Violist Florrie Marshall is an acclaimed musician recognized for her performances, teaching and arts advocacy. With a passion for exploring the chamber music literature, Marshall has been a participant at esteemed chamber music festivals including the 2018 and 2019 ClasClas Chamber Music Festival in Galicia, Spain under the direction of Guy Braunstein; the 2016, 17, and 19 Four Seasons Chamber Music Festival’s “Winter Workshop” under the direction of Ara Gregorian; the Heifetz International Music Institute; the Beethoven Institute in New York City; and the Manchester Music Festival.
Such festivals have afforded Marshall the opportunity to perform alongside revered artists such as Guy Braunstein, Franz Bartolomey, Ida Kavafian, Ani Kavafian, Michael Kannen, Ara Gregorian, Hye-Jin Kim, Ilya Kaler and Ralph Kirshbaum. In addition to her love of chamber music, she has also explored her role as an orchestral musician. Marshall served as principal violist of the Yale Philharmonia under the direction of Maestro Peter Oundjian since her arrival in 2016.
Prior to her time at Yale, Marshall previously served as concertmaster, principal second violin and principal viola for both the East Carolina University (ECU) Symphony Orchestra and conductor-less ensemble The Virginia Beach Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra. Founder and Artistic Director of Sound Bridges International Company, a non-profit organization dedicated
to building bridges of cultural understanding through music and the performing arts. In this role, Marshall commissioned 4 works of music, presented 7 public concerts, offered 3 workshops, interviewed 14 renowned guest artists, and appeared as Yale President Salovey’s guest on his podcast “Yale Talks.”
Additionally, Florrie gave the world premiere of Sound Bridges commissioned work, “A Tale of One Viola” for unaccompanied
viola by Liliya Ugay for the 2022 festival co-hosted by the International Viola Congress and the American Viola Society in Columbus, Georgia. Florrie gave the Canadian premiere of this work in November 2022, and will give the European premiere in 2023.
Under the tutelage of renowned violist Ettore Causa, Marshall graduated in 2018 from the Yale School of Music with a master’s degree and is currently a candidate for the Yale Doctor of Musical Arts degree. During her studies at Yale, Marshall received the Dean-nominated 2017 “Graduate Music Award” sponsored by the
Presser Foundation, the 2017 “Interdisciplinary Arts Award” through the Yale Center of Collaborative Arts and Media, the 2018 “Philip Nelson Prize” recognizing her “talent and entrepreneurial spirit,” and the 2022 Plank Foundation Artist Residency in Sheridan, Wyoming. Marshall is currently on faculty at the Indiana
University of Pennsylvania, curating a vibrant studio of violin and viola students. Former teachers include Dora Mullins, Hye-Jin Kim, Ara Gregorian and Steven Tenenbom.