Pinky Weitzman
Viola, Violin, Voice, Stroh Violin, Musical Saw
Prospect Heights
One of NYC's few but proud rock violists, Pinky Weitzman has studied with Julie Lyonn Lieberman, Barbara Maier, and Fay Victor. She records and tours with major label bands in the US and Europe, and fronts the Brooklyn-based junkyard cabaret Not Waving But Drowning.
AS A PERFORMER
Pinky is known for challenging the boundaries of traditional viola and violin sounds and textures. She has played with indie rock luminaries including Moby, Belle and Sebastian, The Magnetic Fields, The Hold Steady, Crash Test Dummies, Nathan Larson (Shudder to Think), and The Living End. She recently returned home from an 8-month tour with the Tony-award winning rock musical Spring Awakening. Her band, Not Waving But Drowning (a fixture at Brooklyn art parties as well as clubs such as Webster Hall, Joe's Pub, and The Living Room), has just released their second full-length album entitled 'Processional'.
Photo by Raymond Haddad
AS A TEACHER
Pinky was the General Manager of the School of Rock NYC for 5 years. During her tenure there she taught violin, voice, and bass lessons, oversaw music instruction for hundreds of students (ages 8 through adult), and designed and coordinated a 2-week intensive songwriting and recording camp. She remains close to the school and her students, of whom she is unceasingly proud.
Pinky brings this extensive string and vocal instruction experience plus her infectious enthusiasm to every lesson. Since every student has a different set of goals, aspirations, and motivations, she customizes her approach to ensure that short and long term goals are being met while still having fun. Violin and viola lessons incorporate effortless playing, physical technique to avoid strain and injury, improvisation training, ear training, sight reading, and many other topics. Voice lessons incorporate effortless singing, anatomy, building muscular strength to sustain breath and sound, mind/body centeredness, ear training, and many other topics. She is frequently known to remark that she has the best job in the world.
Get Started with BML to set up a lesson with Pinky.
Elliott Smith, Tom Waits, Gabriel Faure, Jeff Buckley, Gogol Bordello, Neutral Milk Hotel, Plaid, Why Are We Building Such a Big Ship?, Stephin Merritt, Thom Yorke, The Pogues, Félix Lajkó, Sergei Prokofiev, Fugazi, Manu Chao, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Nick Drake, Daft Punk, Yes, Samuel Barber
