Joan DerHovsepian, Viola

Joan DerHovsepian is the newly appointed Principal Viola of the Houston  Symphony after winning the national audition in May 2023. She served as  Associate Principal Viola since 2010. Solo appearances with the Houston  Symphony in 2022 include Mozart Sinfonia Concertante led by Jane Glover  and Bruch Double Concerto under the baton of music director Andrés  Orozco-Estrada.  

Recent chamber series and summer festival invitations include the Seattle  Chamber Music Society, the Mainly Mozart Festival, the Grand Teton Music  Festival, the Mimir Chamber Music Festival, the Lake Lure Chamber Music  Festival, the Peninsula Music Festival, Music in Context, the St. Cecelia  Chamber Music Society and the National Orchestral Institute and Festival  as a faculty member. 

A dedicated teacher, Joan is an Artist Teacher of Viola at Rice University’s  Shepherd School of Music, mentoring students through viola orchestral  repertoire classes and independent study. She is a regular guest faculty  with the New World Symphony and has given masterclasses for music  schools such as the University of Melbourne, New England Conservatory  and for viola students of the Juilliard School.  

Joan was violist of the Everest Quartet, top prize winners at the Banff  International String Quartet Competition and the Fischoff Chamber Music  Competition. She served two seasons as Principal Viola of the Charleston  Symphony Orchestra and played with the Rochester Philharmonic for two  seasons. She was awarded 2nd prize in the Primrose International Viola  Competition. Her primary teachers include James Dunham and Kim  Kashkashian.