Diego Mieres

Diego Ernesto Mieres is a senior student of Bachelor of Music in Viola Performance in the Yizhak Schotten Studio at the School of Music, dance, and Theater of the University of Michigan after obtaining a Merit-based Scholarship and a Sphinx Organization Full Scholarship. Diego was the 2nd place winner of the 2022 MASTA string solo competition.

Diego is 21 years old and was born in Caracas, Venezuela. He studied at the conservatory of the

U.E.P. Colegio Emil Friedman from 2007 to 2020, viola (full scholarship), cuatro, and piano with professors Rubén Haddad, Félix Crudel, and José Félix Salazar. He also studied at the Academia de Música Mozarteum Caracas from 2013 to 2020 under the tutelage of Adriana Virguez (viola) and Carlos B (piano).

He participated as a violist in 2017 and 2018 at Interlochen Summer Camp, where he won a Full Scholarship, in the summer of 2020 at the Academia de Musica Mozarteum Caracas Summer Festival and in 2023 at the Chautauqua Music Festival.

Diego has become a regular guest of the Chamber Orchestra of El Sistema Nacional de Orquestas de Venezuela. In the summer of 2021, he participated in the Baroque Orchestra of El Sistema Nacional de Orquestas de Venezuela.

In 2019, Diego participated in the concert celebrating the 70th Anniversary of the Colegio Emil Friedman, sharing in the violas row of the Orquesta Simon Bolivar of El Sistema, and was the soloist of the Honor concert with the Teachers Orchestra of the Colegio Emil Friedman conducted by Andrés Ascanio.

His orchestral experience includes the 2017 and 2018 Interlochen Summer Camp's Orchestra World Youth Symphony Orchestra, Orquesta Arcos Juveniles de Caracas (Principal) from 2015 to 2019, University of Michigan Philharmonic Orchestra in 2021, University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra from 2022 and the Lansing Symphony Orchestra in 2024

Diego regularly participates in Chamber Music groups in academic performances and his experience and passion for the viola grows daily. Diego will be attending Rice University to pursue his master’s degree.

Diego has experience teaching kids looking to learn other instruments with practicing techniques, looking for the kids to make progress on their own and understand how to progress with small efforts.

From my early training in Venezuela’s renowned El Sistema, to international music festivals, and now as a senior viola performance major at the University of Michigan — with plans to continue my studies at Rice University — I’ve had the privilege of learning from a wide range of teachers, each offering unique perspectives on music and personal growth.

This diverse background has shaped my approach to teaching. I believe that music is not just about playing notes, but about learning how to improve yourself, little by little, every day. In my lessons, I focus on giving students practical tools and clear, simple strategies they can use to track their own progress, stay motivated, and build healthy, independent practice habits. Whether you’re picking up a new instrument or looking to deepen your skills, my goal is to help you understand how you learn — so you can keep growing long after our lessons together.