Martha Mooke

Martha Mooke, composer/electro-acoustic violist, a pioneer in the field of electric five string viola, transcends musical boundaries by synthesizing her classical music training with extended techniques, digital effects processing and improvisation. She is a Yamaha Artist and leading clinician on electric and alternative approaches to string playing.

At the request of David Bowie, Mooke became founder and violist of the electro-acoustic Scorchio Quartet. Since 2001, Scorchio has served as “House String Quartet” for the annual Tibet House Benefit Concerts at Carnegie Hall, produced by Philip Glass. Besides performing live with Bowie, Scorchio is featured on his 2002 CD “Heathen”. Scorchio has also performed with Philip Glass, Patti Smith, Iggy Pop, Michael Stipe, David Byrne, Moby, Lou Reed, Trey Anastasio, Ziggy Marley, Rufus Wainwright, Vampire Weekend, and the Kronos Quartet among many others.

Mooke has toured internationally as a member of Barbra Streisand’s acclaimed orchestra in 2006-07. She has also performed in the U.S. tours of “Star Wars in Concert”, Andrea Bocelli, and The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber. Mooke has performed and or recorded with Philip Glass, Bon Jovi, Enya, Lou Reed, Tony Bennett, David Byrne, Moby, John Cale, Ziggy Marley, Luciano Pavorotti and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s. She has performed on MTV Unplugged, Regis Live!, the David Letterman Show, The View, Late Night with Conan O’Brien and Rosie O'Donnell shows and currently plays in the Broadway pit orchestras of Wicked and South Pacific.

Mooke’s genre-defying recordings, Enharmonic Vision and Bowing's Café Mars (duo with electric guitarist Randolph Hudson) have attracted wide critical acclaim. Her catalog includes works for electric and acoustic instruments, film, theater, dance and multimedia productions.

She has received awards from ASCAP, Meet the Composer and Arts International among others. She was honored with an ASCAP Concert Music Award for conceiving and producing the new music showcase THRU THE WALLS featuring ASCAP composer/performers whose work defies categorization.

Awards

ASCAP Concert Music Award MacDowell Composer Fellowship Meet the Composer

Gear

Yamaha Electric Strings Thomastik-Infeld Strings Glasser Braided Carbon Fibre Bows

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