Dennis O'Boyle

Assistant Principal Second Violin

 

Dennis O'Boyle joined the second violin section of the Pittsburgh Symphony in the fall of 2000 under Music Director Mariss Jansons and attained the position of fourth chair in 2003. In 2011 he was formally appointed assistant principal second violin after serving the previous three years as acting assistant principal 

Before arriving in Pittsburgh, Dennis O'Boyle spent three years in Florida as a fellow in Miami Beach's New World Symphony and subsequently as principal second violin of the Florida Orchestra, Tampa Bay. 

Since arriving in Pittsburgh, Dennis O'Boyle has been active in the musical life of the city, participating in many and varied chamber music performances around town. Recent notable appearances include performances of Stravinsky's "L'Histoire du Soldat" with Attack Theatre of Pittsburgh, annual appearances in the Chamber Music Concert of the Pittsburgh Jewish Music Festival, and frequent performances in the Chatham University Chamber Music Series. O'Boyle also teaches privately and coaches chamber music and sectionals with the Three Rivers Young Peoples Orchestra. In addition, during the summer he is a member of the prestigious Grand Teton Music Festival in Wyoming. 

From a musical family, Dennis O’Boyle began studying the violin at the age of three with his mother and grew up surrounded by the sounds of string playing from her numerous students as well as his four sisters, who all went on to become professional musicians. O'Boyle spent his early childhood in Lincoln, Nebraska, but later the family spent five years in Peru and Chile, which was formative in cultivating his continuing passion for world travel. 

Dennis O'Boyle holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder, as a student of Oswald Lehnert. He earned his Master of Music degree from the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied with Ik Hwan Bae. O'Boyle performs on a violin made by Gioffredo Cappa in 1690.  He lives in Squirrel Hill with his wife, Anna Wukich, and their two sons, Henry and Michael.