Brenton Caldwell
Instructor of Viola
Office: Mary Moody Northen Hall, Room 136
Email: bcaldwell@wtamu.edu
Phone: 806-651-2821
Professional Profile
Brenton Caldwell is the newly appointed violist of the Harrington String Quartet and Instructor of Viola at West Texas A&M University. Praised for his “attractive and memorable sound” and “fluid command of the fingerboard,” he has appeared as soloist, chamber musician, and pedagogue on five continents. Mr. Caldwell received a Bachelor of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music, an Artist Diploma from the Curtis Institute of Music, and a Master of Music degree from Lynn University. Currently, he is a doctoral candidate at the University of North Texas where his related field is upper string pedagogy. Mr. Caldwell’s mentors include Misha Amory, Roberto Díaz, Susan Dubois, Ralph Fielding, Pamela Frank, Jeffrey Irvine, Kim Kashkashian, Lynne Ramsey, Stephen Wyrczynski, and Karen Tuttle.
Mr. Caldwell has performed chamber music alongside several of the great artists of our time including Toby Appel, Roberto Díaz, Daniel Hope, Ida Kavafian, Stefan Jackiw, Menahem Pressler, Steven Tenenbom, Yuja Wang, and Donald Weilerstein. As an orchestral musician, he has performed with the Dallas Symphony, Santa Fe Opera, National Symphony Orchestra, and the New York Philharmonic. Festival appearances include Banff, Ravinia, Verbier, Music from Angel Fire, Music@Menlo, Festival Mecklenburg Vorpommen, and the Perlman Music Program.
Teaching and Related Service
Mr. Caldwell teaches applied viola lessons, chamber music literature, and runs weekly studio classes at West Texas A&M University's School of Music. Before joining the faculty at WT, he taught at Dallas College, the University of North Texas, and the Curtis Institute of Music’s Summerfest. A former teaching assistant and one of the last pupils of legendary violist and pedagogue Karen Tuttle, Mr. Caldwell has developed a distinctive style teaching that is informed by the wisdom and artistry of his mentors and shaped by his own experiences as a performer and educator. He is a sought-after artist-teacher and clinician, frequently invited to present masterclasses and workshops at secondary schools, youth orchestras, and colleges nationwide.
Research and Creative Activity
A former prizewinner of the Watson Forbes International Viola Competition, Mr. Caldwell was featured on the Rising Star Concert at the 2014 American Viola Society Festival and on the 2024 release of AVS Presents, the Society’s CD label, with a recording of Florence Price’s Adoration (arr. Elaine Fine) alongside pianist Benjamin Loeb. His doctoral research centers on rediscovering and preserving the legacy of violist Karen Phillips. Among his long-term projects is Die Hindemith Reiẞe (The Hindemith Journey), an ongoing exploration to learn, revisit, and perform all eleven of Paul Hindemith’s works for viola as a solo instrument.
Personal Sketch
A native of Tyler, Texas, Brenton’s family founded the Caldwell Zoo in 1953. Beyond music, he has a lifelong fascination with crocodilians and enjoys staying active through yoga, walking, and Camp Gladiator workouts.