String Play for All

Dr. Steven Kruse has over forty years of experience as a professional musician, educator, and arranger.

As a performer, Dr. Kruse has served as principal violist of the Kansas City Symphony, Kansas City Camerata, Windsor Symphony, and Flint Symphony. He has performed as soloist with Orchestra in the United States, Canada, Romania, and Vietnam, and additionally has presented concerts in Taiwan, Germany, England, Poland, Italy, Israel, and South Africa.

As an educator, Dr. Kruse served as string specialist in the Ohio and Brooke County Public Schools in West Virginia, has conducted orchestras in West Virginia, Michigan, Missouri, Kansas, Ohio, and Vietnam, and served on the faculties of the University of Missouri-Kansas City, Bowling Green State University, University of Toledo, and West Virginia University. He has written articles for the American String Teacher, the Strad, and the Journal of the American Viola Society. He has served as treasurer for both the American and International Viola Societies. Dr. Kruse has performed and presented at conferences for the American String Teachers Association, the American Viola Society, the College Music Society, and the National Association of Music Educators. He teaches both traditional and Suzuki methods. He has created over 100 arrangement for string ensemble, violin ensemble, and string quartet, as well as several original compositions.

Dr. Kruse began his studies at the University of Southern California. He earned the Bachelor and Master's Degrees from Manhattan School of Music and the Doctorate from Ball State University. His pricipal teachers include, Lillian Fuchs, Milton Thomas, Robert Slaughter, Robert Becker, and Lynne Ramsey.