The US violinist also taught at Brown University since 1986
US violinist and pedagogue Charles Sherba died on 19 April after
a two-year battle with cancer. He was 62. Sherba served for 27
seasons as concertmaster of the Rhode Island Philharmonic and had
been a teaching associate in the music department of Brown
University since 1986. He also taught at the Philharmonic’s music
school, based in Providence.
Born in 1952, Sherba studied at the University of
Wisconsin–Milwaukee, where he served as assistant to violinist
Leonard Sorkin. Among his other tutors during his lifetime were
Zinaida Gilels, Burton Kaplan, Samuel Magad, Abram Loft, Sidney
Harth and Philipp Naegele.
In his career, Sherba was concertmaster of the West Virginia
Symphony, Atlanta Ballet, and the Atlanta Chamber Orchestra. Since
2004 he was also concertmaster of the Simon Sinfonietta chamber
group in Massachusetts. With his wife, violist Consuelo Sherba, he
co-founded Aurea, a chamber ensemble that combined elements of
movement, puppetry and spoken word into its performances. He was
also a founder member and first violinist of the Charleston
Quartet, with which he played for 17 years.
David Beauchesne, the Philharmonic’s executive director, said that
Sherba’s ‘great legacy to our orchestra and music school speaks
volumes to the love of music he shared with all of us, and is one
that will be remembered and honored for years to come’.
Sherba had three children and was the brother of Kronos Quartet
second violinist John Sherba.
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