Profile
Born and raised in Irvine, California, Steve Wamsley began playing the violin at age seven in the Irvine Conservatory of Music, learning from the traditional Suzuki method. Soon after, at the age of ten, Steve changed to viola at the bequest of the school orchestra director. He embraced the viola - and never looked back.
Steve went on to participating in both school orchestras as well as the orchestras of the Irvine Conservatory of Music and the Orange County Youth Symphony. In high school, he began studying with Adriana Chirilov. His music studies became more focused as he made a decision to study music in college.
Initially, Steve studied at the California State University, Northridge under Milton Thomas. During the two years at CSUN, he began playing semi-professionally in the American Youth Symphony under the baton of Mehli Meta and the Young Musicians’ Foundation Debut Orchestra under various conductors including Lalo Schifrin.
Steve transferred to the University of Southern California to study with Alan de Veritch at the Thorton School of Music. De Veritch transformed Steve’s performance and attitude toward music with the philosophy that “we must humanize the viola…. It has to become a part of you, an extension of your personality.”
Throughout his college years and immediately following graduation, Steve joined the Orange County Musicians’ Association Local 7 and played professionally throughout the Los Angeles/Orange County area with such orchestras as the Mozart Camerata, Capistrano Valley Symphony, Long Beach Ballet, and more. Forming his own professional quartet, the Sforzando Chamber Players, Steve kept busy performing for weddings, receptions, and more.
Following his wife to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for her medical school, Steve took a break from the professional music scene in order to support a family full time through computer programming work. Now in St. Louis, Missouri Steve seeks his true passion: music. Steve updated his AFM union membership by joining the Musicians’ Association of St. Louis Local 2-197 and is always looking for work.
Steve plays a viola made by Christopher Dungey in Portland, Oregan, 1986. The viola was purchased from Robert Cauer Violins, Hollywood, California, in 1989. The bow is a Michael Mönnig also purchased in Hollywood, California.
In additional to viola, Steve also plays the electric bass, composes music in his home studio, works part time building web sites, and has an occasion to get together with friends to play blue grass.
Steve Wamsey makes his home in St. Louis, Missouri area in the Ballwin suburb.