Zachary Green began playing the viola his sophmore year at Dundee-Crown High School, working hard to make it to ILMEA state for both sophomore and senior years. After graduating in 2006, he took a gap year to study at the Northwestern Music Academy, at Northwestern University, with Stacia Spencer. With her help and instruction, Zach was able to successfully audition to the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University.

 

Zach studied at the CCPA for two and a half years, with his primary instructor Lawrence Neuman of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. While at Roosevelt he studied viola performance and chamber music. Along with Mr. Neuman, Zach’s chamber coaches have included Deborah Sobol, Shmuel Ashkenasi, and Li-Kuo Chang. After two years with the CCPA, Zach was invited for a summer to study at the Cassalmaggiore music festival in Italy with Roger Chase. After leaving the CCPA, Zach went on to study viola performance with Anthony DeVroye of the Avalon String Quartet at Northern Illinois University. At NIU, he continued to study chamber music as well with the help of chamber coaches, Mathias Tacke, Blaise Magniere and Marie Wang. Additionally he served as both section violist and vice principal violist with the LaSalle-Peru Symphony Orchestra, in LaSalle-Peru Illinois. Zach also had the chance to study with Ann Montzka-Smelser for Suzuki certification from Every Child Can to Book 6.

 

Graduating from NIU in 2014, Zach then continued his education in the field of luthiery and repairs studying with Hans Jurgen Nebel, a prodigy in repairs and a pupil of Simon Sacconi of the Wurlitzer Foundation in New York.

 

Currently, Zach is pursuing full-time teaching for Violin and Viola of all ages and skill levels. In addition to teaching he is a member of the Lake Geneva Symphony Orchestra and working towards a Master’s in Viola Performance from NIU.