Leadership

Philip Lewis is hailed as one of the finest violinists/pedagogues in the United States today. He has been described as a violinist of “Rare excellence—combining sensitivity, virtuosity, warmth, and vitality” (Baltimore Sun). Since 1978, Mr. Lewis has served as professor of violin and chamber music and artist violinist at the University of North Texas (UNT) in Denton, where he continues teaching highly-gifted students. Mr. Lewis has often been a soloist with the University of North Texas Symphony Orchestra, performing concertos by Brahms, Glazunov, Mailman, Mozart, Saint-Saens, Sibelius, Tchaikovsky, and the Ravel Tzigane. Chamber music has always played a large part in Mr. Lewis’ life. He performed in festivals like the New American Music Festival of New York, Aspen Music Festival, Sitka Chamber Music Festival, Juneau Classics and Jazz, Reizeno Muziek Gezelsehap, Grand Canyon Music Festival, Park City Chamber Music, plus festivals in Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. In 1986, he founded Chamber Music International (CMI), considered by many to be one of the finest Chamber Music Series in the world today. Mr. Lewis engages concert and recording artists and top gold medal competition winners from all over Eastern and Western Europe, the Far East, and North and South America to perform with CMI. Mr. Lewis continues to serve as CMI’s Artistic Director. Mr. Lewis is a much sought-after pedagogue. He has given master classes throughout Asia and North America. His former students hold important positions including those of concert master and associate concert master, as well as section positions in orchestras in the US. His former students also hold professorships and artist-in resident status at universities throughout the United States. From 1980-2014, Lewis held the concert master position of the Richardson Symphony Orchestra under Maestro Anshel Brusilow. Mr. Lewis’ early studies were with Eudice Shapiro at the University of Southern California, Ivan Galamian in New York, and Berl Senofsky at the Peabody Conservatory of Music where Mr. Lewis earned his bachelor's and master's degrees, and completed the coursework and required recitals for the doctorate of musical arts under the sponsorship of a Rockefeller Grant. Mr. Lewis performs on a 1733 Sanctus Seraphim violin made in Venice, Italy.