Maiya Papach, viola

Maiya Papach is acting co-principal viola of The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and served as acting principal last year. She has made frequent national and international appearances as a chamber and orchestral musician, performing both traditional and contemporary repertoire. This past fall, Papach performed Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante with Concertmaster Steven Copes and the SPCO. She is a founding member of the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), which is rapidly establishing itself as one of the leading new music ensembles in the United States. She is also a member of Accordo, a new chamber ensemble in the Twin Cities. Papach has performed across the former Soviet Union with the Da Capo Chamber Players and toured the Philippines with Cultures in Harmony. Prior to joining the SPCO, she performed regularly with the IRIS Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic. In New York, Papach has performed in chamber concerts at Bargemusic, Alice Tully Hall, Merkin Concert Hall, and Miller Theater, among others. As a former member of the Andros and Rothko string quartets, she was a finalist and prizewinner in a number of competitions, including the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and Concert Artists Guild. Papach has participated in such festivals as Kneisel Hall, Yellow Barn, and the Marlboro Music Festival. In addition, she performs with Musicians from Marlboro, the touring extension of the festival. Papach is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory and the Juilliard School and has studied with Roland Vamos, Karen Tuttle, Benny Kim, and Hsin-Yun Huang.