Nana Vaughn (R) with daughter and teaching assistant Mira (L).
ABOUT
Nana Gaskins Vaughn is a violist and violinist. A frequent substitute musician with the Baltimore Symphony, Washington National Opera, and National Symphony, she is a violist in the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra as well as assistant principal viola in the Reading Symphony. She has performed as principal viola for Opera Italiana at the Lincoln Memorial, Baltimore Choral Arts, Postclassical Ensemble, and was principal viola for the Richmond (IN) Symphony for fourteen seasons. In 2022, Ms. Vaughn performed in the orchestra for the Kennedy Center Honors attended by President Joe Biden, First Lady Jill Biden, and other dignitaries. Among the musicians she accompanied were Stevie Wonder, Yo-Yo Ma, Billy Porter, Paul Simon, and Denyce Graves.
Currently Adjunct Applied Faculty in Viola at Dewberry Family School of Music at George Mason University and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Viola at Sunderman Conservatory at Gettysburg College, Nana also has an active private home studio in Ellicott City, Maryland. Her pre-college private violin and viola students have achieved great success, having been accepted into nationally prestigious programs such as the National Youth Orchestra 2, Interlochen Viola Institute, Boston University Tanglewood Institute Junior Strings Intensive, All Eastern Orchestra, and Luzerne Music Center, as well as local groups such as Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestras and Howard County GT Orchestras. Students have been accepted into college music programs including Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, and University of Maryland with full scholarships.
Nana is the founder of Violin2Viola, a workshop series sponsored by Shar Music, for violin players who have transitioned or would like to transition to viola. In her role, she has presented online workshops with colleagues Karin Brown and Renate Falkner, and in-person for the Baltimore Symphony Academy. This summer, Violin2Viola will be in residence at Luzerne Music Center and Tanglewood Institute (BUTI). Ms. Vaughn has served on several boards and committees, currently serving on the BSYO Advisory Council and the BSO Musicians Foundation Board.
Nana performs on a beautiful d'amore style viola made in 1980 by Hiroshi Iizuka.
NEWS
JAN '23: Nana has accepted a position as Adjunct Applied Faculty in Viola at Dewberry Family School of Music at George Mason University
AUG '22: Nana has accepted a position as Adjunct Assistant Professor of Viola at Sunderman Conservatory at Gettysburg College.
Nana Gaskins Vaughn is a violist and violinist. A frequent substitute musician with the Baltimore Symphony, Washington National Opera, and National Symphony, she is a violist in the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra as well as assistant principal viola in the Reading Symphony. She has performed as principal viola for Opera Italiana at the Lincoln Memorial, Baltimore Choral Arts, Postclassical Ensemble, and was principal viola for the Richmond (IN) Symphony for fourteen seasons. In 2022, Ms. Vaughn performed in the orchestra for the Kennedy Center Honors attended by President Joe Biden, First Lady Jill Biden, and other dignitaries. Among the musicians she accompanied were Stevie Wonder, Yo-Yo Ma, Billy Porter, Paul Simon, and Denyce Graves.
Currently Adjunct Applied Faculty in Viola at Dewberry Family School of Music at George Mason University and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Viola at Sunderman Conservatory at Gettysburg College, Nana also has an active private home studio in Ellicott City, Maryland. Her pre-college private violin and viola students have achieved great success, having been accepted into nationally prestigious programs such as the National Youth Orchestra 2, Interlochen Viola Institute, Boston University Tanglewood Institute Junior Strings Intensive, All Eastern Orchestra, and Luzerne Music Center, as well as local groups such as Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestras and Howard County GT Orchestras. Students have been accepted into college music programs including Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, and University of Maryland with full scholarships.
Nana is the founder of Violin2Viola, a workshop series sponsored by Shar Music, for violin players who have transitioned or would like to transition to viola. In her role, she has presented online workshops with colleagues Karin Brown and Renate Falkner, and in-person for the Baltimore Symphony Academy. This summer, Violin2Viola will be in residence at Luzerne Music Center and Tanglewood Institute (BUTI). Ms. Vaughn has served on several boards and committees, currently serving on the BSYO Advisory Council and the BSO Musicians Foundation Board.
Nana performs on a beautiful d'amore style viola made in 1980 by Hiroshi Iizuka.
NEWS
JAN '23: Nana has accepted a position as Adjunct Applied Faculty in Viola at Dewberry Family School of Music at George Mason University
AUG '22: Nana has accepted a position as Adjunct Assistant Professor of Viola at Sunderman Conservatory at Gettysburg College.