Danielle Belen
Recently appointed as Associate Professor at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre and Dance in Ann Arbor, Danielle Belen is already making a name for herself as a seasoned pedagogue with a strong studio of young artists. As part of the violin faculty at The Colburn School in Los Angeles, California, her students have won major prizes in national and international competitions including the Menuhin, Stulberg and Klein competitions, as well as being accepted into major conservatories and universities across the country.
Winner of the 2008 Sphinx Competition, Ms. Belen has appeared as a soloist with major symphonies across the U.S., including the Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Nashville and San Francisco Symphonies, the Boston Pops, and the Florida and Cleveland Orchestras. Zachary Lewis from the Cleveland Plain Dealer wrote "Violinist Danielle Belen... captivated every ear with an assured, impassioned performance of Ravel's "Tzigane," knocking off the daunting showpiece as if it were a trifle."
She has recently enjoyed working with conductors such as Franz Welser-Mostt, Robert Spano, Keith Lockhart, Yehuda Gilad and Carl St. Clair. Ms. Belen released her debut Naxos recording of works by living composer Lawrence Dillon in 2009 to much acclaim. Soon after, she commissioned "Multiplicity", a piece by Dillon for six virtuoso violins which was premiered along with her students at The Colburn School.
In 2010, Ms. Belen founded Center Stage Strings, a summer camp and performance festival for gifted young musicians in California. After gaining national attention, CSS has since moved to the campus of The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. It has attracted students and seasoned artists from around the world, including Lynn Harrell, James Ehnes, Arnold Steinhardt, Simone Porter, Sarah Chang and Stefan Jackiw.
In 2015, Ms Belen received a Sphinx Medal of Excellence, awarding her a $50,000 career grant and the opportunity to perform at the U.S. Supreme Court. She then used that prize money to jumpstart a successful matching campaign for Center Stage Strings later that year, resulting in over $100,000 towards scholarships. Ms. Belen plays on a violin made in Mantua, Italy by Stefano Scarampella.