Billy Zarkadas

Hi, I’m Vasileios, a composer, violinist, and music educator based in Rhode Island. I hold a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance and a Bachelor of Arts in Music with a minor in composition from Rhode Island College, and I am currently earning my Master of Music in Composition at the University of Rhode Island.

I have been teaching since 2019. I started by tutoring young violinists at Portsmouth Middle School and training them for concertos. From 2021 to 2025, I coached high school violinists at Rhode Island College’s All-State Workshop and prepared them for All-State auditions. Since 2022, I have taught private violin, viola, cello, and piano lessons, first at More than Music in North Kingstown and now at the Rob Coyne School of Music in Warren. I also lead a string orchestra and teach private lessons with the Community Strings Project in Bristol. My students range from young children to adults, and from complete beginners to advanced players.

As a performer, I played first violin in the Rhode Island All-State Orchestra and have served as concertmaster of the Taunton Civic Chorus orchestra, the Smithfield High School pit orchestra, and the Portsmouth High School Strings Ensemble. At Rhode Island College, I performed with the symphony orchestra, chamber orchestra, string quartet, and early music ensemble.

As a composer, my works have been performed by the Rhode Island College Chamber Orchestra, the Community Strings Project Advanced Orchestra, and the Portsmouth Middle School String Ensemble. One piece, “Greek Dances,” draws on the folk music of my Greek heritage, and I conducted its premiere. I have also composed a podcast soundtrack. I received the All-State Recognition Award, the Rhode Island College Special Talent Award, and a place on the Dean’s List.

I teach violin, viola, cello, piano, and guitar, as well as music theory, ear training, composition, songwriting, and music history.

My teaching is student-centered. Before the first lesson, I ask what each student wants from music, whether that is passing an audition, joining an orchestra, writing their own songs or simply enjoying playing. I then build a plan around those goals.

I keep lessons encouraging, organized and fun. Each one has a clear focus, and I break difficult skills into small, manageable steps so students feel progress every week. I always explain why we do something, not just how, so students become independent musicians who can practice well on their own.

With young beginners, I use games, rhythm activities and movement to build listening skills and a love of music before introducing notation. Older students and adults get clear technical foundations, theory they can apply right away, and repertoire they are excited to play. Theory and composition students learn concepts step by step and connect them to real pieces.

Online lessons work very well for my teaching. I watch posture, bow hold and hand position closely on camera, demonstrate passages directly, and send practice notes after each lesson so students know exactly what to work on before the next one.