Joseph Lanza
Director - Early Music Studio
Office: MB 216
Email: jlanza@uwo.ca
Joe Lanza was the Concertmaster of Orchestra London for more than 25 years. During this time, he has been heard by London audiences yearly in a wide range of solo works with orchestra on every one of the orchestra’s concert series.
Joseph has an abiding love of chamber music, performing in countless smaller ensembles on University of Western Ontario and Orchestra London programmes as well as other concert series in London, Toronto and elsewhere. Joseph's interest in music of the 17th and 18th century has led to a journey into new musical territory; performance on period instruments. . He began his study of Baroque violin in 1993 with Jeanne Lamon and Stephen Marvin. He attended the Oberlin Baroque Performance Institute in 1994 and 1995 for further studies Marilyn McDonald and later worked with Jaap Schroder. This has since lead to regular engagements with Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Opera Atelier, many recordings and a number tours to Europe and the Far East.
Originally from Philadelphia, Joseph grew up in a large musical family which has included as many as 7 members of the Philadelphia Orchestra string section. He began violin studies at age 7 with his father, a member of the Philadelphia Orchestra for 47 years. He later studied with William de Pasquale, Cecylia Arzewski and Joseph Silverstein (present or former concertmasters in Philadelphia, Atlanta and Boston).
Joseph is an enthusiastic teacher, giving private lessons as well as teaching at the University of Western Ontario. He is married to Orchestra London oboist and English hornist Jennifer Short. They have a beautiful daughter named Heather and rounding out the family is Fergus, the ever mischievous but lovable Shetland sheep dog.
