Steve Levintow, Viola
When Steve was three or maybe four years old, his father gave him a nice piece of wood, about 17” long. A 1/8 size German-made violin! (A full size violin is about 23” long overall and the very smallest, a 1/16 size, is just 14”.) “Even as an infant I would fall asleep to the hi-fi playing classical music,” Steve says. “My father wanted to start me on an instrument I could actually hold and make sounds with as a three-year-old.” Armed with the little violin and private lessons, Steve realized music would always be a part of his life.
After moving from the Washington, D.C., area to the Bay Area, Steve played in his middle and high school orchestras, when he switched to viola. “It was a supply and demand issue,” he says. Plus, he really likes playing in the middle range as part of an ensemble. And he also crossed paths with a fellow camper at the Cazadero Music Camp in the California redwoods, one Eric Hansen, then concertmaster of the orchestra. “He’s still the same!” Steve jokes.
While at UC Berkeley, trying to figure out what he really wanted to do, Steve made a big change: Julliard! Stringed instruments. Off to New York. But, somehow, it just wasn’t quite right. “I realized I didn’t really want to be a fulltime musician.” Steve came back to the Bay Area and created the best of both worlds. By day, a wholesale buyer for industrial companies. By night (alas without a mask and cape), community orchestras (including a few sets with Prometheus under Jonathan Khuner!) and then paid gigs as a member of quartets and chamber orchestras (weddings, parties, corporate events) and sometimes the famous Freeway Philharmonic (traveling substitute players).
Now Steve is back to viola (a full size one!) in community orchestras, including the Castro Valley Orchestra and Prometheus. We’re so happy he’s found his true calling!
~ Joyce Vollmer
