Wayne Brooks, Viola

Wayne Brooks is the Principal Violist of the Houston Symphony. Born in Los Angeles, Mr. Brooks joined the orchestra as Associate Principal Violist after graduating from the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. In 1985 he won the position of Principal Viola. In February 2002 he commemorated his 25th season with the Houston Symphony, performing Berlioz’ Harold in Italy with Christoph Eschenbach and the HSO.

In addition to appearances as soloist with the Houston Symphony, Mr. Brooks has appeared in chamber music performances with Joseph Silverstein, Lynn Harrell, Yefim Bronfman, Garrick Ohlsson, and Christoph Eschenbach. He has participated in concerts of contemporary chamber music in the Houston Symphony’s INNOVA series, in performances with Da Camera of Houston, and in chamber music festivals in Craftsbury, Vermont, and Lake City, Colorado. Since 1993 he has been the violist of the Houston Symphony Chamber Players, serving on the faculty of Japan’s Pacific Music Festival, and touring Japan (1993, 1994 and 1995) and Europe (1994 and 1997). He has also appeared at Chicago’s Ravinia Festival in 1996 and 1997. With the Houston Symphony Chamber Players he has recorded works of Webern and Berg. In 1995 Mr. Brooks gave the Houston premiere of Alfred Schnittke’s Viola Concerto with Christoph Eschenbach and the Houston Symphony.

He served as an Associate Professor of Viola at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University from 1985 through 2001, where he taught both solo repertoire and classes focusing on the study of orchestral repertoire. He currently teaches at the Moores School of Music, the University of Houston.