Biography
A graduate of the Juilliard School and Indiana University, violist Craig Bate has appeared as soloist throughout the United States, including a concerto performance in Bloomington, IN, as the winner of Indiana University’s prestigious concerto competition. He was also the Grand Prize Winner at the Gee Viola Competition in Aspen, Colorado. While studying at Juilliard, he was invited to tour Europe and the United States with the Juilliard Orchestra. He was also selected to perform on a nation-wide PBS broadcast for Juilliard’s centennial anniversary.
Since moving to California in 2012, Mr. Bate has dedicated himself to his students and teaching. You may find his students leading some of the top youth orchestras, winning prizes in competitions, or even playing at Carnegie Hall. In the summers, Mr. Bate serves on the faculty of C'est Bon Chamber Music Academy.
Before moving to California, Mr. Bate performed full-time for a living, as a member of the Eykamp String Quartet in residence at the University of Evansville. He also served as Principal Violist of the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra, Owensboro Symphony Orchestra, and Orchestra Kentucky.
Mr. Bate attended the Aspen Music Festival as a fellowship recipient for four years and the New York String Orchestra Seminar, led by Jaime Laredo in Carnegie Hall. At age 17, he won a position with the Madison Symphony Orchestra, where he was offered tenure two years later. Mr. Bate has also served as Principal Violist of the Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra. Other prizes include the Richard Blum Viola Performance Award, Levin Scholarship, MacDowell Scholarship, Civic Music Association Scholarship, and Madison Music Clinic’s Full Tuition Scholarship to University of Wisconsin-Madison.