Perry Holley Obituary

Having studied with former NSO concertmaster Millard Taylor NSO assistant principal viola and Bethesda string teacher Hendrik Essers as well as renown New York Philharmonic concertmaster John Coriliano, Perry Holley was a member of the National Symphony Orchestra since 1974. A native Washingtonian, Mr. Holley attributed his early interest in music as a career to the influence of a country violinist on 1950's local DC television. Buck Ryan (with Jimmy Dean the Texas Wildcats) inspired Mr. Holley to acquire technical proficiency on the instrument (and his parents made him practice). He continued in Montgomery County (Maryland) Youth Orchestra under Chester Petranek and advanced study at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, as well as summer training at the Chautauqua Institute and the Congress of Strings program sponsored by the American Federation of Musicians. He was also a member of the Potomac Players Chamber Group. Mr. Holley enjoyed entertaining young people from around the Washington, DC area with everything from Bach to Duke Ellington.
(from https://www.kennedy-center.org/artists/h/ho-hz/perry-holley/)