Fritz Gearhart, Associate Professor
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(541) 346-3886 | gearhart@uoregon.edu
Fritz Gearhart joined the University of Oregon string faculty in 1998, teaching violin and chamber music and performing regularly with the Oregon String Quartet.
The third generation of professional musicians in his family, Gearhart received his master's degree and the prestigious Performer's Certificate from the Eastman School of Music, where he studied with Donald Weilerstein. Gearhart’s earlier studies were at the Hartt School of Music, where he worked with Charles Treger and members of the Emerson Quartet.
Gearhart has performed in major concert halls around the country, including Alice Tully Hall, Carnegie Recital Hall, and the 92nd Street Y, as well as the Terrace Theater at the Kennedy Center. Prior to his appointment at the University of Oregon, Gearhart was first violinist of the Chester String Quartet, which was widely acclaimed by the press and singled out as a highlight of the 1989 American String Quartet Congress. Gearhart has been heard frequently on public radio, including live broadcasts featured on WFMT Chicago, WQXR New York, and NPR’s "Performance Today."
Gearhart has recorded nine compact discs, including The Complete Works for Violin by Robert Casadesus and Oregon Festival of American Music Presents: William Grant Still, released in 2001 and 2002, respectively. All were enthusiastically praised by the press, including Fanfare, American Record Guide, and Strad. Gearhart continues an active performing career around the country. October 26, 2003 marked his sixth appearance in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie since 1998 with pianist John Owings. Most recently, Gearhart worked with the Oregon String Quartet to complete their newest recording: The Oregon String Quartet and All That Jazz, Jazz Influences in the Contemporary American String Quartet, now available on the Koch Entertainment label.
A dedicated music educator, Gearhart has taught at the university level since 1998, including his previous appointments at East Carolina University and Indiana University at South Bend. Gearhart has been a featured clinician at music conventions and workshops for MENC, ASTA, and NSOA, and has presented master classes at music schools all around the country, including Texas Christian University, Boise State University, Ithaca College, Eastman School of Music, and the Hartt School, among many others. In addition to his many performing and teaching activities, Gearhart has appeared as a guest conductor at several string festivals around the country, including South Carolina All-State String Orchestra, Northern Virginia Honors Orchestra, Wyoming String Clinic, and All-City Strings in Salem, OR.
