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Mike Baker
Violin Faculty
At MIC for 8 years 2 months
Email
jsanders@musicinst.org
Instrument(s)
Location(s)
Courses

Private Instruction
Jazz Improvisation
Adult jazz Combo

Available For
Online
In-Person
Education

Master of Music Degree, Violin Performance, Yale University (1989)
Bachelor of Liberal Arts Degree, with a Violin Performance Major, DePauw University (1987)

Additional Studies / Recent Awards / Recordings

Significant teachers/mentors include:
Sydney Harth - Yale, 1987-1989
Tokyo String Quartet (Chamber Music) - Yale, 1987-1989
David Taylor - CSO, 1990-1991
Alber Igolvnikov - CSO, 1991-1994

Recordings:
Blue Violin, James Sanders Quartet—reached Top 50 airplay chart
Live in Little Village, Conjunto
Chicago Sessions, Conjunto
One Voice, New Quartet
NQ + (x), New Quartet
Caravan, Alfonso Ponticelli & Swing Gitan
Poecia, Hard Art Groop
Wild is the Wind, Dee Alexander
Let It Come Down, Smashing Pumpkins
Morning Sun/Harvest Moon, Harrison Bankhead Sextet

Basic Teaching Philosophy or Special Music Interests/Specialties

Be Consistent - Be Patient - Pay Attention

Professional Affiliations & Activities

Conjunto (Latin Jazz Ensemble): founder and leader since 2001
          —headlined at Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park
Doug Lofstrom and The New Quartet since 2001

Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre since 2005
Harrison Bankhead Sextet since 2011
Blue Violin Quartet: founder and leader since 2012
Dark Matter String Band since 2017
Chicago Sinfonietta/Joffrey Ballet Orchestra: 1st Violin section since 1994
Chicago Philharmonic/Ravinia Festival Orchestra 1993-2005
New Black Music Repertory Ensemble since 2000
Fulcrum Point New Music Project since 2005
Chicago Sinfonietta: soloist on Chris Brubeck’s Interplay for Three Violins and Orchestra”

Interests/hobbies outside of music

Interests/hobbies outside of music
Bike riding, weight lifting, art, philosophy

Anything else we should know?

"A free thinker who is expanding the possibilities of the violin." Chicago Tribune