“I am absolutely thrilled that Nigel accepted my invitation to join the Santa Cruz Symphony’s family as its new concertmaster. Not only is he a soloist of international renown, having established a name for himself as a prizewinner at several of the world’s most prestigious competitions, including the Tchaikovsky, the Yehudi Menuhin, and the Corpus Christi International Violin Competitions, but he is also highly regarded for his phenomenal leadership as a concertmaster,” states Music Director Daniel Stewart.
The 26-year-old Armstrong is hailed as a dynamic and creative artist both within and beyond the realm of classical music, Armstrong feels fortunate to have had the chance to explore great orchestral literature throughout his career. From his musical beginnings as a member of “The Little Fiddlers” in Sonoma, CA to collaborations with tango musicians in Argentina to performing as concertmaster with a number of orchestras, Armstrong has enjoyed using the violin in a versatile manner throughout his life.
“I’m looking forward to our next season with Nigel as our new concertmaster. With his technical skill and musicality, he will raise the Santa Cruz Symphony’s artistic quality to a new level. It will be fun to see the audience’s reaction,” states Executive Director Dorothy Wise.
A graduate of the Colburn School and the Curtis Institute of Music, Nigel’s teachers have included Arnold Steinhardt, Robert Lipsett, Zaven Melikian, and Donald Weilerstein, among others. He also recently had the opportunity to live with and learn from the Plum Village community founded by Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh, where he spent a year working on their organic farm and taking part in their daily life, an experience for which he continues to be grateful.
“I’m looking forward greatly to making music with the Santa Cruz Symphony! It’ll also be a joy to play a role in the Santa Cruz community — I used to come with my grandparents when I was a child and I have many fond memories of this special and beautiful place,” states Armstrong.