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Mike Baker
Violin Faculty
At MIC for 9 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
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā  —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 Orchestraā€

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