Vinny Fuerst

Vinny Fuerst is a multi-faceted musician – teacher, arranger, composer and conductor. Focusing on beginning and intermediate students of all ages, he takes an integrated approach, incorporating both traditional and contemporary teaching methods. Using traditional, folk and popular materials, he meets the diverse needs of his students and creates an enjoyable learning environment.

He has been conductor of the Portland Conservatory String Ensemble and music director of the Portland Conservatory of Music Festival Orchestra, and is founder and director of the Curtis Strings, now in its 14th year at Curtis Memorial Library in Brunswick.

Vinny grew up in a large family where his mother, a pianist and singer, fostered his love of music. He received a BA in Music at the State University of New York at Buffalo studying Flute (Robert Moles and Robert Dick), Piano (Carlo Pinto), Music History and Music Theory. Continuing at SUNY Buffalo, he also received a MA in Music Theory. A founding member of the SUNY Buffalo Flute Ensemble, his repertoire has included works by Martinu, Piston, Debussy and Faure, among others. He studied viola with Michael Moody and Julia Adams (of the Portland String Quartet), and violin with Steven Kecskemethy (of the Portland String Quartet). As a violist Vinny performed with the Midcoast Symphony Orchestra from 1995 through 2001. In the Fall of 2001 he joined the faculty of the Pineland Suzuki School as chamber music coach and conductor of the middle and upper level ensembles. He also maintains a studio of flute, piano, violin and viola students, is the founder and director of the Curtis Strings (an adult string ensemble in Brunswick), owns a musical instrument repair business (specializing in woodwind and brass repair), is founder and owner of Birchwood Music (a publishing company specializing in music for strings), and is Executive Director of the Pytheas Center for Contemporary Music.