Profile

Timothy Deighton is Associate Professor of Viola at Penn State University where he teaches viola, viola literature and pedagogy, chamber music and directs the Penn State Viola Ensemble. A native of New Zealand, he received a bachelor of music and first class honours degree from Victoria University, an artist diploma from The Hartt School, and a doctor of musical arts degree in violin and viola from the University of Kansas.

His first solo CD, Viola Aotearoa, featuring music for viola by New Zealand composers, was released in 2002 on the Atoll label. His playing on this disc was described in The Strad as “brilliant and differentiated,” and the CD was ranked one of the Top Ten classical recordings of the year by the New Zealand Listener. In the same year the Pennsylvania-Delaware String Teachers Association recognized him as Outstanding String Teacher of the Year. He directed the Penn State “ViolaFest,” a three-day event in 1999 involving more than 200 violists from across North America and abroad.

Having long held a fascination for new music, he has commissioned and performed International, U.S., European, and Australasian premieres of numerous works including many composed for his contemporary chamber music duo “The Irrelevants” (www.irrelevants.com).

Deighton has performed at three International Viola Congresses and in the summer he serves on the faculty of the International Musical Arts Institute in Maine. He is a National Recording Artist for Radio New Zealand. His articles have appeared in many national and international music periodicals.

• Works performed (8)
• Commissions (4)