Zachary DePue, Concertmaster
Anonymous Chair
Zachary DePue became one of the youngest concertmasters in the country when he was appointed to the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra (ISO) in 2007. For more than a decade, Zachary served the orchestra as a passionate and dedicated leader both in and outside the concert hall. He was named a member of the Stanley K. Lacy Executive Leadership Series, connecting Indianapolis’ emerging leaders to the issues and needs of the community. He rose to international prominence as a founding member of the string trio Time for Three, with whom he performed for 15 years. Zachary graduated in 2002 from the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where he served as concertmaster of the Curtis Symphony Orchestra and studied with renowned violinists Ida Kavafian and Jaime Laredo. He is a former member of The Philadelphia Orchestra, where he performed in the first violin section for five years.
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The facts:
I was born in Bowling Green, Ohio. I am the youngest of four boys.
What inspired you to become a musician?
All three of my older brothers are violinists. Music and violin was and is a way of life in our family. My brothers helped nurture my playing during my early years along with my teachers.
What’s challenging about playing your instrument?
Practicing. By far, the most difficult thing about the violin is getting it out of the case on a daily basis to practice. Once it’s out, I have a hard time putting it down.
What are your favorite compositions?
Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. I also adore works by Debussy.
What have you been listening to recently?
I usually spend time listening to repertoire I’ll be playing in the near future. Listening to different interpretations and styles helps me in molding my perspective on the works I’ll be performing, but it also gives me the flexibility to play said piece in a variety of ways. I hate being stuck with only one way of playing something.
Are there other musicians in your immediate family?
All three of my brothers play violin. My oldest brother, Wallace, is a substitute musician with the Naples Philharmonic. My brother Alex, now deceased, was an improvisational artist and innovator of all things violin. And my brother Jason is a member of The Philadelphia Orchestra’s first violin section.
What do you like to do outside of work?
I love playing golf from time to time, I also enjoy watching the PGA, NFL (go Browns!) and college football (O-H!!! If you know, you know). Most importantly I love spending time with my wife, Chandler — cooking, watching shows and movies and going for walks together with our new dog, Hagrid. He’s a Toy Poodle that is five months old and five pounds, so Hagrid seemed an ironically appropriate name for the lil’ fella.