Yestyn Griffith
Instructor
Email: yestyn.griffith@minotstateu.edu
Bachelor of Music, University of Nevada Las Vegas
Master of Arts, Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre
Doctor of Musical Arts, University of Iowa
Yestyn Griffith is an avid chamber musician and passionate teacher with a wide range of musical interests. He has appeared as a soloist with orchestras in the United States, Europe, and Asia, and maintains an active chamber music career as part of the Conifer Quartet, Trio Jornada, and Duo Novella. As an orchestral musician, Yestyn served as the Associate Concertmaster of the Vanemuine Symphony Orchestra in Estonia for several years and, now serves as the Concertmaster of the Minot Symphony Orchestra in North Dakota. Yestyn's musical interests extend to the performance of historically informed Renaissance and Baroque repertoire, as well as the performance of music by living composers. He has premiered and recorded numerous new works by composers such as Sam Young, Innocent Ndubuisi Okechukwu, Ramin Roshandel, and Sophie Meyer.
Though he maintains an active performance career, Yestyn's primary focus is on teaching. He devotes much of his time to the research of pedagogical principles, and the development and implementation of individualized and effective instructional methods for violinists and violists. His teaching approach revolves around the instilling of healthy technical foundations and the realization of each student's unique sense of musicality. Yestyn endeavors to be a source of security and confidence for his students, helping them to fully explore the depth of their artistry and enabling them to continue their development beyond his studio while spreading the joy of music to others. Yestyn is now continuing the development of his pedagogical approach at Minot State University, where he serves as Instructor of Violin and Viola.
