John Lindsey

John Lindsey

Concertmaster, The Timothy and Jill Savage Chair

JOHN LINDSEY retired as SUNY Distinguished Service Professor of Violin Emeritus from The Crane School of Music (where he taught for 35 years) in 2016. The Distinguished Service Professorship is the State University of New York's highest professorial rank, It was bestowed upon him in May, 2009. At the time, he was only the 2nd Crane faculty to ever receive that ranking. Previously he was awarded the 1993 SUNY Potsdam President's Award and the 2003 SUNY Chancellor's Award, both for Excellence in Teaching. During his nearly 46-year full time professional teaching career, he taught in the Dallas (TX) Public Schools (January, 1972-June, 1973), Baylor University (1973-1976), The University of Kentucky (1976-1981), and SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music (1981-2016).

Parallel with his teaching accomplishments, Mr. Lindsey has fashioned an incredibly active and distinguished career as a performing violinist. He is currently the founding Concertmaster of both the Orchestra of Northern New York for 35 years and the Eleva Chamber Players in Vermont for 17 years. John was also Concertmaster of the Warren Chamber Orchestra (OH) for 4 years, the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra (KY) for 5 years, and the Hanover Chamber Orchestra (NH) for 19 years. As the Co-Concertmaster of the Dallas Chamber Players with a mixed chorus, he toured Israel and Jordan during the Holidays of 1972-73 featuring the Corelli Christmas Concerto and Handel’s Messiah. On Christmas Eve of 1972, the group played in a Catholic Church in Nazereth, Israel. The last concert was a command performance in the Cultural Palace of the His Majesty King Hussein of Jordan. From 1981-1995, John was the Associate Concertmaster of the Vermont Symphony Orchestra. He also was a founding member and first violinist of the Aurora String Quintet since 1987 and the Potsdam Piano Quartet (1996-2016). Mr. Lindsey has presented violin recitals in Montreal (twice at Christ Church Cathedral in downtown Montreal), on the Dame Myra Hess Series in the gorgeous foyer of the old Chicago Public Library, Carnegie Recital Hall (twice), The Museum of the City of New York in 1981, and Lincoln Center’s Bruno Walter Auditorium (5 times) in New York, at the French Library of Boston, and in other venues, among them in Dallas, Atlanta, Minneapolis, France, China, and Thailand (on a five-concert tour). In 1989, he was the winner (from over 200 Fine Arts applicants) of the 3rd Annual Allegro Residency for the City of Dayton Ohio. In 1979 Mr. Lindsey performed as 1st Violinist of the Lexington Quartet for Prince Philip (husband of Queen Elizabeth II of England), who was seated in the audience. 

In the summers, Mr. Lindsey has served on the solo and chamber music artist faculties of the National Music Camp (Interlochen, MI) for 4 years, the Ameropa  Music Festival in Prague (CZ) for 5 years, the Governor’s School of North Carolina (a summer school for gifted and talented high school students located at Salem College) for 12 years, the Woodstock Mozart Festival (VT) for 22 years, the Ithaca Chamber Music Institute (NY) for 25 years, the Interlochen Adult Chamber Music Camp (MI) for 30 years, as well as the 1988 Stage de Musique in Marcillat-en-Combraille, France, The 2000 Canna International Music Festival in Canna, Italy, The 2008 Bulgaria International Chamber Music Festival, a three day residency in June of 2010 of master classes and a violin recital at the Shenyang Conservatory in the People’s Republic of China, the 2013 Columbia National Youth Orchestra’s annual week long retreat in Santa Marta, Colombia, and the 2014 Vianden International Music Festival held in the Vianden Castle in Luxembourg. In June of 2018, he was invited to be the Concertmaster of an orchestra formed specifically to perform the 6 Brandenburg Concertos (in 2 concerts each) in Manistee and Traverse City, Michigan.

As co-owners of the Siam Classic Inn and Spa for 4 years, the only Thai style bed and breakfast in North America, John and his wife received the prestigious Lux Media Group Award (from England) as the World’s Best B & B and Spa for the year 2015.

His new CD album of violin music for early education purposes was released in August of 2020 and is available on Amazon and itunes. Please visit Mr. Lindsey’s website at: www.violinjohnlindsey.com