Dr. Davis Brooks, violin

Davis Brooks comes from a diverse musical background as soloist, pedagogue, orchestral musician, studio musician, concertmaster on Broadway, conductor, and chamber musician. His teaching experience has included faculty appointments at Baylor University, Wayne State University, the University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire, and Bucknell University, as well as 27 years of maintaining a private studio. He currently is Associate Professor of Violin at Butler University in Indianapolis.

Recently appointed associate concertmaster of the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, Dr. Brooks was a long-time member of the Mostly Mozart Orchestra at Lincoln Center, and the New York Chamber Symphony, which produced over 20 critically-acclaimed recordings during his tenure with them. Dr. Brooks has been concertmaster of the Chamber Orchestra of New England, the Harrisburg Symphony, and the Waco Symphony.

At Yale University, where he received a master's degree in violin performance, Dr. Brooks studied with Broadus Erle and Syoko Aki. His doctorate, also in violin performance, is from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Other important teachers with whom he has worked include Joyce Robbins, George Neikrug, Russell Hatz and Raymond Page; he has studied chamber music with Julius Levine, Josef Gingold, Aldo Parisot, and members of the Tokyo and Guarneri Quartets.

Chamber music is his first love. He is currently a member of the Linden String Quartet, in residence at Christ Church Cathedral on the circle in downtown Indianapolis, as well as the Meridian Piano Trio. He has also been a member of the Commonwealth and Landolfi Quartets, as well as the Essex Piano Trio. In addition, Dr. Brooks's special interests include the performance of music by contemporary composers, as well as performance on original instruments, particularly the music of the Baroque period. He is a founding member of both the Chicago 20th Century Music Ensemble and the Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra, a period instrument ensemble in residence at the University of Indianapolis.

The Music at Butler Jukebox includes performances by Dr. Brooks and other Butler faculty and ensembles.

Email: dbrooks@butler.edu