Freya Downey is a violist and composer dedicated to building community through music and providing concert experiences that inspire listening and mindfulness. Her recent performances include two solo recitals at the Resonator Art Institute and Mainsite Contemporary Art Gallery in Norman, OK, and a recital alongside the Fest Quartet at Weill Recital Hall in Carnegie Hall in New York City. She developed “Project Pause: 4 Recitals, 8 months,” intending to make art music accessible to smaller communities and create performance opportunities. As a teacher, she approaches lessons from a holistic, student-led approach – her primary goal is to teach her students how to be lifelong learners by showing them how to continue the work from their lessons in their practice. Freya is a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Viola Performance student at Boston University and holds degrees from Baylor University and the University of Oklahoma. Mentors include Michelle LaCourse, Kathryn Steely, Mark Neumann, Helen Callus, and Kathleen Gallagher. Freya enjoys painting, reading, and spending time outside with her dog in her free time.

Instruments I teach: viola, violin, piano, voice

Favorite music to listen to: Folk music and Jazz such as Woody Gunthrie, Bob Dylan, Esperanza Spalding, Nina Simone