Stephanie Sant’Ambrogio

Stephanie Sant'Ambrogio (born July 15, 1960) is an American violinist. Currently assistant professor of violin and viola at the University of Nevada, Reno, she served as concertmaster of the San Antonio Symphony from 1994 until 2007, during which time she appeared annually as soloist with the orchestra. Her father is nationally acclaimed cellist John Sant'Ambrogio.

Honors and Activities

She made her solo debut with the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra in 2003 and in the same year released her second CD, entitled Souvenir de San Antonio, a recording of 20th century Mexican and American pieces for violin and piano. In 2004, she was a Ford Salute to Education Award winner for her outstanding contributions to music education in the San Antonio region. Formerly First Assistant Principal Second Violin of The Cleveland Orchestra under Christoph von Dohnányi, she recorded and toured internationally with this acclaimed ensemble for eight seasons. She has performed as a soloist and chamber musician throughout the U.S. and in the countries of Estonia, Sweden, Ghana, Italy, Peru and Mexico. In addition to her impressive list of musical awards and honors, she has an outstanding reputation as an inspiring teacher.

Because of her passion for chamber music, in 1996 Ms. Sant’Ambrogio founded Cactus Pear Music Festival, a not-for-profit summer festival presenting chamber music performances, Young People’s Concerts and master classes in San Antonio and the surrounding region. This season she created a three-program series of Kinder Konzerts, presented by The Children’s Fine Arts Series, to introduce young children, ages 3 - 8, to classical music. Her chamber music activities have included performances and recordings with such noted artists as William Preucil, James Buswell, Ron Leonard, Richard Goode, David Schifrin, Walter Trampler, Anne Epperson and Gunther Schuller. She is featured in chamber music recordings under the Arabesque label and her live concert performances are frequently heard on National Public Radio’s Performance Today. Ms. Sant'Ambrogio has performed as first violinist with the Miami String Quartet and has been a guest artist with The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, performing at both Lincoln Center and Kennedy Center. She toured extensively throughout Ohio with Cleveland’s Myriad, and for ten years toured with the Amici String Quartet, of which she was a founding member.

In addition to her performances as violinist and Artistic Director of Cactus Pear Music Festival, Ms. Sant'Ambrogio performs and teaches at various festivals including: Nevada Chamber Music Festival (NV); Music in the Vineyards (CA); Round Top Festival Institute (TX); Arts for the Soul (CO); Mainly Mozart Festival (CA); and Bach, Dancing and Dynamite Society (WI). Ms. Sant’Ambrogio studied with and was the graduate assistant to Donald Weilerstein at The Eastman School of Music, where she received her Master of Music degree. Previously she received her Bachelor of Music degree with distinction from Indiana University as a scholarship student of James Buswell and Laurence Shapiro.

Instrument

Ms. Sant'Ambrogio plays a violin crafted in 1757 by J.B. Guadagnini of Milan, Italy.

Family

Stephanie is currently married to Gary Albright and has two young daughters, Isabel and Gabrielle.