Jesus Alfonzo
Assistant Professor of Viola, Chamber Music, and Music History
Jesus Alfonzo is Principal Violist of the Flagler Symphony Orchestra and member of the Bach Festival Orchestra in Winter Park. In addition, Dr. Alfonzo conducts the Viola Consort and leads the Viola Clinic at Stetson University. He is a member of the Rios Reyna String Quartet since 1987.
He received a Diploma and Post-Graduate Diploma from the Juilliard School of Music and Master of Music and Doctoral in Musical Arts from the Michigan State University. His viola and chamber music teachers include Margaret Pardee, Robert Dan, Jose Fco. Del Castillo, Bronislaw Gimpel, Joseph Gingold, The Juilliard and the Amadeus String Quartets, Jascha Brodsky, Felix Galimir and Franco Rossi among others.
He has made appearances with orchestras in the United States and South America, and has given recitals and chamber music concerts in Europe, South America and the United States.
Dr. Alfonzo was born in Caracas, Venezuela. He is a founding member of the Venezuelan National System of Youth Orchestras in which he had the opportunity to develop his both teaching and playing skills.In 1980 and 1981, he was principal violist of the Jeunesses Musicales World Orchestra. Later, he became Principal Viola of Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra, a position he held for sixteen years. In addition he had been member of several orchestras in the United States such as Jackson Symphony Orchestra, Lansing Symphony, and Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra among others. In his vast orchestral experience he has worked with distinguished conductors and soloist such as Leonard Bernstein, Maxim Schostakovitch, Zubin Mehta, Serge Baudo, Carlos Chavez, Jerzy Semkov, Eduardo Mata, Carl St. Clair, Claudio Arrau, Joseph Silverstein, Mstislav Rostropovich, Pinchas Zukerman, Yo-Yo Ma, Monserrat Caballe, Jean Pierre Rampal, Yehudi Menuhin, and Henry Szeryng among others celebrities.
His teaches in Venezuela include the Conservatorio de Musica Simon Bolivar, the University of Musical Studies and the Colegio Emil Friedman. He also had taught in Michigan, USA at Lansing Community College and Jackson Symphony Orchestra School of Music.
Dr. Alfonzo holds a large studio of private distinguished students from several counties in Florida.
In 2002, he was nominated Artist in Residence of the Central Florida Youth Artist Orchestra. Since 1998, Dr. Alfonzo is giving an annual series of Master Classes at the Venezuelan National System of Youth Orchestras in Caracas.
Jesus Alfonzo and his wife Naguapi, have two children, Omar and Alejandra.