Adam Schechter

Raised in Sioux Falls, SD, Adam Schechter studied viola and violin with Sue and Ray Sidoti before attending the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where he was a recipient of the Premier Young Artist and Artistic Excellence awards, and from which he earned his BM in Viola Performance under the instruction of Stephen Wyrczynski. Adam then continued his studies with André Roy at the McGill University Schulich School of Music in Montréal, Québec, where he was Principal Viola of the McGill Symphony Orchestra and recipient of a Schulich Scholarship. Adam has been a member of the viola section of the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra since 2022. 

As a teacher, Adam has studied violin pedagogy with Brenda Brenner and Mimi Zweig, has given masterclasses and performances as a Weaver Artist at the University of South Dakota, and has served on the faculty of the South Dakota Symphony’s Camerata chamber music program. Adam believes in establishing a firm technical foundation with which probing and individualistic musical interpretations can be made. A supportive environment for musical development is key, with encouragement and exacting standards working in tandem to foster self-assured, honest performance.

When not playing or teaching, Adam enjoys books, Ella Fitzgerald, and specialty coffee.