Faythe Vollrath, keyboardist, is actively heard as a soloist and chamber musician throughout the United States. Hailed by the Wall Street Journal for her “subtly varied tempo and rhythm that sounds like breathing,” her solo performances include venues such as MusicSources in Berkeley, CA, Gothem Early Music in New York City, and the National Museum of Music in Vermillion, SD. Enamored with the contrast of contemporary music written for historic instruments, Faythe has performed concerts of new music in both Serbia and France, introducing new American composers to the audience. Faythe received her doctoral diploma from SUNY-Stony Brook under Arthur Haas, and artist diploma from the U of I Urbana-Champaign under Charlotte Mattax Moersch. She earned her Bachelors of Music in Piano Performance from CSU-Sacramento while studying piano with Richard Cionco. She currently teaches harpsichord, organ, and chamber music at UC Davis, as well as maintaining a private harpsichord studio.

Music is an art that can not only be learned from a book. It is a living, changing entity that grows from the interaction and exchange of ideas. As a teacher I expand, grow and teach music on many different and exciting levels. It is this valuable opportunity that calls me to teaching, because I gain new perspectives on music through learning and mutual discussions with students. As a teacher, the student will leave with an understanding of foundational concepts, as well as in-depth study into those classes that focus on a particular subject.

As a teacher, I feel the student benefits best from a well-rounded approach to music, one that looks at not only the music itself, but the cultural and historical setting around it. It is my experience that cultural and historical knowledge in addition to the music helps deepen the student’s interest and growth in the subject. I teach with a mixture of techniques, because every student learns in a different way. I want every student comfortable in lessons, and learning in a way that best serves them. No matter what the class, students should leave at the with deeper insight into music and the desire to continue discovering more.