Pablo Ardiles, Violin & Viola Teacher:
Pablo Ardiles was born in Argentina where, at an early age, he started the study of piano and violin. He obtained his bachelor degree of Arts in Chamber Music, with concentration in violin performance and conducting, at the University of La Plata in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and his Master of Music in violin performance at Carnegie Mellon University. He also holds an Artist Diploma from Duquesne University. While at Carnegie Mellon University, Mr. Ardiles studied with Aaron Bitran, violinist of the “Cuarteto Latinoamericano,” and Andrés Cárdenes, former concertmaster of the Pittsburgh Symphony.
As a violinist, Mr. Ardiles has performed extensively as a soloist, concertmaster, and member of many orchestras and ensembles. In Argentina he performed with the Gilardo Gilardi Conservatory Orchestra, La Plata Youth Orchestra, University of La Plata Orchestra, Olavarria Civic Orchestra, Lazarte Camerata (concertmaster), Tucuman Symphony Orchestra, and San Luis Symphony Orchestra (concertmaster). In Europe he performed with the Populare Konzerte Orchestra in Berlin, Germany.
In Pittsburgh and the tri-state area, Mr. Ardiles served as concertmaster of the San Damiano Consort, Butler Symphony, Duquesne University Orchestra, and the Pittsburgh Festival Orchestra. He also played as section principal or orchestra member with the Westmoreland Symphony, McKeesport Symphony, Carnegie Mellon Philharmonic Orchestra, Altoona Symphony, Erie Philharmonic, Johnstown Symphony, Saint Vincent Camerata, Pitt University Orchestra, Orchestra Nova, and Carnegie Mellon and Duquesne University Contemporary Ensembles. In this capacity he performed under the baton of maestros Sydney Hart, Andrés Cárdenes, Larry Rachleff, Kevin Knoe, and Juan Pablo Izquierdo, among many others.
In 1992 Mr. Ardiles started teaching chamber music at the Carnegie Mellon pre-college program, where he was a faculty member until 2015. In 1996, he founded the Musik Innovations Chamber Music Camp which he led successfully for 14 years. During this time, the program provided chamber music instruction to over 500 students from 30 school districts in the Pittsburgh, Ohio and West Virginia areas. He also taught violin at the Winchester Thurston School.
Mr. Ardiles became the music director of Serenading Strings in 2002, and in the fall of 2003 he was appointed Music Director of the Classical Concert Series for the Uptown Theatre in Washington, PA. In both capacities, Mr. Ardiles has produced or coordinated hundreds of musical performances and ensembles, ranging from solo instrumentalists to full symphony orchestras, in various ethnic styles and genres.
Mr. Ardiles has coached and conducted several youth orchestras, as well as ensembles and professional groups in the USA and abroad. In Pittsburgh, he conducted the Pittsburgh Philharmonic, PMEA District 1 Orchestra, and the Pittsburgh Youth Concert Orchestra (PYCO). He has been the artistic director of PYCO since 2006 which he conducted both in the USA and during international tours in the European cities of Salzburg, Vienna, Prague, London, Stratford-upon-Avon, Paris. Venice, Florence, Rome, Madrid, Seville and Barcelona. His next international tour, scheduled for July 2024, will include conducting the Pittsburgh Youth Concert Orchestra in Athens, Delphi and Sounion.
Mr. Ardiles is presently the Director of the PYCO School of Music in Wexford, PA, and the Artistic Director of the Pittsburgh Youth Concert Orchestra (PYCO). He performs currently as a conductor, violin and viola recitalist and a free-lance musician.
Mr. Ardiles maintains an active studio of private students at the PYCO School of Music, where he shares the love and art of playing violin and viola, and the joy of being a musician.