Joseph Lanza

This season marks violinist Joseph Lanza's thirty-ninth as concertmaster of London Symphonia, formerly known as Orchestra London. While continuing a busy schedule of orchestral, chamber music and solo playing on modern violin, he has steadily developed a parallel career in historical performance on baroque violin for almost 30 years.

Joseph studied baroque violin with Jeanne Lamon, Stephen Marvin, and with Marilyn McDonald at the Oberlin Baroque Performance Institute. He has directed London Symphonia in baroque and classical programmes on numerous occasions. Frequently engaged by Tafelmusik since 1996, Joseph has made several guest appearances directing the Kitchener Waterloo Symphony in Baroque and Classical repertoire. Last season, he was invited to play concertmaster of Montréal's Ensemble Caprice for performances of the Beethoven 9th symphony on period instruments. This season, Joe is excited to record and perform for the first time with Elinor Frey's Accademia de' Dissonanti.

Joseph has led workshops on historical performance at the New England Conservatory, with the Orchestre de la Francophonie in Montreal and with the National Academy Orchestra. Joe directs Western University's Early Music Studio – a musical "happy place." He is married to oboist Jennifer Short. Together, they share a daughter, Heather — all of whom are ably herded by Shetland Sheep dogs Laika and Dobby.