Quyen Nguyen

Quyen Nguyen brings a wealth of performing experience into her teaching studio and has enjoyed a versatile and varied career as a soloist, chamber musician, orchestral player, and educator. She has concertized all over Europe and the United States, won numerous awards in local, state, and national competitions, and has had the honor of representing the US in international competitions.

As a soloist, Ms. Nguyen has been described as a “gifted interpreter” as well as “a performer who commands the stage”. In 1999, she made her solo viola debut with both the Young Artists Symphony and the Mount Carmel Symphony Orchestra playing Stamitz’s Concerto in D for viola and orchestra. In 2006, she was handpicked by composer Douglas Pipes to be the viola soloist for Columbia Pictures’ soundtrack of the movie “Monster House”. An avid supporter of contemporary music, she has premiered several works written expressly for her by composers Douglas Pipes, Juan Martin Gendelman, Brandon Moore, Alfred Surenyan, and Dan Graziani.

A highly acclaimed chamber musician, Ms. Nguyen has been a founding member of the Velvet String Quartet, the Acht Stucke Trio, and the Goldberg Quartet - the latter of which was personally invited by the Alexander String Quartet to participate in the prestigious Yehudi Menuhin Chamber Music Festival. Additionally, she has had the privilege of studying chamber music with the Cypress String Quartet, Jupiter Trio, Halcyon Trio, and members of the Berlin Philharmonic. An alumna of California State University - Northridge and San Diego State University, her mentors have included Chi-Yuan Chen, Keith Greene, Diane Roscetti, Robyn Glasson, Rebekah Campbell, and Warren Torns.

As an orchestral player, Ms. Nguyen has taken posts as principal violist with the Poway Symphony Orchestra, National Honors Orchestra, Northridge Symphony, University of San Diego Symphony Orchestra, California “All-State” Orchestra, Young Artists Symphony, and Civic Youth Orchestra. She has also played section viola with the La Jolla Symphony, American Youth Symphony, and Debut Orchestra.

A devoted music educator, Ms. Nguyen is a dynamic instructor who is highly involved in music education circles. She has served as Director of Strings at the Seoul School of Music, Director of Piano & Strings at Vibe Performing Arts Studios in Los Angeles, Associate Dean at the San Diego Institute of Music, and Music Producer at 500 Fingers Productions. She has also conducted clinics and masterclasses for the Kadima Conservatory Philharmonic and the Northridge Youth Philharmonic, as well as guest lectured at California State University - Northridge and San Diego State University. Currently, she serves as the President-Elect for the California Chapter of the American String Teachers’ Association, as well as the Past President & Treasurer of the CalASTA San Diego Section.

Ms. Nguyen has sent students on to study at Juilliard and the Colburn School with the likes of Itzhak Perlman and other eminent pedagogues. During her sabbatical in 2015, she created and developed three comprehensive graded curriculums for violin, viola, and cello, which are now being used internationally at the Royal School of Music in Kuwait. In addition to music, she enjoys writing, cooking, meditating, and martial arts. She takes great pride in teaching music and looks forward to bringing the joy of music into the lives of her students each day.