Dr. Lisa Evans Brooks, Professor of violin
Lisa Evans Brooks is currently Professor of violin at the School
of Music of Butler University after holding previous faculty
appointments at Baylor University, the University of Wisconsin at
Eau Claire, Messiah College, and Dickinson College.
She received both a bachelor's and master's degree in violin
performance in four years from West Virginia University, where she
was a student of Donald Portnoy. While completing her doctorate in
violin performance from the State University of New York at Stony
Brook, she studied with Joyce Robbins, and as a member of the Stony
Brook graduate piano trio, coached extensively with Julius Levine
and Gilbert Kalish. Other important teachers have included Rafael
Bronstein, Ariana Bronne, William DePasquale and Carol Taleff.
As an orchestral musician, Dr. Brooks is currently principal
second violinist of the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra. She was
associate concertmaster of the Waco Symphony and performed with the
Brooklyn Philharmonic, Opera Company of Philadelphia, and
Harrisburg and Reading Symphony Orchestras; she also has toured
nationally with the Pennsylvania Ballet Company. She was an
artist-fellow at the 1984 and 1985 Bach Aria Festivals, and was a
finalist in the 1981 A.S.T.A. National Solo Competition.
In the realm of chamber music, Dr. Brooks is currently a member
of the Linden String Quartet, in residence at Christ Church
Cathedral in downtown Indianapolis. She has been a member of the
Commonwealth and Landolfi String Quartets. She also performs
regularly on baroque violin, and is a founding member of the
Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra, a period instrument ensemble in
residence at the University of Indianapolis. Dr. Brooks also enjoys
performing contemporary music, as well as music by women
composers.
Her interests as an educator range from violin pedagogy to music
appreciation for non-music majors. She is in demand as a clinician
for student musicians and teaching colleagues alike. Recent
lectures and recitals have included presentations for the Indiana
Music Educators Association, the College Music Society's Institute
for Gender and Music and a lecture-recital at a conference
celebrating women in music held at Ohio University in October,
1997. Dr. Brooks is the pre-concert lecturer for the Ensemble Music
Society's series of chamber music concerts. In 2001, she received a
Creative Artist Renewal Fellowship from the Arts Council of
Indianapolis.
(317) 940-9634
lbrooks@butler.edu