Justen, Gloria (1966-Present)

She is a violinist and composer raised in Houston, Texas, who entered the Curtis Institute of Music in 1984. She graduated in 1990 and was soon a member of the Concerto Soloists Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, now known as simply the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia.

She has also served with many other orchestras and ensembles in and around Philadelphia that include Network for New Music, Orchestra 2001, the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Relache Ensemble.

She moved to San Francisco and began playing with orchestras and ensembles there alongside continuing her musical career in Philadelphia. This saw her performing with the Empyrean Ensemble, the Magik*Magik Orchestra and the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra.

Her busy career has included her being made Concertmaster of the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia in 2004, premiering Andrea Clearfield’s “Romanza, for Solo Violin and Chamber Orchestra” with Orchestra 2001 in 2007, touring Europe, Taiwan and Australia with the Philip Glass Ensemble in 2008 and giving performances of “Water Passion According to St. Matthew” by Tan Dun in Germany and Australia.

Outside of being a classical musician she has also ventured into many other genres of music such as performing with Baltimore with Michael Formanek’s jazz string quartet, working on an electronic piece at the Philadelphia Museum of Art with the guitarist and producer Tom Motzer and being a studio musician on many album releases by current pop artists.

Not just a musician, she has taught herself composition and is very involved in creating electronic music as well as using traditional acoustic methods. Her works include “Zephyr, for Solo Violin, Strings and Percussion” was premiered in 2001 by the Chamber Orchestra of Phildelphia, “Night in the Roof Garden” was performed by her as a soloist in 2003, the electronic music compilation “The Movie Is In Your Mind” which was premiered in 2006 and more recently the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra performed her “Not Created or Destroyed”. She released a CD of her own compositions in 2008.

The many recordings she has appeared on include her own Four-Stringed Voice as well as Defected in the House by Simon Dunmore, Because of You by Ne-Yo, Home by Seven, What a Wonderful World by Tonia Tecce, Graduation by Kanye West Choral Recital by The Westminster Choir, String Quartet Tribute to The Beatles, String Quart Tribute to Weezer: Pull This String.

Here Gloria rehearses “Statement – Remembering Aaron” by Elliott Carter…

Sources:

Justen, Gloria (1966-Present)

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