Betsy London

Viola

Betsy London grew up in Oakland  and studied the viola with David Smiley, before moving to Los Angeles and attending UCLA. There she played with the Pasadena Symphony.  She continued her studies in Boston under George Neikrug and  in 1977 attended the Berkshire Music Festival where she played under Ozawa, Bernstein, Tennstedt and  Schuller, as well as a young Michael Morgan.  For five years she lived in Italy, playing with groups including the Bologna Teatro Communale, Macerata and Jesi Opera orchestras.  After returning to the Bay Area she completed her B.A. in Psychology at Cal. State Hayward and has co-authored a paper in neuro-psychology.  Currently she plays in Marin Symphony as well as Oakland Symphony, Fremont Symphony, Diablo Opera, The California Symphony, and the Reno Philharmonic.  In 1998 Ms London  toured the U. S. for two months with Eric Clapton, and has  an extensive collection of floaty pens which she started accumulating while on that adventure.