Originally from Boston, Massachusetts American viola-player JULIA McLEAN studied with Misha Amory at The Juilliard School, New York. Before pursuing music professionally, she earned her Bachelor of Science degree at Tufts University with a major in Biopsychology, continuing her viola studies in parallel with Rictor Noren. She later moved to Berlin to study with Berlin Philharmonic principal viola Wilfried Strehle at the Universität der Künste Berlin. During her time in Berlin she also played as guest principal viola with the Anhaltische Philharmonie Dessau and as Academist with the Kammerakademie Potsdam.
Julia has played with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Verbier Festival Orchestra, Charleston Symphony Orchestra, and Boston Philharmonic Orchestra. She currently holds the position of second solo viola with the Opera Orchestre Nationale de Montpellier in the south of France.
She also maintains a studio of viola and violin students both in person and internationally via online teaching platforms. Outside of her professional life, she enjoys cooking, making art, and spending time with her French bulldog, Rumba.
Julia plays a 2010 Reto Gasser viola.
