Natalia Badziak

Originally from Chicago, Illinois, Natalia Badziak is a graduate of the Oberlin College and Conservatory of Music, where she completed Bachelor’s degrees in viola performance and comparative literature, and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where she completed her Master’s degree. Natalia has taught both violin and viola for ten years in music schools, privately, and through conservatory preparatory departments to students of all ages.

Natalia is a member of the California Symphony and a substitute with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. She has attended many music festivals including the International Ensemble Modern Academy and Spoleto Festival USA, and has performed in ensembles such as SF Sound, the San Francisco Contemporary Players, and in a piano quintet through Lincoln Center Stage. An avid chamber music player, Natalia has twice performed alongside the Kronos Quartet in their “Fifty for the Future” initiative and has performed in a masterclass for Kim Kashkashian. She particularly enjoys playing contemporary music and has commissioned several new works for the viola that involve experimental techniques.

As a teacher, Natalia is dedicated to helping each student develop an individual voice at their own pace; she focuses on helping her students develop an organic, resonant and free sound without physical or mental tension. Natalia finds it especially rewarding to watch her students grow over time and believes that music lessons are essentially collaborations in storytelling and communication.