Born in London, Roger Chase, violist, studied at the Royal College of Music with Bernard Shore and in Canada with Steven Staryk, also working for a short time with the legendary Lionel Tertis, whose famed Montagnana viola he now plays.

He made his debut with the English Chamber Orchestra in 1979, and in 1987 appeared as a soloist at a Promenade Concert at The Royal Albert Hall in London. He has since played as a soloist or chamber musician in major cities throughout the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, the Middle East, India, most of Eastern and all of Western Europe, and Scandinavia.

Roger Chase has been a member of many ensembles including the Nash Ensemble, the London Sinfonietta, the Esterhazy Baryton Trio, the Quartet of London, Hausmusik of London, and the London Chamber Orchestra. He has been invited to play as principal violist with every major British orchestra and many others in North America and Europe, including the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Mr. Chase has performed and taught at numerous festivals in the USA (Tuscon Festival, Weekend of Chamber Music in the Catskills and the Colorado College Summer Music Festival), in Japan, in Italy (Casalmaggiore International Festival), France (Festival Consonances in St. Nazaire) and the Netherlands (Schiermonnikoog International Festival of Chamber Music).

Roger Chase has recorded for EMI, CRD, Hyperion, Cala, Virgin, and Floating Earth Records, demonstrating his diverse interests by playing with a folk group on an amplified viola, as a soloist on an authentic instrument, and as an exponent of the avant-garde.

Mr. Chase has taught at the Royal College of Music, the Guildhall School, the Royal Northern College of Music, and Oberlin College. He currently teaches at Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University in Chicago. Mr. Chase is generally available in the U.S. with pianist Michiko Otaki.

Reviews
"The music was brought to life by the outstanding expressive eloquence of Roger Chase's playing." —Sunday Times, London

"I cannot recall a recent performance of Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante that came so close to the truthful simplicity of this heavenly work than that given last night." —Daily Telegraph, London

"Every note of the viola's display passages could be properly savoured." —The Guardian, London

"Rapid virtuoso music that does not make us feel that it would sound better on the violin...Cool and unslurried...A delight to the ear." —The Guardian, London

"[The recording of Britten's Lachrymae] features....a radiant viola solo from Roger Chase, quite virtuosic in places, and suitably dark and intense." —Music WebInternational

"Brilliant...the playing of violist Roger Chase is admirable." —American Record Guide

Visit Roger Chase's website at: www.RogerChase.com.