Short Bio

Violinist Elbert Tsai leads a multifaceted career as a soloist, chamber musician, and sought-after pedagogue. He currently serves on the violin faculty of the San Francisco Conservatory Pre-College as well as Center Stage Strings at the University of Michigan School of Music. Guest faculty appointments include the Oberlin Conservatory and SFCM Collegiate Division. His students have competed at the Menuhin Competition, won awards from the YoungArts Foundation, and are regularly accepted to “From the Top,” Music@Menlo, NYO-USA, NYO2, and Morningside Music Bridge. Elbert maintains an active performing schedule as violinist of the Verve Trio, and his recitals having been featured recently at the Colburn School for the Performing Arts, Three Rivers Performing Arts Institute, and Bridges Hall at Pomona College. Early in his professional career, Elbert won positions with the San Francisco Ballet and San Francisco Symphony orchestras, touring with the symphony throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia.  He holds degrees from the University of Southern California, Rice University, and Oberlin College. For more information, please visit www.elberttsai.com.

Medium Bio

Violinist Elbert Tsai leads a multifaceted career as a soloist, chamber musician, and sought-after pedagogue. Widely praised as a teacher and educator, Elbert serves as a faculty member of the San Francisco Conservatory Pre-College as well as Center Stage Strings at the University of Michigan School of Music. Guest faculty appointments include the Oberlin Conservatory and SFCM Collegiate Division, and he previously taught at the Luzerne Music Center and Crowden School. His students have competed at the Menuhin Competition, won awards from the YoungArts Foundation, and are regularly accepted to “From the Top,” Music@Menlo, NYO-USA, NYO2, Bowdoin Festival, and Morningside Music Bridge.

Elbert maintains an active performing schedule which includes chamber music, recital, and concerto engagements. He is the violinist and founding member of the Verve Trio, and his solo recital programs have been featured recently at the Colburn School for the Performing Arts, Three Rivers Performing Arts Institute, and Bridges Hall at Pomona College. As a soloist, Elbert has appeared with the Bear Valley Music Festival, Cambrian Symphony, National Repertory Orchestra, and Sacramento Symphony, often performing concertos with his own original cadenzas. Early in his professional career, Elbert won positions with the San Francisco Ballet and San Francisco Symphony orchestras, subsequently touring to internationally-renowned concert halls including the Berlin Philharmonie, Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Carnegie Hall, and Royal Albert Hall in London.

Originally from the Bay Area, Elbert holds degrees from the University of Southern California, Rice University, and Oberlin College, where he majored in violin and computer science and completed a minor in piano performance. His principal teachers and musical mentors include Robert Lipsett, Paul Kantor, Greg Fulkerson, Ken Goldsmith, Anne Crowden, Joel Smirnoff, and Paul Katz.

Elbert performs on an outstanding violin made by Jean Baptiste Vuillaume, the “ex-Sophie Hummler.” For more information, please visit www.elberttsai.com.