Darlene Struss, Violin
BIOGRAPHY
Darlene Abbate, who happily became Darlene Abbate Struss in 2011, is recently retired from the Patchogue-Medford School District. She taught orchestra on all levels, grades 3 - 12, as well as AP Music Theory, and Chorus. Prior to this, she was a "70's Disco Queen,"playing in the USA and Canada with her band, "Positive Proof." She was lead vocalist, and performed on electric violin and keyboards.
Darlene graduated from SUNY Fredonia and Long Island University at C.W. Post, both with honors. She studied Viola, Violin, Voice, and Theatre. Through out her teaching career she studied violin with Irene Lawton, and currently studies voice with Vivienne Grizzle-Jaber. She lovingly thanks her childhood piano teacher, the late Pauline Feiten, mother of renowned musician, Buzz Feiten.
As a classical performer, Darlene has played with the West Islip Chamber Orchestra, The New Awixa String Quartet, The Dowling College Orchestra, Sound Symphony, and currently plays with the Island Symphony and sings in the choir at St. Luke's in Bay Shore. Her children, Solange, Concetta, and Erik were raised with music, and Concetta is a free lance violinist, living in Manhattan, and a member of the group "Inti and the Moon."
Darlene loves the diversity of her musical projects, and runs "Heartstrings Studio," where she teaches violin, viola, and piano to motivated music students. Her H.S. students dubbed her "musicmom," a name she has proudly kept.
