J. Patrick Rafferty

Violinist J. Patrick Rafferty has been hailed for his "exciting performances", his "subtle and imaginative ideas about the music", and "a velvety, sweetly sonorous tone [that] captured the intellect and calmed the soul."(Milwaukee Sentinel). Before his career in higher education, Professor Rafferty served as Concertmaster of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra from 1986-1991. He previously served as Associate Concertmaster of the Dallas Symphony for eight years, and as Concertmaster for the Brevard Music Center Orchestra, the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, the Dallas Bach Orchestra, and the Dallas Fine Arts Orchestras. He has also served as Acting Concertmaster of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, and Guest Concertmaster of the Seattle Symphony. His concerto credits include more than 40 works performed as soloist with such orchestras as the St. Louis Symphony, the Cincinnati Symphony, the Dallas Symphony, the Milwaukee Symphony, and many others. As a recitalist, Mr. Rafferty has performed in many major cities throughout the United States and overseas, including a recent series of performances of all ten Beethoven Sonatas in New York City and performances in China, Romania, Norway, Switzerland, and Italy. Teaching positions have included the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the University of Alabama, and the University of Louisville, where he has been first violinist with the Louisville String Quartet and a founding member of the Grawemeyer Players.