Ann Marie Brink & Marta Aznavoorian
Biography Ann Marie Brink & Marta Aznavoorian
Ann Marie Brink
has served as Associate Principal Viola of the Dallas Symphony for two decades, and has performed in solo and chamber music recitals at Carnegie Hall, the Mostly Mozart Festival at Lincoln Center, Aspen Music Festival, Library of Congress, Severance Hall, Rockport Music Festival, Newport Music Festival, Banff Centre for the Arts, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Alice Tully Hall and the Bravo Vail Valley Music Festival. An avid chamber musician, Ms. Brink's performances with the Amernet String Quartet were praised by the New York Times as "an accomplished and intelligent ensemble. Their fine performances were most notable for the quality of unjaded discovery that came through so vividly." She has coached and performed in residencies for Chamber Music America with the Cavani String Quartet, has twice been a fellow at the Aspen Center for Advanced Quartet Studies and was invited by Isaac Stern to participate in his Chamber Music Workshop at Carnegie Hall. First-prize winner in both the Nakamichi Foundation Concerto competition at the Aspen Music festival and the Darius Milhaud Performance Prize Auditions, she has also won the Florence Allan Award at the Carmel Chamber Music Competition. First introduced to the viola at the age of ten in a public school strings class, Ann Marie became one of the youngest members of the Pensacola Symphony, performing in the viola section while a freshman in high school. She later enrolled at Interlochen Arts Academy, where she was a featured soloist with the World Youth Symphony, received a Fine Arts Award and graduated with high honors. Ann Marie received her Bachelor of Music with academic honors from the Cleveland Institute of Music and was awarded the Jim Hall prize for achievement and leadership in music. She received her Master of Music from the Juilliard School, where she was awarded the prestigious William Schuman Prize, the single graduate prize given at commencement exercises. Her principal teachers were Karen Tuttle, Heidi Castleman and David Holland, and her chamber music mentors include the Emerson, Juilliard, Cleveland, Orion, and Cavani String Quartets. Ms. Brink has served on the faculties of Baylor University, Southern Methodist University, University of North Texas, Interlochen Arts Camp, Wintergreen Academy, Hot Springs Music Festival, Music in the Mountains Conservatory, Dallas Symphony Young Strings and The Institute for Strings. When not playing the viola, Ann Marie can be found in the kitchen, at the pool, or lacing up a pair of running shoes. A frequent traveler to Europe, she has studied and performed traditional Irish music in County Kerry, Ireland, and has taken numerous classes at the Apicius Culinary Institute in Florence, Italy. A US Master's swimmer since 2001, Ann Marie has twice completed the 10-mile Maui Channel Swim, the only inter-island relay race in the world. She has run ten marathons including the Boston, New York, Marine Corps, and Dallas Marathons. Ms. Brink has served as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for abused and neglected children in the foster care system in Dallas, TX since 2012. Pianist of exceptionally finished technique and purity of musical Impulse" (Boston Globe)
Marta Aznavoorian
Armenian/American Pianist, Marta Aznavoorian is known for her inspiringly spirited playing and vast emotional reach. The multi Grammy nominated artist has performed to critical acclaim throughout the world as orchestral soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician. She made her professional debut at the age of 13 performing Mozart Piano Concerto No 24, K 491 with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under the invitation of Sir George Solti. She then went on to engage with orchestras throughout the United States and abroad including Sydney Symphony Orchestra, San Diego Symphony, Chicago Symphony and many others including an engagement with the New World Symphony as a result of an invitation from Michael Tilson Thomas who was also the conductor. Aznavoorian has many awards and accolades including First prize in the Stravinsky International Competition and the special prize for best interpretation of the commissioned contemporary work. As a recipient of the Level 1 award in the National Foundation of the Arts talent search, Aznavoorian became a Presidential Scholar and was invited to the White House where she met former President George H.W. Bush and performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. With her expressive energy and originality she brings to new and traditional classical music, Aznavoorian has recorded extensively for Naxos, Warner Classics and Erato, and has just released her 7th album under record label, Cedille Records. Aznavoorian is a founding member of the Grammy-nominated Lincoln Trio, which Fanfare Magazine has labeled as the "hottest Trio in the business". Aznavoorian also performs extensively with violinist Stefan Milenkovich, and her sister, cellist Ani Aznavoorian. The Aznavoorian sister Duo is set to release their debut album in 2022 called "Veiled Mountain; Gems from Armenia" for Cedille Records. A champion and lover of contemporary music, she has recorded music and premiers by the world's leading composers of our time including William Bolcom, Osvaldo Golijov, Augusta Read Thomas, Shulamit Ran, Stacy Garrop, Joan Tower and Jennifer Higdon among others. A student of the renowned teacher, Menahem Pressler, Aznavoorian received her Bachelor Degree and Artist Diploma at Indiana University and Masters Degree from New England Conservatory. As a dedicated educator and philanthropist, she gives lessons and masterclasses across the United States and abroad, and is on faculty at DePaul University and the Music Institute of Chicago where she is also Artist in Residence. Aznavoorian works with many programs to help create training pathways for students from traditionally under represented backgrounds. Her new foundation aims to help fund these students and help them achieve their full musical potential. Marta Aznavoorian is a Steinway Artist.
