New York City-born American-Belizean interdisciplinary artist

 

Dwayne Beach is a modern-day Renaissance man, celebrated as a violist, violinist, singer-songwriter, dancer, and polyglot. His artistry seamlessly bridges classical virtuosity with modern innovation, redefining the role of the classical musician in the 21st century.

 

Dwayne has toured extensively, including with Nickelodeon’s Avatar: The Last Airbender live show 2024 and as concertmaster for the Grammy Award-winning musical Jagged Little Pill on Broadway’s First North American National Tour 2022-2024. In Spring 2022, he was the featured artist for Orchid Evening, an annual celebration at the New York Botanical Garden, where his performance captivated a diverse audience with its elegance and innovation. That same year, he performed at the Ode to the Black Fiddler Festival, debuting original compositions and arrangements, and composed Esperanza Viva for the Maria Torres Dance Company. His recent innovative projects have been supported by multiple grants from City Artist Corps and the New York Foundation for the Arts.

 

Since 2024, Dwayne has banded together The Dream String Quartet, a NYC-based ensemble of superstar musicians who sing while playing their instruments. Under his artistic direction, the group has performed at celebrated venues like Nublu and House of Yes and is slated for a 2025 performance series at the Brooklyn Public Library.

 

During the pandemic, Dwayne’s politically charged anthem Right to Liberty gained international airplay and acclaim. His accompanying dance video celebrated Black excellence in the African diaspora, merging his talents as a musician and movement artist. In 2017, Dwayne released his debut solo EP, Shoo False Love, I Fear Not!, which features five original compositions for voice and strings, paired with choreography. That same year, he premiered East Meets West, a collaborative project with Kuchipudi dance expert Yamini Kalluri, which toured internationally, including Reykjavik City Theatre in Iceland and Mark Morris Dance Center in New York City.

 

As co-founder of The F-Tones, Dwayne released Sketches, a fusion album blending classical, gypsy jazz, and pop. He has performed with renowned ensembles such as One World Symphony, World Peace Orchestra, and Asian Cultural Symphony of New York, often serving as principal violist. Locally, he continues to enrich the musical community as a conductor and teaching artist with The Noel Pointer String Players.

 

Dwayne made history as the first Afro-Latino musician to perform with the Sarajevska Filharmonija, the national orchestra of Bosnia & Herzegovina, during its 2018–2019 season. His performances have graced prestigious stages and opera houses across Canada, Italy, Monaco, Mexico, Qatar, Serbia, and the United States.

 

A Master’s degree laureate from Brooklyn College Conservatory, Dwayne studied viola and violin performance under the legendary Masao Kawasaki. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Music from Hunter College, with additional concentrations in linguistics, anthropology, and literature, and later received an Artistic Diploma from Accademia Walter Stauffer in Cremona, Italy.

 

Beyond music, Dwayne is an accomplished ballroom and Latin dancer, earning top honors at competitions such as the D.C. Dancesport Invitational, Harvard Invitational, and Mid-Atlantic National Championships. He integrates Afro-Cuban, Orisha, waacking, and African dance into his movement repertoire, collaborating with choreographers like Maria Torres and Princess Lockeroo. In 2022, he contributed as a creative artist for the Afro-Latin immersion program at the prestigious Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival.

 

Renowned for his warm, expressive tone, Dwayne has been described as “the meat of the orchestra…humble, passionate, and a natural leader” (Magna Blemur, The Hunter Bridge). His artistry continues to captivate audiences and inspire fellow musicians worldwide.

 

Instruments

+ Blue Carbon Fiber Strad Copy 5-String Violin/Viola Hybrid by Fred Gayford, Cambridge, ON, Canada

+ Stradivarius Copy Viola (2018) by Wilhelm Klier, Erlangen, Germany

+ Viola (2008) by Ma Zhibin, Shanghai

+ Guarneri del Gesù "Leduc" 1745 Copy Violin (2016) by Ma Zhibin, Shanghai

 

Future Aspirations

Dwayne dreams of premiering a concerto dedicated to him as its first performer and revitalizing lesser-known viola and violin masterpieces, particularly those by minority composers.