Daria D’Andrea
Viola
Daria D’Andrea lives in San Francisco where she performs with both ‘period’ and modern ensembles, cutting across stylistic borders from medieval chanson to 21st century tango. Daria is professor of violin, viola and chamber music at the University of San Francisco. As well as playing with the California Symphony, she plays with Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera and the San Francisco Opera Center Orchestra. Daria was a member of the Women’s Philharmonic and retains an interest in advocating for women composers of all eras. As a baroque specialist on violin and viola, Daria performs with period instrument ensembles including Philharmonia Baroque and the American Bach Soloists. Much of her period instrument training was in Europe where she toured extensively, playing viola with the European Union Baroque Orchestra. While living overseas, Daria studied viola in Oxford, England with noted pedagogue Kato Havas. Daria is an alumna of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and Reed College.
Hidden talent
A lifelong horsewoman – I ride horses and recently started learning dressage. Won 2 blue ribbons in my first competition. Wish auditions went like that!
Favorite musical memory
Playing for the Dalai Lama – when he entered the hall at St Ignatius, I could feel the energy rushing in like a wave in front of him as he processed up the aisle. Never felt anything like it before or since.