William Stapp

Biography

William Stapp received a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Alabama in 1991. He completed a Master of Music degree from the University of Michigan in 1993 where he attended on a full fellowship. Following this, he received an A. S. (Stringed Instrument Technology/Violin making) from Indiana University in 1996. Stapp attended the Brevard Music Center and the Kneisel Hall Chamber Music School for several summers. His teachers include students of Ivan Galamian and William Primrose.

Mr. Stapp was assistant principal viola of the Maryland Symphony, principal viola of the Two Rivers Chamber Orchestra, and a member of the National Philharmonic at Strathmore Hall. He is a member of ‘Duo Liutaio’, a harp-violin collaboration with his wife harpist Astrid WalschotStapp. In 2018, they released a CD “Out of the Silence”. Mr. Stapp has performed at the Kennedy Center, in South America and Europe, in the Shepherd University String Trio, and at the Hood College Summer Chamber Music series. Stapp has coached the Academy of St. Cecilia Youth Orchestras, the Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras, Frederick Regional Youth Orchestra, and the Shepherd University Youth Orchestras. He has been a judge for numerous local solo and ensemble festivals and adjudications. Mr. Stapp served on the faculty of the Heritage Academy, the BlackRock Center for the Arts, Frederick Community College and Shepherd University. He currently teaches violin and viola at the Frederick String Initiative. Mr. Stapp is a professional violin maker.