Maria Sampen enjoys a vibrant musical career as a soloist, chamber musician, recording artist and teacher. (Read more) She is in demand as a performer of both standard repertoire and new and experimental works. Her concert engagements have taken her around the world, and she has played in Europe, Asia, and all over the United States and Canada. In addition to her busy performing schedule, Ms. Sampen is a dedicated teacher. She is Professor of Violin at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA. During her tenure at Puget Sound she has twice received the university’s Thomas A. Davis Teaching Award for excellence in teaching. Her students have won top awards in national competitions including the Music Teacher National Association Competition, and the American String Teachers Association Competition. In the summertime Ms. Sampen performs at the Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival in Eastern Washington (wwcmf.org). She was on the faculty of the Brevard Music Festival in North Carolina (brevardmusic.org) from 2008-2012 and the Icicle Creek Chamber Music Institute (2014-15). During the academic year, Ms. Sampen performs frequently with her new music group, Brave New Works (bravenewworks.org), the IRIS Orchestra (Germantown, TN), and the Puget Sound Piano Trio. Her major teachers include Paul Kantor, Kenneth Goldsmith and Paul Makara.