ENSEMBLES 2024

Siskiyou Violins

Siskiyou Violins: Nurturing excellence in life through excellence in music! Siskiyou Violins began as a small group of advanced violin students from Faina Podolnaya’s Ashland, Oregon music studio. Under Ms Podolnaya’s direction, they quickly progressed from playing occasional ensemble pieces at student recitals to earning all gold medals at their first international competition at Carnegie Hall in 2005. Since then, the group has returned numerous times to perform at Carnegie Hall as well as Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, each time earning the highest marks from judges. Siskiyou Violins has performed at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s Green Show, Jacksonville’s Britt Festival, and various other West Coast venues in the US. Siskiyou Violins also serves the local community, giving concerts at retirement homes, care facilities, churches, and other settings, including charity concerts raising funds for philanthropic purposes. Siskiyou Violins is a nonprofit organization that enables students to pursue their passion for the violin through inspired teaching, high expectations, self-discipline, and appreciative recognition. Siskiyou Violins believes that music education is one of the most valuable gifts children can receive. One former student recently wrote that “Siskiyou Violins was a core part of life growing up… thank you to Faina Podolnaya for giving us all a lifelong love of music that follows us wherever we go!” A number of former students have gone on to pursue advanced degrees and careers in music. Siskiyou Violins’ purpose and passion are to educate and inspire young musicians to seek excellence.

Faina Podolnaya

Conductor

Founder and Artistic Director of Siskiyou Violins Born in a small village in Ukraine, Ms Podolnaya later moved to Kazakhstan, where she earned a Master’s Degree in Music Teaching and Performance from Kazakhstan State Conservatory. She became a violin teacher at the Music College for Gifted Children in Almaty State in the former Soviet Republic of Kazakhstan and was dean of the strings department at the Prokofiev Music School. In 1999, Ms Podolnaya moved to the United States, where she established her music studio in Ashland, Oregon. Since then, she has followed her heart and centered her life around teaching violin and sharing her passion for music. Ms Podolnaya served as the associate conductor of the Youth Symphony of Southern Oregon for many years and taught at Southern Oregon University and at Oregon State University’s Chamber Music Workshops. In recognition of Ms Podolnaya’s exceptional contributions to the arts in Southern Oregon, a US flag was raised and flown in her honor over the US Capitol in Washington, DC. As the founder and director of Siskiyou Violins, Ms Podolnaya has led the group in numerous gold-medal performances at international festivals at Carnegie Hall and Walt Disney Concert Hall. At one of these, Siskiyou Violins was awarded the highest score in the history of the festival, “with their artistry, musicality, impeccable intonation, amazing sound, [and] passion.” Ms Podolnaya is consistently commended for her artistry as well as her love and devotion to her students, and her students reflect that love and devotion back to her.

Competition Program

Additional Concerts Program