Biography Full

A native of Buffalo, New York, violinist Ava GianGrasso is an experienced performer in solo, chamber, and orchestral contexts. Ava has been studying violin for over fourteen years and grew up regularly attending the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra with her family. She developed a love of music which inspired her to begin violin at age seven. In her early years, she was selected for numerous county and state honors orchestras, while also playing with the Greater Buffalo Youth Orchestra for four years. In high school, she served as concertmaster of symphony orchestra and chamber orchestra. Still spending her summers in Buffalo, she studies with Douglas Cone of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and volunteers at Bravo Chamber Music Workshop as a mentor for younger musicians.

Ava is pursuing a degree in violin performance at Washington and Lee University under the instruction of Jamie Blees. Here, Ava is the concertmaster of the Washington and Lee University Orchestra, as well as the founder and first violin of the W&L String Quartet. The quartet has performed at both university convocations and university wide events, such as the annual campus 9/11 memorial. Ava has also been invited to play the US National Anthem at multiple Virginia Military Institute football and basketball games, performing in front of audiences of thousands of people. She is readily available to collaborate with other musicians and gladly plays in various university ensembles when requested, such as other chamber music groups or local ensembles in Lexington. Ava's musicianship continues to develop while studying with Benjamin Shute at the University of St Andrews during her time abroad.

Ava enjoys sharing her music with others in different settings, such as hospitals and assisted living facilities in addition to formal concerts. Preparing for a future in medicine, she facilitates music therapy specifically for those affected by neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, allowing her to combine her violin performance and neuroscience majors. In her spare time, Ava plays tenor saxophone in the Washington and Lee University Jazz Ensemble and rows for the University of St Andrews Senior Women’s Rowing team. After her undergraduate studies, Ava will attend medical school to become a physician. In the future, Ava hopes to keep music close at hand by joining community ensembles and forming chamber groups.