Who's Who at the Center for Young Musicians: Leah Givelber

Leah Givelber

Who’s Who at the Center for Young Musicians: Leah Givelber

A new school year will mean new faces at the Center for Young Musicians! We are excited to announce that new teachers for piano, cello and guitar will be joining the CYM family, bringing unique experiences and solid training in music education. And as always, we happily look forward to greeting new students and their families.

To help everyone get to know each other a little better, we’ll be posting short bios on all the CYM teachers and staff. If you don’t know her already, you should know Leah Givelber, CYM President.

Leah Givelber began studying the violin at age five. She earned degrees in violin performance at New England Conservatory and the Eastman School of Music. Her teachers include Masuko Ushioda, Charles Castleman, and Julia Bushkova.

 

In Boston, she performed with the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra and the Boston Modern Orchestra Project. Leah plays with many groups in the Pittsburgh area including the Pittsburgh Opera and Ballet Orchestras, the Academy Chamber Orchestra and the McKeesport Symphony, where she is concert master.

 

A dedicated and accomplished Suzuki teacher, Leah has taught violin at the Center for Young Musicians from 2000 to the present, served as chair of the violin department from 2003-2006, and has been President of the school since 2009. During her time at the Center for Young Musicians, Leah has prepared students to perform with the Pittsburgh Symphony, at the White House, on the Saturday Light Brigade radio show, and collaborated with local composers and the Pittsburgh Chamber Music Society. She lives in Squirell Hill with her husband Burkhardt Reiter, and their daughter, Josephine.

 

As CYM President, Ms. Leah oversees the behind-the-scenes magic that keeps CYM’s three locations humming  – everything from student scheduling and school policies to plumbing projects. After many years of guiding students toward music literacy and ensemble performance in group classes, Ms. Leah is “slowing down” a bit and only teaching private violin lessons this year. (By “slowing down” we mean growing her family by two in November!)

Q&A with CYM:

CYM: Do you play other instruments other than the instrument you teach/study?

Ms. Leah: Piano.

 

CYM: When and where do you listen to music for fun?

Ms. Leah: I like to listen to all sorts of music, but tend to listen to classical music the most.  I like music from all periods, Baroque through contemporary.  I also like more popular music, mostly acoustic singers or bands, especially those that sing in harmony. 

CYM: What is your favorite childhood book?

Ms. Leah: This is not an early childhood book, but in late elementary and middle school I loved The Once and Future King by TH White.  That book is the story of King Arthur and Camelot and I read that book more times than I can count. 

 

CYM: Where do you live and do you have any pets?

Ms. Leah: I live in Pittsburgh, and have 3 cats.  The cats are named after composers – Bela for Bela Bartok, Leonard for Leonard Bernstein, and Francois for Francois Couperin.