Hailing from Texas, Becca Rhoades moved to Ohio in 2010 to pursue a Masters’ Degree in Violin Performance from Cleveland Institute of Music. Prior to her arrival in Cleveland, she completed her Bachelor’s degree in Violin Performance from Texas Tech University. Since graduating, she decided that Cleveland was the place she wanted to call home and has embraced the freelance musician’s lifestyle ever since.

When she is not performing with the Firelands Symphony Orchestra, she may be found doing a wide variety of musical pursuits. In addition to her orchestral work with FSO, Becca plays regularly with the Canton and Akron Symphony Orchestras, as well as other area orchestras. She enjoys collaborating with colleagues and local organizations (like Opus 216) in ensemble settings for weddings, dinners, and other events. She works for three separate Catholic churches as a music minister in and around the Heights, performing on both violin and viola, as well as cantoring. These three musical environments are quite different, ranging from very traditional to rock based praise band to improvisational contemporary classical with folk flavors, and Becca derives a great deal of enjoyment and satisfaction in keeping each service interesting and inspirational.

In addition to these styles, she loves the never-ending learning process of being a musician and likes to stretch her wings by gaining musical experience in new and unfamiliar playing styles. She has made forays into Celtic (broadly inclusive), Norse, American folk, and bluegrass fiddling, has joined the NYC based Freilach Band for Orthodox Jewish weddings, was part of a Contemporary New Compositions ensemble, and spent a whimsical summer playing sea ballads and shanties at a Renaissance fair as part of a pirate-themed band. Becca and her husband, Red, have an Americana duo called Red Brick Rhoades; they busk and perform together whenever they can, sharing love songs and their own songwriting.

Becca’s professional violin/viola/fiddle studio is comprised of students of all ages and interests, and one of her fundamental teaching beliefs is that the skills one learns from music are applicable in every corner of one’s life. Thus, she strives to teach students more than just how to play their instruments, including skills like self-assessment, public speaking, historic context, and cross-application with school subjects in their lessons. Becca also has a keen interest in musicians’ wellness, country and folk dancing, child development, reading, and loves to share her unusual and evolving teaching methods. Should you ever want to engage her in a conversation, please come find her after a concert!