy. Patrick has studied at the Peabody Conservatory (BM), as well as L’Université de Montréal (MM, DMA). His primary teachers have included Victoria Chiang, Jutta Puchhammer- Sédillot, and pedagogy studies with Rebecca Henry. During the summer months, Dr. LeStrange has served on the faculties of the MCAA Chamber Music Intensive, Ovations Summer Strings, Violin/ Viola Bootcamp at the Academy, the Summer Music Institute Ithaca College, and the NY ASTA String Institute at Ithaca College. In addition to his work with MCAA, Dr. LeStrange is currently serving as Strings Department Chair at Levine Music, Washington, D.C.

An avid chamber musician, Dr. LeStrange has performed in concert venues throughout the United States and Canada. He is a current member of the Washington Chamber Orchestra, where he frequently serves as Principal Violist. He is often heard in concerts and recitals at George Mason, performing with faculty members of the Academy and the University.

Professional violist Elizabeth O’Hara Stahr is passionate about the future of classical music, the
wellbeing of its musicians, and the ensured opportunities of music education for all. In late 2020, Elizabeth launched ViolaCentric, a podcast and concert series with duo partner and fellow violist Stephanie Knutsen. A strong advocate of music education, she is the artistic director of a
competitive youth chamber music program for musicians in grades 8-12. Elizabeth also operates
a boutique private viola studio. Her students have been participants at summer academies
including Interlochen and Meadowmount, and have also gone on to pursue music degrees at
universities such as Vanderbilt and Carnegie Mellon University. She has extensive experience
performing chamber music as a founding member of multiple professional ensembles, namely
the 9th Street Quartet based in Northern Virginia. An active orchestral violist as well, Elizabeth
performs regularly with several ensembles, including the American Pops Orchestra, Harrisburg
Symphony Orchestra, Maryland Lyric Opera, National Philharmonic, and Richmond Symphony
Orchestra.

A native of central Pennsylvania, Elizabeth has music degrees from Temple University and The
Catholic University of America. Elizabeth and her husband Matthew have been proud residents
of Arlington, VA for twelve years with their two cats, Bo and Lane.

Susanna Klein is Associate Professor of Violin and Coordinator of Strings at her alma mater, Virginia Commonwealth University. Originally from Stuttgart, Germany, she has enjoyed a varied career as a violinist, educator and innovator. She has performed in orchestra and chamber music settings in Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy and Israel,as well as throughout the United States. A self-described practice maven, Ms. Klein researches technology and musician’s practice habits. She is the author of the acclaimed Practizma Practice Journal. In 2017 her work was funded through a VCU Presidential Grant, the University’s most prestigious research award. Ms. Klein regularly presents workshops on injury prevention, tech-informed practice and practice psychology at Colleges and conferences. Her work has been featured in The Strad, Strings Magazine, Instrumentalist Magazine, Chamber Music America Magazine, and on National Geographic Instagram. She is the creator of the Clipza App and the Practice Blitz YouTube Channel. You can look up her practice tips at practizma.com.

Lillian Green has taught private students for over two decades, with ages ranging from four to ninety-four, and levels from beginners to college music majors. Her experience has included positions with Friends University and Bethany College in Kansas, the Montverde Academy Music Conservatory in Florida, the University of Delaware Community Music School in Delaware, Orfeo Music Festival in Italy, and more. Dr. Green’s students have won positions in honor ensembles, universities, and graduate programs, and have gone on to everything from forming garage bands, to playing in community orchestras, to successful professional careers in music.

In addition to teaching at the Academy, Dr. Green also teaches for the Fairfax County Public Schools and maintains an active performing profile; she has played solo, chamber, and orchestral music across the United States as well as in Thailand, Malaysia, Germany, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Italy, and the Netherlands. Her musical interests also include alternative styles such as jazz, bluegrass, old-time, and more; in 2023 she will return to Germany and Belgium with the Miltenberger Jazz Ensemble.

Dr. Green completed a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from West Virginia University, a Master of Music in Viola Performance from the University of Delaware, and a Master of Music in Music Theory Pedagogy and Doctor of Musical Arts in Viola Performance from the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University. Her teachers included Victoria Chiang, Andrea Priester Houde, Laura Kobayashi (violin), and James Miltenberger (piano).