SYDNEY WHIPPLE, Native of Oakland, California, began violin lessons at age 5 and switched to the viola when she was 10. She made her orchestral debut at 17, performing the Walton Viola Concerto with the Yuba Sutter Symphony, and has since appeared as a soloist with the Baden-Baden Philharmonic, and Eleva Chamber Players. Sydney earned her Bachelor of Music degree from The Juilliard School, under the tutelage of Carol Rodland, and is currently pursuing a Master of Music degree, studying with Misha Amory. Sydney is a proud recipient of a Kovner Fellowship.

Sydney spent her freshman year of high school at Interlochen Arts Academy as a student of Renée Skerik, and the rest of her pre-college years studying with Dimitri Murrath at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music Pre-College Program. While there she served as President of the Conservatory’s Pre-College Student Council and was selected as speaker for the 2020 commencement ceremony. She is also a recipient of a Presidential Award for Educational Excellence in music, following the founding and teaching of a strings program at her middle school.

Sydney has a passion for chamber music and has taken part in chamber and solo music programs, including Bowdoin International Music Festival, The Perlman Music Program, Music@Menlo, and Carl Flesch Academy. In addition, she has enjoyed masterclasses with Kim Kashkashian, Thomas Riebl, Paul Neubauer, and Jennifer Stumm. Sydney is currently a member of DragonBoot String Quartet, which is in the Juilliard Honors Chamber Music program. She also has an interest in demonstrating how music cultivates empathy.