Dijana Ihas, PhD

Professor
503-352-2102
UC Box 
A131
Taylor-Meade Performing Arts Center 200B (Forest Grove)

Education

Doctor of Philosophy, Music Education, University of Oregon

Master of Music, Music Education, University of Arizona

Master of Fine Arts, Viola Performance, University of California, Irvine

Bachelors of Music, Viola Performance, University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

About

Dijana Ihas is a professor of music education at Pacific University, where she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in music education, serves as an applied viola instructor, and supervises student-teachers. She is a founder and also serves as a director and master teacher of String Project, the first program of its kind in Oregon.

Dr. Ihas’ educational background includes a PhD in music education from the University of Oregon, master's degree of music education from the University of Arizona, master of fine arts in viola performance from the University of California in Irvine, and bachelor's degree in viola performance from the University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. In addition, she holds K-12 music teacher license and is registered SAA Suzuki violin/viola teacher.

Prior to her position at Pacific University, Dr. Ihas taught strings and symphony orchestra at Sprague High School in Salem, Ore., where her advanced high school string orchestra won the Oregon State Championship for three consecutive years, an elite national competition called the Mark of Excellence for two consecutive years, and, in her final year of teaching in public schools, a full symphony orchestra co-directed by Dr. Ihas won the state championship.

While in Bosnia, Dr. Ihas was mainly a performer and was for 11 years employed as a viola player in Sarajevo’s four professional orchestras. She was also the viola player of the Sarajevo String Quartet, a group which captured international attention and received the most prestigious honors by Bosnian government for its unprecedented efforts in preservation of human dignity during the Bosnian war. The group has been subject of a documentary movie and two books.

Dr. Ihas’ research interests revolve around effective string teaching strategies and developing higher levels of thinking in string classes.