Denise started playing the violin at the age of 10 through the Portland Public Schools. She chose to play the violin because she was inspired by her Grandfather, Ray Smesrud, who, in his younger days, played fiddle for square dances. From the age 11 and on, Denise studied under various teachers including, Mrs. Ruby, Paula Sisson, Dorothy McCormick, Catherine Peterson, Carol Sindell and Gretchen Tucker.
When she was 13, she was accepted into the "Prep" Junior symphony where she went on to play with the Portland Junior Symphony until 1979. Soon after, she had the opportunity to perform as a soloist with the Oregon String Sinfonietta and the Mid-Columbia Orchestra of Hood River as the result of winning 1st place in the CMSO annual violin auditions. In the summer of 1979, she attended "The Congress Of Strings" music camp in Seattle under a scholarship awarded by Local 99 of The American Federation of Musicians.
Over the years, Denise has played in the Oregon Sinfonietta, Portland State University Orchestra, Columbia Symphony, Yaquina Symphony,Mid-Columbia Orchestra, North Coast Philharmonic and the Clark College Orchestra. She's been a member of the Vancouver Symphony since 2004 and a member, of the Columbia Symphony since 2006.
Denise has three sons, aged 12, 15 and 17, who are all musicians. She enjoys gardening, boating, Dodger Baseball and spending time with her family.
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Denise Uhde-Friesen, Violin