Heather Haughn, Violin

Heather Haughn, violin, enjoys a diverse career as an active chamber musician, orchestral player, and teacher. She plays nationwide as a member of the West Shore Piano Trio and the Zanoli* Duo. Ms. Haughn currently plays with the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Chamber Orchestra, Maryland Symphony Orchestra, and the Maryland Lyric Opera Orchestra.  She is the Chair of the String Department at the Annapolis Symphony Academy and is on the faculty of the Peabody Preparatory, Goucher College and the University of the District of Columbia.

Ms. Haughn has performed as soloist and concertmaster with the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra (under the direction of Kent Nagano), the San Francisco Sinfonietta, and the San Francisco Concerto Orchestra. She has also served as concertmaster for Cal Performances, Golden Gate Opera, Pocket Opera, Ballet San Joaquin, and North Bay Opera. She has played associate concertmaster for the Modesto Symphony Orchestra, Pacific Chamber Symphony, Chamber Orchestra of Albuquerque, and the Schlossfestspiele opera orchestra in Heidelberg, Germany. She was formerly the assistant principal second violinist with the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra.

Ms. Haughn has performed chamber music throughout the United States. As a member of the Sierra Ensemble for violin, horn, and piano, she performed throughout northern California. The trio released a CD, "Heartstrings", in 2006(produced by Museum Music). She was formerly the first violinist of the Bella Cosi String Quartet. The quartet was a semi-finalist in the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and was featured on a CD, “Lullaby, and Good Night”, produced by KHFM. The group was the quartet in residence for the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival's Education and Outreach Program, Chamber Music Albuquerque's Education Program, and the Golden Gate Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. The Bella Cosi Quartet coached with members of the Alexander, American, Cleveland, Concord, Juilliard, Kronos, Penderecki, and St. Lawrence Quartets.

Also a dedicated pedagogue, Ms. Haughn served as Director of Strings at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, D.C. for twelve years and was on the faculty of the University of California, Berkeley for four years.  She also conducted the youngest orchestra of the Golden Gate Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and was on faculty at the Community Music Center of San Francisco. Ms. Haughn was formerly on faculty at the Houston Conservatory and taught for the Rice University Preparatory Division.

Ms. Haughn received her Bachelor of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music where she studied with Lynn Blakeslee. She received a Master of Music degree from Rice University where she studied with Kathleen Winkler. Ms. Haughn has performed in master classes for renowned artists including Isaac Stern, Roland and Almita Vamos, and Zvi Zeitlin.

Ms. Haughn lives in Baltimore with her many pets. In her spare time, she enjoys running, salsa dancing, discovering great vegan restaurants, and being an advocate for animal rights.

Select Reviews

"(Ms. Haughn) was so intense I thought she might combust at any moment!" -Joanne Sheehy Hoover (has written for Albuquerque Journal, Washington Post, NPR, and others)

"(Ms. Haughn) is clearly determined and she communicates that vividly to everyone." -Joanne Sheehy Hoover (classical music critic for Albuquerque Journal)

"Heather Haughn delivered a pleasing, lyrical account of the violin solo." (Beethoven's Romance in F Major, Op. 50) -San Francisco Classical Voice (Robert Commandy)

"...Haughn met her avalanche of notes with precision and compassion of the heart." -Pacifica Tribune (Jean Bartlett)

"A violin virtuoso...Ms. Haughn's violin began passionately on a rooftop of prayer.  Her fingers next danced in fire lit bowing till they found their rhythm on soft cantorial strings of hope." -Pacifica Tribune (Jean Bartlett)