Stephanie Sant'ambrogio

Stephanie Sant’Ambrogio, described as a “violinist who most often takes your breath away” by Gramophone Magazine, enjoys a varied performing and recording career as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral leader. Stephanie has performed as a soloist and chamber musician on the foremost stages of the U.S., as well as in Canada, Estonia, Sweden, Ghana, Italy, Peru, Chile and Mexico. In addition to her active performing career, she is devoted to teaching serious string players, many who have won positions in America’s symphony orchestras and universities. Currently Professor of Violin and Viola at the University of Nevada, Reno, and violinist of the Argenta Trio, she was also the founding Artistic Director of Cactus Pear Music Festival, which she established in 1997 while serving as Concertmaster of the San Antonio Symphony. Former First Assistant Principal Second Violin of The Cleveland Orchestra under Christoph von Dohnányi, Stephanie toured and recorded internationally with this ensemble for eight seasons. Currently Concertmaster of the Fresno Philharmonic (CA) and the Lancaster Festival (OH) orchestras, and Artistic Director of Chamber Music Reno, Stephanie has a discography of over seventy-five orchestral and chamber music CDs. Fanfare Magazine wrote about her Soaring Solo: Unaccompanied Works for Violin & Viola: “she play[s] with immaculate technique, impeccable intonation, lustrous tone, and emotional warmth.”  The name Sant’Ambrogio is frequently found in concert programs throughout America.  For thirty years the Sant’Ambrogio family directed Red Fox Music Camp, which was founded by grandmother Isabelle Schiebler Sant’Ambrogio, a celebrated concert pianist.  Today, Stephanie plays a violin crafted in 1757 by J.B. Guadagnini of Milan, Italy, the city from which the family name Sant’Ambrogio originates, and her contemporary viola was made in 2008 by Jacek Zadlo in Chicago.