Leslie Van Becker · viola

Leslie Van Becker has been principal viola of the Grand Rapids Symphony since 1978. She earned a bachelor of music degree from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and master’s in music from the Yale University School of Music. She attended the Conservatory with a four-year full tuition Rockefeller Grant and held a School of Music Assistantship at Yale. As a chamber musician, Ms. Van Becker has appeared with the New World String Quartet, Trio Nouveau, Ghandarva Piano Quartet, Clifford Music Group, Lakeshore Chamber Players and Castalia Quartet. She has appeared as a soloist with the Grand Rapids Symphony on its Casual Classics Series in 1987, 1989, 1995 and 2005 and was featured in Don Quixote on the Symphony’s Grand Series in DeVos Hall. She participates each year as principal viola in the Cabrillo Music Festival in Santa Cruz, California, where she plays orchestra and chamber music exclusively from the 20th century. Ms. Van Becker has served on the faculty of Western Michigan University and maintains an active class of viola students. In addition she serves on the faculties of Calvin College and Grand Rapids Community College. She shares her 100 year old home in Heritage Hill with her husband Ed Clifford.