A native of Houston, Texas, violinist Ava is a Boulder-based performer, collaborator, and teacher. She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts and Master of Music in violin from the University of Colorado Boulder, as well as a Bachelor of Music in violin performance from Truman State University. As an active performer, Ava has been involved in solo, orchestral, and chamber ensemble performances across the United States and Italy, including performances at Icicle Creek Chamber Music Institute in Leavenworth, Washington, and the Alba Music Festival in Alba, Italy. Recent solo engagements have included Antonio Vivaldi’s Spring Concerto with the Icicle Creek Chamber Music Institute Young Artists as well as Eugene Ysayë’s Solo Sonata No. 2. In the fall of 2018, Ava was named a semi-finalist in the University of Colorado Boulder’s Bruce Ekstrand Memorial Graduate Competition. While at Truman State University, Ava was a two-time Gold Medal Competition finalist on concerti by Kabalevsky and Shostakovich. She has performed in masterclasses for artists such as Anne Akiko Meyers, Stephen Rose, Altius String Quartet, and Alberto Bologni. Most recent chamber performances have featured Stravinsky's Three Pieces for String Quartet and Schoenberg's Verklarte Nacht, as well as Granados’ Piano Quintet in G minor alongside members of the Volta Piano Trio and Avalon String Quartet. As an orchestral musician, she has regularly played as a member of Boulder Chamber Orchestra, Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra, Boulder Symphony, Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra, Longmont Symphony Orchestra, Arapahoe Philharmonic Orchestra, and Midland Odessa Symphony & Chorale. Ava has served as the assistant principal second violinist of the Boulder Symphony Orchestra, acting assistant concertmaster & acting principal second violin of the Arapahoe Philharmonic Orchestra, and assistant concertmaster of the University of Colorado Symphony Orchestra. Ava's previous teachers include founding member of the Takács Quartet Karoly Schranz, Takács Quartet second violinist Harumi Rhodes, Sam McClure, Julie Lundgren, and Kathy Karpicke.