Clare Adkins Cason, violin and viola
Clare studied violin with Dr. James Lerch at the University of North Texas, where she was concertmaster of the University Symphony, the Chamber Orchestra, and the Baroque orchestra. She was named a Presser Scholar and was chosen by the faculty as the Outstanding Undergraduate in Music. During the summers she pursued her interest in chamber music, first at the Sewanee Summer Music Center, then at the Kent-Blossom Chamber Music Festival. Since her years in the UNT Collegium Musicum, Clare has been active in the performance of early music, and plays Baroque violin and viola with the Dallas Bach Society. She also serves as concertmaster of the Sherman Symphony and principal second of the East Texas Symphony.

Teaching has been Clare's chief enthusiasm, and she particularly enjoys working with younger students. She has developed special approaches to help young players avoid stress and tension while preserving their enjoyment of music making.

Clare and her husband David live on several acres in the country, where they have amazed their family by building with their own hands a straw bale house! They also maintain an orchard, and keep chickens, guineas, and turkeys (to eat grasshoppers that attack the trees), and several large dogs (to drive away coyotes that attack the birds). Clare and David are the family originals!