Viola players lead workshop

Musicians at Sparta High School recently took part in a workshop led by two professional viola players.

Brett Deubner, a New Jersey Symphony player who was the feature soloist in a Nov. 23 concert in Newton, was joined by his wife, Danielle.

She trained professionally in her native Brazil and plays with the Plainfield Symphony Orchestra.

The couple offers private lessons through the Deubner Strings Studio.

Sparta High School’s violin and viola students participated in a 42-minute workshop focused on refining their bow technique.

During the session, two students, Cristian Vasile and Paula Aldaz-Pagnacco, received individualized master class-style instruction in front of their peers.

The Deubners also gave a short recital as part of their visit.

“The students loved the performance. The combination of the technique class and the performance underscored the importance of focusing on technique and demonstrated how far one can progress by dedicating time to refining these skills,” said Aimee Nishimura, the school’s orchestra teacher.

The workshop was funded by the Sparta Music Boosters.