Brainerd native Ava Figliuzzi has been involved with many areas of Lakes Area Music Festival for over a decade and it is always a summer highlight to return to her hometown’s ever-growing classical music scene. Ava earned her bachelor’s degree from Boston University where she studied with Bayla Keyes, and will begin her master’s degree this fall at Lynn University with Carol Cole. During her time in Boston, Ava held principal and concertmaster positions in the BU Symphony Orchestra and was a finalist in both the Concerto Competition and Carnegie Hall Competition. She frequently freelanced in the Boston area with ensembles such as Philharmonia Boston, Boston Chamber Symphony, and as part of her own quartet that collaborated with Minneapolis based hip-hop artist Dessa on her 2019 “Sound the Bells” tour. Her past summers have been spent at The Monteux School, Round Top Festival Institute, and Garth Newel Music Center. In her time studying in Minnesota, she had many wonderful performing opportunities touring Cuba with Minnesota Youth Symphonies, soloing with Heartland Symphony Orchestra, and placing as a top prize winner in the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra's Youth Chamber Music Competition.
