Joseph Lanza

2018-2019 is Joseph Lanza’s 31st season as Concertmaster of London Symphonia and its forerunner, Orchestra London. He has been a regular soloist with the ensemble in every musical genre, and has also directed programmes with his colleagues on numerous occasions.

Joseph has appeared several times as the lead violinist of the Westben Festival Orchestra, and has been a concertmaster/mentor for many years at The National Academy Orchestra, a training programme for young professionals which features guest concertmasters from Canada’s finest orchestras.

A busy free lance musician across the region, Joseph is particularly active on the period instrument scene in southern Ontario. He has served as a creative director of the Nota Bene Baroque Players in Kitchener. Joseph is proud and takes great satisfaction to be regularly engaged by Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra since 1996, including numerous recordings and tours around the world. Joseph is quite active in music education. He has taught both violin and baroque performance at Western University since 1995; last year, he was appointed coordinator of Western’s Early Music Studio. Joseph coaches chamber music at Forest City Talent Education, and has become increasingly active as a private teacher. In the last two years he has become a frequently sought after adjudicator for music festivals across Ontario.

Joseph is married to London Symphonia oboist Jennifer Short; they are the proud parents of a multi-talented daughter. The family is ably herded by a fine little Shetland sheepdog named Laika.