Deborah Dakin

Adjunct Assistant Professor, Viola

• Phone: 309-794-8253
• Email: DeborahDakin@augustana.edu
• Office: Bergendoff Studio

Deborah Dakin is currently Principal Violist with the Quad City Symphony, a position she has held since 1988. She is violist of the Ohmes String Quartet, and a founding member of the Iowa Chamber Players. In the belief that each of us is called to "heal the world", and that music is one avenue to fulfill this calling, she has joined with fellow Augustana colleagues Robert Elfline and Janina Ehlich to establish the ensemble, Tikkun. With over 30 years of teaching experience, she has served on the faculty of the University of Iowa and Cornell College as well as the Eastern Music Festival and Pine Mountain Music Festival. Her interest in widening the audience base for classical music has led to her longtime involvement in creating a wide variety of educational and community outreach programs. As a result, the Augustana Viola Ensemble plays a number of outside concerts each year. These venues have included: an Alzheimer's unit, Gilda's Club (for cancer survivors and their families), L'Arche (a residential facility for adults with developmental disabilities in Clinton, Iowa) and as well as various nursing homes. In addition, each year they host "Violapalooza", where all the viola students and teachers in the area join us in playing ensembles and learning about the viola. An avid supporter of school music programs, she is regularly invited to teach sectionals, general "booster" classes for beginners, master classes, coach chamber music and as an adjudicator for solo contests in Illinois and Iowa. She has twice traveled to Brasil as a guest performer and teacher. Deborah has been on the faculty of Augustana College in Rock Island Illinois since 1989.

Specializations: Viola