Ivan Mendoza, viola
Violist Ivan Mendoza hails from Towson, Maryland, and began his studies on the viola at the age of ten. In 2018, Ivan held chamber music fellowships and residencies at Montclair State University, Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance, and Encore Chamber Music. 2019 saw his New York City premiere at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, as part of the Legato Arts Series, where his playing was recognized by the Strad Magazine as “beautiful...with warm sound and much joy”. This was followed by a performance of Felix Mendelssohn’s Octet with the Shanghai Quartet at Long Island University’s Tilles Performing Arts Center. In 2020, Ivan held the viola seat for the Quartet-in-Residence at Shenandoah University where he worked with the chamber music students at the conservatory, as well as a chamber music and orchestral performance residency at Shippensburg University. In addition to being an avid chamber musician, Ivan also performs with the Montclair Orchestra and the New Orchestra of Washington. Ivan is currently on faculty at the Baltimore School of Music and on the viola faculty at Artsahimsa Chamber Music Festival. He received his degree from the John J. Cali School of Music where he was the recipient of the Cali Young Artist Award and the Oscar Ravina Talent Grant. He studied under the tutelage of Honggang Li, Kathryn Lockwood, and Doris Lederer. He is currently based in Baltimore, Maryland, where he lives with his partner and their 50 tropical houseplants.