With an early ear for music and encouragement
from her family, violist Diane Mues developed her playing through vigorous
engagement in the Chicago classical music scene. Raised and educated in
suburban Addison, Mues began her viola studies at the age of 9 with Elaine
Duckwall, leading to participation in the Chicago Youth Symphony, where she
earned the principal viola chair under conductor Dudley Powers.
She then began working with Ruth Ray, a student
of Leopold Auer, IN, a period that greatly enriched her musical development.
She earned her bachelor’s degree at DePaul University where she was a student
of long-time CSO Principal Viola Milton Preves. While in college, she was
principal viola of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and received the Louis Sudler
Foundation for the Arts Award. Following participation in the Tanglewood
Berkshire Music Festival, Mues was appointed assistant principal viola of the
Lyric Opera of Chicago Orchestra. She joined the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in
1987. Over the years, she has enjoyed many further collaborations with her CSO
colleagues in the Orchestra’s city-wide educational programs, various chamber
music performances and on WFMT.
September 2012
Biography provided by artist or artist’s representative
