About
Philip Oja
Philip Oja has had an extensive performance career as an orchestral violinist and chamber ensemble musician. He has performed with symphonies across the country, including the Austin Symphony Orchestra, the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra, the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra, the Wichita Symphony Orchestra, the Amarillo Symphony Orchestra, the Battle Creek Symphony Orchestra, and various others.
As a chamber ensemble violinist, he has performed with numerous string quartet groups, and has been invited to serve as an ensemble coach and artist in residence for festivals and workshops, including the Classical Music Festival in Eisenstadt, Austria. He has also performed in public master classes for many renowned string quartets, including the Tokyo String Quartet, the Julliard String Quartet, the Belcea String Quartet, the Pacifica String Quartet, and the Miro String Quartet.
Mr. Oja received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Violin Performance from Irvine S. Gilmore School of Music and Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts teachers, where he studied with International Stulberg String Competition medalist, Hal Grossman. During his study, Philip served as the School of Music Symphony Concertmaster, and as an assistant violin instructor.
Mr. Oja’s teachers also included Jacob Robbins and Bruce Smith. These violinists were highly acclaimed students of Mischa Mischakoff, Dorothy DeLay, and Erick Friedman, the star protégé of Jascha Heifetz. Philip Oja's technical instruction is especially influenced by Jascha Heifetz, as one of his primary teachers was Eric Friedman’s teaching assistant for several years.
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Mr. Oja has been teaching for over fifteen years. He has served as the Vice President of the Durham Music Teacher Association, an affiliate of Music Teachers National Association, is an active American String Teachers Association Member, and has taught, and given masterclasses at music festivals and workshops around the country.
Teaching
Methodology
Mr. Oja’s instructional approach involves a fine-tuned balance of enjoyment and effort tailored to the student. Every student is a profoundly unique individual, and careful consideration is given to each one, and their varying ages, levels, maturity, interests, personality, and goals. When a student is motivated with proper care and sensitivity, they can then successfully and happily grow into the violinist and musician they have the potential to be. And that journey is an exciting and rewarding one for both student and teacher.
Students learn not only the joy of making beautiful music, but also the excitement of mastering a challenging musical passage, the thrill of giving a successful live performance, and the satisfaction of self-growth. The growth of the individual student can be felt and seen in a multitude of ways across their lives, and the skills and lessons learned are applicable to much more than the beautiful music they create.
