Willamette Violin Academy Workshop

April 13–14 2024 — 1390 Pearl Street — Eugene, Oregon

Guest Artist Faculty

Chantel Charis

Chantel Davis received their Bachelor of Music and Performer’s Certificate in violin performance from Northern Illinois University with Mathias Tacke and their Master of Music at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music with Cordula Merks and Kay Stern. This fall, Chantel is beginning their Doctor of Musical Arts program at the University of Wisconsin, Madison at the Mead Witter School of Music with Dawn Dongeun Wohn and as part of the Rabin String Quartet, the graduate quartet in residence. As a certified Suzuki instructor through violin book 4, Chantel has taught through the Northern Illinois University Community School of the Arts and Cambridge Studios, as well as independently. Currently, they are teaching at The Music Academy in Rockford, IL as well as University of Wisconsin Madison School of Music Community Music Lessons. Recent accomplishments include winning the concerto competition at NIU in 2021 and their quartet, Esoteric Ensemble being selected as artist in residence at the Icicle Creek Chamber Music Festival in Leavenworth, WA in summer 2021. 

Outside of the practice room, Chantel enjoys writing their own music as well as spending time outdoors with their partner, Ari and border collie, Islay.

Lionel Thomas

Lionel Thomas currently resides in Wilmington, Delaware where he teaches violin and viola as Suzuki Academy Associate Department Head at the Music School of Delaware and is violinist with the Nagoya String Quartet. Mr. Thomas also teaches music courses as Associate Adjunct Professor at Delaware State University. 

Prior teaching appointments include Bermuda School of Music, University of Oregon Community Music Institute, and Temple Music Prep.

Educational background includes two years of doctoral studies at University of Oregon as a graduate teaching fellow, Master of Music degree in performance from University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and Bachelor of Music degrees cum laude in violin performance and music education from University of Oregon School of Music and Dance.

Principal teachers include Kathryn Lucktenberg, Kurt Sassmannshaus, Marc Rovetti, and Fritz Gearhart.

In past summers Mr. Thomas attended Aspen Music Festivals as a scholarship student. He was also a recipient of an American Suzuki Institute Shinichi Suzuki Teacher Trainer Scholarship. 

As a performer, Mr. Thomas currently plays with Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra and has been a member of the Mann Center Festival Orchestra, Oregon Mozart Players, and other professional ensembles. A recent performance highlight occurred in the spring of 2022 when Mr. Thomas performed at Carnegie Hall with the Gateways Music Festival Orchestra and Jon Batiste.

Mr. Thomas has a strong passion for teaching and is committed to achieving optimal results in his students while nurturing a sense of appreciation and joy for music. Mr. Thomas’s Suzuki students range in age from 4 years old to 16 years old. Mr. Thomas has helped students win top prizes in the International Oskar Rieding and Music School of Delaware Concerto Competitions, acceptance into National Youth Orchestra 2, Princeton University Orchestra, and the Seattle Philharmonic, in addition to many other honors. Students who have worked with Mr. Thomas have been recognized by the Royal Conservatory of Music, and performed at prestigious venues such as Weill Hall in New York City.

Reading, running, and long walks with his pugs, Reine and Joey, are a few of Lionel’s spare time activities. He has completed three half marathons and one day hopes to run a full marathon.