Houston, Texas – August 29, 2022—Symphony North of Houston announced its new Concertmaster, Lauren Martin.
Symphony North of Houston is pleased to announce Lauren Martin as their new Concertmaster. She will be performing with Symphony North as they begin the 2022 – 2023 season on October 16, 2022. The full season’s repertoire can be found at this link: 2022-2023 Season.
Lauren Martin
Lauren Martin is a violinist from Houston, TX. She received her Master’s Degree in violin performance from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, where she served as the Graduate Teaching Assistant to Charles Castleman. It was here that she learned the art of layering warm clothing and gained a lifelong appreciation for a good cup of hot coffee! Lauren earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, LA, where she became acquainted with her Cajun roots, ate a lot of gumbo, and learned to love purple and gold.
Her professional career so far has been enjoyable and diverse, and includes a variety of performance and teaching experiences. She has performed as a substitute violinist with the Houston Symphony Orchestra, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, the Baton Rouge Symphony, and was a core member of the first violin section of the Symphony of Southeast Texas for many years. Throughout her career, she has led various string quartets and chamber music groups. Lauren attended the High School for Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA) and was a member of the Texas All State Orchestra. Performing Tchaikovsky and Beethoven with the All-State Orchestra was the definitive moment that inspired her to pursue a life in music.
During her college years, Lauren attended the Round Top Festival Institute and the Castleman Quartet Program. She had the opportunity to travel with a select group of students from the Eastman School of Music to Hiroshima, Japan to perform a concert observing 50 years since the end of World War II. The experience was one of the most memorable and significant moments of her life.
After college, she attended the AIMS Festival in Graz, Austria, where she had the pleasure of touring around Austria. She acquired a passion for travel and was able to see much of Europe during those two summers. Her favorite moments were cliff jumping into the Adriatic Sea in Croatia and driving from Graz to Venice in one of the world’s tiniest cars! After moving back to Texas, she enjoyed playing fiddle in two Texas Country bands for several years. She discovered her love for violin improvisation, studio recording work, and dancing the “Texas Two-Step”. Her violin and fiddle performances are featured on several Texas country and indie music albums.
She is a former Head Director of the Jersey Village High School Orchestra, where she succeeded in building a strong program over a five-year period. Still a passionate educator and performer, Lauren is currently active as a clinician, private lesson teacher, and freelance musician in Houston and surrounding areas. Her former teachers and mentors include Charles Castleman, James Alexander, Zvi Zeitlin, Isidor Saslav, Cindy Rubin, Jorja Fleezanis, Debbie Elafros, members of the Ying Quartet and principal members of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra.
Lauren is truly honored and excited to be the Concertmaster for Symphony North of Houston! She is an avid baker, rock climber, and a mother of two. She currently lives in Spring, TX with her husband, children, and pets.
For More Information:
Email: | |
Phone: | (281) 803-9127 |
Mail: | 21175 State Highway 249 No. 222 Houston, TX 77070-1655 |
Web: | https://symphonynorth.org |