About

“His creative spirit overflows and he never lets a beautiful phrase or musical idea slip by without notice.”

- Barbara Sudweeks, violist [Dallas Symphony Orchestra]

South Asian-American Dr. Rizwan Jagani is multi-genre violist, educator, and composer. He reimagines what the viola can do by combining his formal training in Western Classical performance with other musical genres such as Indian and Pakistani styles, Musical Theatre, Pop, and more.

He has collaborated with various artists in multiple performing styles such as Morgaxn in 2025 with the American Pops Orchestra, Burna Boy during his 2024 “I Told Them” tour, Ari Afsar at the 2023 Indian American Impact Gala, and Dwight Yoakam during his 2019 Las Vegas residency at the Wynn Hotel and Casino.

An accomplished classical musician, Dr. Jagani maintains a busy schedule as an orchestral and chamber musician, as well as recital soloist. He has performed with the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra since 2024 and has shared the stage with soloists such as Yo-Yo Ma, Demare McGill, Berta Rojas, William Hagen, Boyd Meets Girl, and more. He has also performed with the Indigo Girls as a member of the orchestra during their 2025 tour. Dr. Jagani has also served as Principal Violist of the Classical Music Festival Orchestra in Eisenstadt, Austria from 2023-2025, a festival he has been a part of since 2016. He has also performed in notable venues such as the Kennedy Center, Strathmore Center for the Arts, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, and the Esterhazy Palace. He has also performed with the International Pride Orchestra and members of the Kuwait National Orchestra. He was also the inaugural violist of the Generations String Quartet at Austin College during the Covid-19 pandemic. The group won Second Prize in the International Beethoven Performance Competition.

As an educator, Dr. Jagani believes in the importance of passing down knowledge to the next generation. He makes it a point to address each student’s individual needs, especially those with learning disabilities. Many of his students have received top awards in solo performance competitions and have won placements in the Maryland All-State Orchestra. His teaching methods include the Karen Tuttle coordination system as well as his own pedagogical approaches.

Dr. Jagani has lead many educational and performance endeavors in Karachi, Pakistan and is a huge advocate for arts education and for the pursuit of artistic careers in the South Asian diaspora. In 2025, he was invited as a United States delegate to the World Culture Festival hosted by the Arts Council of Pakistan-Karachi. As a delegate he collaborated with local artists in various performances, lead masterclasses, and engaged in outreach in local institutions, such as Sindh Madressatul Islam University, one of the oldest educational institutions in South Asia. He has also been an invited speaker and performer at Habib University, Aga Khan University, and the Liaqat National College of Medicine.

Dr. Jagani performs on a viola made for him by Lukas Wronski named "Simba", a copy of the "Primrose" Andrea Guarneri viola of 1697. He also performs on a viola named “Águila” made by Kelin Zhang. His bows are by Canadian maker Michelle Speller and French maker Christian Barthe. He is also a Luxitune Artist and an brand ambassador for Eargasm Earplugs.

Dr. Jagani received his Doctor of Musical Arts from The Catholic University of America in 2025 and has also received degrees from University of Nevada Las Vegas, Carnegie Mellon University, and Austin College. In 2023, he received the First Decade Award from Austin College, an honor that “recognizes alumni for exemplary professional achievement or outstanding service to the college or community within their first 10 years after graduation (Austin College).”

Dr. Jagani has studied with Dr. Dan Zhang, Kate Hamilton, David Harding, Tatjana Mead Chamis, Barbara Sudweeks, Joni Baczewski, Cathy Richardson, Michael Drobycki, Larry Lattanzi, and Eugene Korshukin. He has also had masterclasses and coachings with Chee-Yun Kim, James Ehnes, István Polónyi, Dr. Camila Meirelles, Matthew Hunter, and Gustavo Guerzman. He has performed in orchestras under the batons of Christopher Zimmerman, Jason Seber, Dr. Mohammed Albejan, Alexandra Arrieche, Andres Cardenes, and Victor Yampolsky to name a few.

Acknowledgements

• My parents Azra and Rayaz Jagani and my entire family.

• My musical Godmother Barbara Sudweeks for your endless guidance and care.

• Dr. Ricky Duhaime, Dr. John McGinn, and Cathy Richardson at Austin College for helping me facilitate the start of this journey.

• István Polónyi for helping me find my musical spark.

• Chee-Yun Kim for your advice that changed my life.

• Generations String Quartet for keeping me musically alive during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Summer Festival and Performance Participation:

• Eisenstädter Sommerakademie, Austria: 2016-2019,

  2023-2025

• International Pride Orchestra viola section: 2024-2025

• Capital Pride Festival- Monument Stage Performer: 2024

• Bach at the Rock, Tennessee (USA): 2022-2023

• Scotia Festival of Music, Halifax (Canada): 2017-2018