Carol Beck

Viola

Eva Carol Beck, known as Carol, was born in Houston, Texas. She was artistic as a child - dancing, playing the piano, singing - and started the violin in junior high school. She switched to viola a year later and fell in love with the sound of the instrument, studying with Houston Symphony member Mary Shelley McIntyre during high school.
Carol earned a full scholarship to the University of Houston and went on to graduate study with David Dawson at Indiana University. Carol joined the viola section of the Lyric Opera of Chicago Orchestra in 1964, retiring in March of 2015. She also spent 39 summer seasons in the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra. The secret to her long career? Alexander Technique, which taught her how to keep her body relaxed while playing thousands of notes, night after night, year after year.

The Orchestra honors Carol's contributions to the opera and to music for more than 50 years and wishes her good fortune going forward!