-
Strings Faculty
Michael T. Jamanis, Department Chair
Violin
b. Lancaster, Pennsylvania
B.M., The Juilliard School
M.M., Yale University
D.M.A., Rutgers UniversityDr. Jamanis' teachers include Joseph Fuchs, Syoki Aki and Arnold Steinhardt. He has received numerous awards throughout his career, including the Victor Herbert and Metro-Media Awards at The Juilliard School, and awards from the Ohio and Pennsylvania Federations of Music Clubs. Dr. Jamanis is a member of the Academy's ensemble-in-residence, The Newstead Trio, which has performed throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. He conducts the Academy's Summer Music Festival. He is on the faculty of Franklin & Marshall College. Dr. Jamanis joined the Academy's faculty in 1992.
Simon Andreas Maurer
Violin b. Biel, Switzerland
Diploma, Conservatory of Biel-Bienne, SwitzerlandSimon Maurer grew up in Switzerland in a family of six children, all of whom became professional musicians. He studied music at the Conservatory in Biel, and continued his violin studies in the U.S. with Geoffrey Michaels at Swathmore College and Joyce Robbins at the State University of New York at Stony Brook.
Mr. Maurer is an accomplished musician performing orchestral, chamber, operatic and solo repertoire throughout the eastern United States and Switzerland. He is currently concert master of the Schuylkill Symphony Orchestra, assistant concert master of the Pennsylvania Sinfonia, and performs with Valley Vivaldi, Satori and other groups throughout the Lehigh Valley area of Pennsylvania. He has performed as feature soloist in France and Switzerland with the St. Jean Orchestra of Geneva Switzerland, receiving rave reviews.
A founding member of Gabriel Chamber Ensemble, he has performed with the ensemble throughout North Eastern and Central Pennsylvania for over 14 years. Committed to concerts and education, the group presents a short play entitled "Chamber Music for Children", which Mr. Maurer has co-authored. The play, for string quartet and three actors, has been seen by over 10,000 school children.
Mr. Maurer also ventures in the practice of jazz and free style improvisation. He has been a featured soloist in Philadelphia area jazz clubs and often performs at "Jazzfest" in Schuylkill County. He has recorded numerous projects with folk singers and rock groups, and is currently associated with Maggi, Pierce and EJ, an international touring group.
During the summer, Mr. Maurer coaches chamber music and conducts the orchestra at the adult chamber music camp "Vermont Music and Art Association" at the Lyndon State College. He teaches violin and chamber music in his own studio in rural Schuylkill County, and is on the string faculty at the Pennsylvania Music Academy in Lancaster where he also conducts a student orchestra and performs annually in the summer festival "Music Naturally."
