SHRUTHI KATTUMENU

A native of Plano, Texas, Shruthi Kattumenu recently graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Masters degree in violin performance.  During her time at The University of Texas at Austin, she served as concertmaster and principal second of The University of Texas Symphony Orchestra, the Butler Opera Center, and the UT Lab Orchestra. She was also selected to take part in the Intensive Seminar led by the Miro Quartet.

Over the years, Shruthi has been awarded prizes in numerous competitions including first place in Dallas Symphonic Festival, grand prize in Chamber Music International Competition, and as finalist in the University of Texas Concerto Competition. 

In recent summers, Shruthi has attended music festivals such as Meadowmount School of Music, Montecito International Music Festival, and Music Academy of the West. During these festivals, she has been fortunate to study both solo and chamber music with  Glen Dicterow, Kathleen Winkler, Martin Beaver, Almita and Roland Vamos, Ko Iwasaki, and Pamela Mia Paul among others.

Her most recent masterclass appearances have been with Frank Almond (ex Concertmaster of the Milwaukee Symphony, Nathan Cole (First Associate Concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic), and Robert Chen (Concertmaster of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra).

Shruthi regularly plays in the Austin Symphony Orchestra, Waco Symphony Orchestra, and Canton Symphony Orchestra. For the past two seasons, she has also been an artist with Austin Camerata, an ensemble dedicated to innovative chamber performances. Shruthi is a passionate educator who has been teaching for almost ten years. In addition to her private violin studio, she is also a faculty member of the UT String Project, where she currently teaches individual lessons, theory classes, and mixed ensemble groups. 

Shruthi’s primary teachers include Nicolette Solomon, Jan Mark Sloman, Brian Lewis, and William Fedkenheuer.

She currently plays a Silvio Levaggi violin (2009).

SARA MELISSA ALDANA

Sara Melissa Aldana is currently pursuing an Artist Diploma at the University of Texas at Austin. A current student of Professor Brian Lewis, Sara is the recipient of the Starling Distinguished Violinist Scholarship. While at The University of Texas at Austin, Sara won The University of Texas Concerto Competition and Austin Civic Orchestra’s Texas Rising Stars Competition. Throughout her career, Sara has also been a prizewinner in competitions such as the Luis Angel Arango Library’s Youth Performer National Competition, Mary West Solo Competition, Mankato Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Competition, Thursday Musical Competition, Schubert Club Competition, and Schmidbauer Young Artist Competition.

A native of Bogota, Colombia, Sara spent four years as concertmaster of the Youth Orchestra of the National University of Colombia and toured Spain with the National University of Colombia Orchestra. She has been a member of the Bogota Foundation Symphony Orchestra, the Bogota Youth Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Clara Schumann Women’s Orchestra.

Sara leads a very diverse career as a violinist, chamber musician, teacher, and conductor. She has been part of the UT String Project faculty since 2017 and has taught group technique classes, theory classes, early childhood music classes, and many other mixed age and mixed level classes. She currently serves as co-conductor of the String Project Chamber Orchestra and aims to provide young musicians the opportunity to make high quality music in a nurturing environment. She uses this same philosophy with her private students, and most enjoys introducing young students to the violin.

Most recently, Sara has been given the position of co-conductor of the UT Lab Orchestra, where she conducts an orchestra composed of college musicians. She has also been invited to be part of the UT Undergraduate Conducting Symposium along with three other undergraduates.

Sara currently plays on an Oliver Radke violin graciously loaned by the Virtu Foundation.