Viola Szakony

Violin

Viola Szakony holds a Bachelor of Music in Performance from the University of Ottawa, where she studied under Michael van der Sloot. She is currently studying at the University of Toronto, under Theresa Rudolph, pursuing a Master of Music Performance. She is a passionate violist with a strong background in orchestral, chamber, and improvisatory music. She is also apart of the jazz-improv trio, Echoes of Passion with Yves Laroche and Alireza Tarviji. She also previously served as the conductor of the Women’s Choir at Notre Dame Cathedral.

Viola’s music training started with Cantaré Children’s Choir, conducted and directed by Catherine Glaser-Climie, in Calgary Alberta. Soon after, she started violin lessons with Aranka Nagy. She trained under Theresa Plotnick for the viola, and had numerous experiences with the Calgary Youth Orchestra, Calgary Opera, and the Calgary Philharmonic. She has had the honour of learning from Nick Pulos, Chris Sandvoss, Edmond Agopian, Dan Scholz, Jeremy Bauman, and many others.  

In addition to her classical training, Viola has a deep love for improvisation and believes it plays a vital role in the development of all musicians. She brings this philosophy into her teaching by encouraging creativity, exploration, and personal expression alongside solid technical foundations.

Viola specializes in classical violin/viola and enjoys incorporating elements of folk and contemporary styles to suit each student’s goals and interests. Her teaching approach is supportive, student-centered, and adaptable to the individual needs and goals of each learner. Whether working towards exams or playing for personal enjoyment, she helps students grow in confidence, musicality, and creativity.