Justin Bruns
violinist


The Atlanta Symphony's new Assistant Concertmaster, Justin Bruns joined the orchestra in September and holds the endowed Mary and Cherry Emerson Chair. Before moving to Atlanta he was assistant concertmaster of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra and served as concertmaster at the Boulder Bach Festival. He has also played in Symphony II of Chicago, the Houston Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic, and IRIS Chamber Orchestra, besides having toured Germany with the American Sinfonietta and Italy with the Denver Young Artists Orchestra. He has spent summers at the Aspen Music Festival, Beijing Music Festival, Music Academy of the West, and BRAVO Colorado, and he maintains his affiliation as assistant concertmaster with the Cabrillo Contemporary Music Festival in Santa Cruz, California.

Mr. Bruns began his violin studies at age three and won his first competition two years later. He made his solo debut with an orchestra at age nine. Since then he has appeared with numerous orchestras including the Colorado, Michigan Pops, and University of Michigan Symphonies, Sinfonia of Colorado, and Denver Young Artists Orchestra. In England he has appeared with the Chester Philharmonic Orchestra and the Stockport Symphony.

As a chamber musician Mr. Bruns has performed throughout the United States and England, appearing with ensembles such as Vivace, Kocapelli String Quartet, Brave New Works, Michigan Early Music Ensemble, and Michigan Chamber Players. He was a guest performer on the Faculty Tuesdays Recital Series at the University of Colorado, with the Strings in the Mountains Music Festival, and with the Denver-based ensemble Schubertiade. This season he will perform with the Atlanta Chamber Players.

Actively interested in teaching and bringing music to young audiences, Mr. Bruns has given master classes at Bradley University and the Denver Young Artists Orchestra, taught classes in orchestral repertoire at the University of Colorado and Michigan Youth Symphony Orchestra, and consulted at Medomak Conducting Institute, as well as maintaining a private teaching and coaching studio. He served as a teaching assistant at Rice University and participated in the founding and organization of its outreach program. He regularly appeared with Chamber Music Ann Arbor?s outreach program and throughout Colorado with Up Close and Musical as concertmaster, soloist, and teacher.

Mr. Bruns graduated summa cum laude from the University of Michigan, where he was enrolled in the Artists and Scholars Honors Program and was awarded the top prize upon graduation, the Stanley Medal for Scholastic and Musical Achievement. He received his master?s degree in music from Rice University, where he studied with Kathleen Winkler and Raphael Fliegel. He enjoys playing tango in the noted Denver ensemble, Exstasis, and mariachi music in his spare time.