Il Segreto String Quartet |
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Detroit’s Classical—Punk Rock String Quartet |
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Joseph McGraw |
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Joseph McGraw - Viola, Metal Viola, Guitar
Joseph C. McGraw grew up in the Detroit area, where he was raised by a family that taught him to love music from an early age. His first formal musical training came in the fourth grade when he learned to play the viola in his elementary school string program. At age thirteen he took up the guitar, inspired to play by the rock and roll anthems that his father played for him. In his middle school and high school years, Joe was able to perform with his orchestra in several world class musical centers, such as Chicago, St. Louis, Nashville, Vienna, Paris and London. He performed in the pit orchestra for several musical productions. Joe wrote his first chamber work at the age of seventeen. His trio "Alpena", for violin, viola, and string bass, was first performed in May of 1994.
Joe continued his musical studies at the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Music and Anthropology. It was at this time that he began to explore and perform the music of different world cultures. Joe played the guitar, vihuela and sang in El Mariachi Michicano, where he performed several concerts around the area. Joe was also a dedicated member of the Javanese Gamelan ensemble at the University of Michigan for five years. This experience enlightened him to the traditions of Eastern music, which had a profound impact on his future studies. With the Gamelan, he performed at such venues as Hill Auditorium, Michigan Theater, and the Detroit Institute of Arts. Joe studied viola during this time with world-renowned violist Hong Mae Xiao. For five years he performed in the U-M campus symphony and campus philharmonia orchestra. He continued to compose music, including works for solo guitar and voice, and several chamber works. Upon graduating Joe decided to become a teacher. Once again he enrolled in music school, this time at Wayne State University, where he pursued his teaching certification in instrumental music. He continued to study viola, this time with Caroline Coade, of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. He played in the Wayne State Symphony and Concertante Orchestra, as well as several chamber ensembles that featured works by composers such as Schubert and Piazzola, as well as newly composed pieces. Joe has been able to run his own business as a private guitar, violin, and viola instructor, while finishing his studies. His endeavor as a private teacher began in 2001 when he was asked to be a string coach at Berkshire Middle School in Birmingham, MI.
He began teaching at MARS Music as the string specialist in their education department. As his list of students grew, he was able to go into business on his own and has maintained a roster of over twenty private students ever since, most of who were acquired from word-of-mouth. Joe has conducted master classes at Cass Tech High School in Detroit, and a guest clinician at the pre-festival orchestra retreat for Wyandotte Roosevelt High School. His student teaching experiences with Kathy Iler and Tony Krempa, in Dearborn and Birmingham, have prepared him to be an effective music educator and conductor. Although his focus has been on education, Joe has also had some unique performance opportunities in the Detroit area. These include a performance on the main stage of the Detroit Electronic Music Festival with DJ Genesis, and various recording projects with local recording artists, including Amp Fiddler and Pirhanahead, and a television commercial for Kraftmade Cabinets. He performed as a viola soloist at the 2005 Charlevoix Waterfront Art Fair. As a member of Il Segreto String Quartet, he has performed at many community events such as weddings, commencement ceremonies, grand openings, and as a featured musical act at Detroit's Campus Martius Park. The quartet has pioneered the use of electronic effects processors with acoustic string instruments. They are currently investigating the benefits and feasibility of the use of effects processors in school string programs. |
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Joe endorses the following: - Behringer Amplifiers |
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