Caroline Coade – Viola, University of Michigan and The Detroit Symphony Orchestra

American violist Caroline Coade is a passionate educator who was named Assistant Professor
of Viola at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre, and Dance (SMTD) in 2016. Her
prize-winning students include the 2019 Sphinx Competition 3rd prize winner, a 2019 Lionel
Tertis International Viola Competition semi-finalist, the top prizewinner of the Society of Musical
Arts 2019 Young Artist Competition,and a finalist of the 2018 Anton Rubinstein International
Viola Competition. Previously, she was a Lecturer in Viola at SMTD since 2005 and was Adjunct
Professor of Viola at Detroit’s Wayne State University from 1998-2015. Equally at home
performing on the concert stage as she is teaching, Ms. Coade is the 3rd chair violist with the
Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and was the Acting Assistant Principal Violist of the DSO for
2013-2016 seasons. Prior to her appointment with the DSO, Ms. Coade performed with the
Philadelphia Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic. She has also held positions with
Concerto Soloists Chamber Orchestra (Philadelphia) and the opera companies of Philadelphia
and Santa Fe.

As a judge, Ms. Coade was one of nine international adjudicators for the live rounds of the
Primrose International Viola Competition in 2014. In 2018, she was one of five judges for the
prescreen round of the Primrose Competition. Continuing her advocacy for the arts and
education, Ms. Coade spends her summers as artist faculty at summer music festivals. She has
been artist faculty at Center Stage Strings/MPulse Institute at the University of Michigan for
summers 2016-2019. She is artist faculty at the Hilton Head Chamber Music Institute in South
Carolina since Summer 2018. For Summer 2019, Ms. Coade will join the faculty of Green
Mountain Chamber Music Festival in VT. Previous artist faculty roles include the Chautauqua
Institution Music Festival in New York (summers 2012-15), the Bowdoin International Music
Festival in Maine (summers 2012-15) and at the National Music Festival in Chestertown, MD
(summers 2011-13).

Ms. Coade has given master classes at the Oberlin Conservatory (OH), Boston University (MA),
Longy School of Music (MA), Baylor University (TX), and Colburn Conservatory (CA). Her
students have won coveted spots in the major music schools including The Curtis Institute of
Music, The Juilliard School, Rice University, Indiana University, Oberlin Conservatory, Boston
University, Cleveland Institute of Music, University of Michigan, New England Conservatory, and
Yale University.

In 2016, Ms. Coade was named the Artistic Director for WRCJ 90.9FM Classical Brunch
chamber music series at the Community House in Birmingham, MI. In this role, Ms. Coade
curates the programs, does radio voice over work to advertise the series, and performs. She
regularly plays chamber music with her colleagues at the Detroit Symphony and the University
of Michigan, and with her colleagues at summer music festivals. Ms. Coade has performed at
the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival (MI), Laurel Festival of the Arts (PA), and the Marlboro
Music Festival (VT). As violist with the Woodland Trio (flute, viola, harp), she concertized around
the U.S, Canada, and at the Printemps Musicale des Alizes of Morocco.
A San Diego native, Ms. Coade began taking Suzuki violin lessons at age 6 and switched to the
viola at age 14. She graduated from the Interlochen Arts Academy (MI) and went on to receive a
bachelor of music degree from the Oberlin Conservatory, an artist diploma from The Curtis
Institute of Music, and a master of music degree from The Juilliard School. Her principal
teachers include Karen Tuttle, Joyce Robbins, Jeffrey Irvine, David Takeno, David Holland, and
Eugene Becker.

Ms. Coade plays on a Domenico Busan viola c. 1750 on generous loan from The Mandell
Collection of Southern California.

Education
BM – Oberlin Conservatory
Artist Diploma – The Curtis Institute of Music
MM – The Juilliard School