About Me
Biography
Hello! My name is Cristian Contreras, welcome and thank you for visiting my website! I was born and raised in Glendora, California just outside of Los Angeles and have been playing viola since the age of 9. My ultimate goal is to better other people’s lives through music by means of performing and teaching. I have received positions and opportunities to perform with several amazing orchestras including the Fairfax Symphony, Symphony in C, the San Gabriel Valley Symphony, the Colburn Orchestra, the Civic Orchestra of Los Angeles, New West Symphony, the Miami Music Festival, the American Youth Symphony, and the NatIonal Orchestral Institute. In addition to my affinity for performing, I am also a very active teacher. I currently teach private violin and viola lessons at Moonlight Music Academy with students ranging from kindergarten to adult. I am also a Viola Coach for Huntington Middle School in San Marino, CA. I have also had the privilege of teaching at Mike’s Music in Ellicott City, Maryland as well as the Irvine Art and Music Center in Irvine, CA. I have over 8 years of private teaching experience.
I am a recent graduate of the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University holding a Masters in Viola Performance. I also hold a Bachelors in Viola Performance from the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at California State University Long Beach.