Monte Belknap

Violin

Sponsored by George and Andrea Pauli

Biography

International violinist, Monte Belknap, is sought after as an artist and pedagogue. After winning the International Starling Violin Competition at the Aspen Music Festival in 1989 Monte studied with world-renowned pedagogues and musicians, Kurt Sassmannshaus, Dorothy DeLay, Tokyo String Quartet, and Beaux Arts Piano Trio. Several of his most recent engagements include collaborating with the New Zealand String Quartet at the 44th International Viola Congress in Wellington, New Zealand, summers performing and teaching at the International Music Festival of the Adriatic in Duino, Italy, judging and performing at the George Enescu International Violin Competition in Senaia, Romania, collaborating at the Barge Music Series in NYC, and solo and chamber performances with the Beethoven Festival in Park City, Utah for over ten years with famed artists such as Jeffrey Solow, Scott Ballentyne, Steve Balderston, Mark Kosower, John Novacek, Denise Djokic, Menahim Pressler, Miriam Fried and many others.

Early in his career he performed as concertmaster of the Illinois Symphony and Chamber Orchestras and taught at Western Illinois University. He is currently enjoying his fifteenth year teaching at Brigham Young University–School of Music where he performs regularly with pianist, Steven Beus and the Deseret String Quartet.

In 2010 he was awarded the “Studio Teacher of the Year” by the Utah State Chapter of the American String Teachers Association. His students have won positions with several major symphonies and are competition and performing around the world.

Monte and his wife are the proud parents of nine children and four grand children.