Co-Artistic Advisor
William dePasquale began violin lessons with his father at age seven in his native Philadelphia and continued studies at The Curtis Institute of Music with Veda Reynolds. During military duty as a member of The United States Navy Band, he studied in New York with Samuel Kissel and made his solo debut with The Philadelphia Orchestra as a student audition winner.
For several summers, Mr. dePasquale performed at The Berkshire Music Center and later spent a season at The Marlboro Festival. Receiving a Fulbright Scholarship in 1958, he traveled to Salzburg for a year of study and concert appearances.
In 1960 he became concertmaster of The New Orleans Philharmonic. During this time, he was also concertmaster of The Saint Louis Sinfonietta.
At the beginning of the 1963-64 season, Mr. dePasquale joined The Philadelphia Orchestra and three seasons later was made an associate concertmaster. Since that appointment, he has made numerous solo appearances with The Philadelphia Orchestra.
In 1994 he was appointed acting concertmaster and in 1995 was appointed second concertmaster. In 1999, Mr. dePasquale was appointed co-concertmaster.
Mr. dePasquale serves as first violinist of The dePasquale String Quartet and violist of The dePasquale Trio. Mr. dePasquale is a member of the violin faculty at The Esther Boyer College of Music at Temple University in Philadelphia. He also holds the position of principal string coach for the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra.
In 1995, Mr. dePasquale received the Philadelphia Orchestra's Hartman Kuhn Award, awarded annually to the member of The Philadelphia Orchestra who has "shown ability and enterprise of such character as to enhance the standards and reputation of The Philadelphia Orchestra."