Ethan Filner

Prior to his move to Edmonton, Ethan was active in the Canadian music landscape in Ontario. From 2016 to 2019, he taught viola at the University of Toronto, held the Assistant Principal Viola position in the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, and was a highly sought-after chamber musician and orchestral freelancer throughout the province. During this time, he frequently performed with esteemed ensembles like the Toronto Symphony, National Arts Centre Orchestra, Canadian Opera Company, and National Ballet of Canada Orchestras, and collaborated in chamber music concerts throughout southern Ontario with the Gryphon Trio and the Zemlinsky and Penderecki String Quartets as well as with many of his orchestral and University colleagues.

For fifteen years before his family's relocation to Canada in 2016, Ethan toured internationally as the violist of the acclaimed Cypress String Quartet (CSQ). Renowned for their dynamic performances, innovative programming, and significant contributions to new music through commissions and premieres, the CSQ also left an indelible mark with their impactful educational outreach and an extensive discography, notably including the complete String Quartets of Beethoven. Their recordings also feature collaborations with leading artists such as Barry Shiffman and Zuill Bailey (Brahms Sextets) and Gary Hoffman (Schubert Cello Quintet). 

Ethan's professional journey is rich with memorable and diverse experiences, showcasing his versatile artistry and tireless advocacy for music. From busking the Can-Can on Edinburgh's Royal Mile to playing Beethoven trios for oilfield workers in Deadhorse, Alaska; from sight-reading Mozart duets onstage in a packed Mexican opera house to performing Mendelssohn on the Smithsonian Strads at the Library of Congress; and from privately serenading palliative care patients in Edmonton to performing "Bohemian Rhapsody" as an ESO soloist for enthusiastic Holiday Pops crowds, his career truly reflects a generous dedication to community service. 

An engaging and dedicated educator, Ethan has mentored students of all ages across North America and Europe as a viola teacher and chamber music coach, including roles at the Strathcona Strings Music Camp and as Quartet-in-Residence at San Jose State University. His administrative acumen is evident in past roles such as President of the Northern California Viola Society, Associate Director of the Sequoia Chamber Music Workshop, and String Chamber Music Coordinator for the SF Conservatory's Pre-College Division. 

Educated primarily at Indiana University, Guildhall School of Music & Drama, and New England Conservatory, Ethan’s primary viola and chamber music teachers have included Susan Bates, Atar Arad, Rostislav Dubinsky, Roger Chase, and James Dunham, and members of the Takacs, Endellion, and Borromeo String Quartets. Also significantly influential were his experiences performing in masterclasses with Janos Starker, Zakhar Bron, Christoph Eschenbach, Thomas Riebl, and Sirs Colin Davis and Simon Rattle. 

Throughout his career, Ethan has graced numerous stages at prestigious summer festivals, including the Grand Teton Music Festival, Aspen Music Festival, and the International Musicians Seminar at Prussia Cove. More recently, he's been a performer at the Summer Solstice Festival in Edmonton, the Elora and Niagara Music Festivals in Ontario, and El Paso Pro Musica’s Summerfest. July 2025 sees Ethan join the Chamber Music Academy faculty at Festival Napa Valley, and in August back in Edmonton he'll co-direct the third installment of the High Level Trio's Summer Chamber Music Workshop for kids, presented for the first time at the Winspear Centre, home of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. 

When time allows, Ethan enjoys dabbling in amateur photography, arranging obscure pop music for classical chamber ensembles, and occasional experiments with original music composition. While his lifelong dreams of being a world-class soccer player, or an Air Force pilot like his grandfather, or a world-renowned architect remain irreparably out of reach, he's a proud fairweather fan of televised sports like baseball, basketball, and, ever since moving to Edmonton, hockey. He eagerly anticipates too-infrequent opportunities for downhill skiing in the winter and kayaking on the river every summer. Ethan cherishes the love and support of his wife and children, as well as the long, quiet, early morning walks with his dog that begin each day.

Ethan performs on a 1947 Vittorio Bellarosa viola with a Garner Wilson bow.