Andrea Hughes

Andrea Hughes is a Romanian-born, American concert artist. She began studying violin at age 3 and piano at age 7. Her childhood violin and piano instructors include Deborah Moench, Dara Morales, and Ralph Matson on violin, and Amy Wilding and Melissa Ballard on piano. As a prodigious child, Andrea performed numerous concerts with various ensembles, participated in Suzuki Institute and Suzuki Orchestra of Americas, and performed with Rocky Mountain Strings, including tours to Poland, the Czech Republic, and Italy. She also was Concertmaster of the Utah Youth Symphony for three years, and was invited to perform at Nature’s Sunshine National Convention. She received a Bachelor Degree in Violin Performance at the Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM) with professors Paul Kantor and Ivan Zenaty. While there, she distinguished herself with her participation in the Vienna Summer Study Abroad Program through BYU, the Intensive Quartet Seminar, recitals, as Concertmaster and Principal Second Violin for the CIM Orchestra and Opera Orchestra, being awarded Winner of the Concerto Competition and the Dr. Jerome Gross Prize, and soloing with CIM Orchestra. The illustrious education Andrea has gained also includes attending the The Quartet Program, Heifetz Institute, Nuevo Mundo Festival & Academy, National Repertory Orchestra, Keshet Eilon Mastercourse, Blackmore International Music Academy, Szymon Goldberg Meisterkurse, Dorothy Delay Masterclass Series and Schlossakademie Masterclass Series. Additional violin instruction has also been given from artists including Joseph Silverstein, Dmitri Berlinsky, Ulf Schneider, Stephen Picard, Ilya Kaler, Remus Azoitei, and Viktor Tretyakov. Her orchestral and chamber music experience includes, but is not limited to, the Chroma Quintet, freelancing and recording session work, Firelands Symphony Orchestra, Ballet West Orchestra, Orchestra at Temple Square, Camerata Louis Spohr, Folkwang Kammerorchester Essen, Essener Philharmoniker, Sinfonieorchester Wuppertal and the Utah Symphony. Honors Andrea has been awarded include NFMC Cup Award for both violin and piano, First Prize thrice at the Utah State Fair Violin Competition, First Prize at the UMTA Pre-Collegiate Instrumental Concerto Competition, and First Prize at the Nuevo Mundo Festival & Academy Concerto Competition; Second Prize in the MTNA National Competition Young Artist Division; Finalist in the Szymon Goldberg International Competition; and Semifinalist in the George Enescu International Competition. Andrea debuted with the Utah Symphony at age 16. She has performed on the M.U.S.i.C Stars in the Classics, Second Sunday Concert Series, Excellence in the Community Concert Series, and Temple Square Concert Series. Live radio broadcast performances include Classical 89 and WQXR New York Radio. She is currently developing the Around the World Concert Series, of which she is the Founder, Music and Artistic Director, and solo concert artist. Andrea began teaching violin in 2007 and piano in 2025. She enjoys passing along musical principles and various methodologies from her own learning and observation, giving students the opportunity to receive a thorough and well-rounded music education. *Serious inquiries only.*