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Joanna P. Zakany

 

Hailed for “stunning, expressive, remarkable” playing and “exemplar of grace and technical skill”, Joanna Patterson Zakany is a member of The Cleveland Orchestra and enjoys an active orchestral, chamber music and teaching career in the United States and abroad.

Born in the Principality of Monaco, Joanna began her studies with her parents, Ronald and Roxanna Patterson. She continued her studies at the Academie de Musique Rainier III, where she was the youngest recipient of the “Prix Prince Rainer III , medaille d’Or” (gold medal), Monaco’s most prestigious prize for aspiring musicians. She also studied in Paris with Michel Mikkalakakos of the Conservatoire National Superieure de Paris. After moving back to the United States, she began her studies with Robert Vernon, principal violist of The Cleveland Orchestra, at the Cleveland Institute of Music in 2001. She graduated with honors from CIM under full scholarship, receiving the “Robert Vernon prize”. Shortly after graduation, she joined The Cleveland Orchestra at 21 years old. She has enjoyed traveling the world and performing in the world’s best concert halls, including Carnegie Hall, Festspielhaus, KKL and Musikverein. In addition to TCO, Joanna has been Guest Principal with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, guest member with All-Star Orchestra and Principal of the Canton Symphony.

As a soloist, Joanna has performed with The Monte-Carlo Philharmonic, the Federal Way Symphony and Marrowstone Music Festival Orchestra, the Canton Symphony, Cleveland Philharmonic, KSU Orchestra and CSU Orchestra, amongst others. She has an active chamber music career as a founding member of the Omni String Quartet, comprised of four members of The Cleveland Orchestra. She is also a member of Ensemble HD, a chamber group started by Cleveland Orchestra Principal Flute Joshua Smith. Together they perform in various eclectic venues which culminated in recording “Live from the Happy Dog”, recorded in Cleveland’s famous hot dog bar. The album garnered national and international press, which brought them to perform at the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society. Joanna will return to perform at PCMS in 2019 with Omni Quartet, Smith and Principal Oboe of TCO, Frank Rosenwein.

Zakany is Assistant Professor at Kent State University, where she enjoys teaching and performing with the Verve Chamber Players, a group made up of fellow Omni member Amy Lee and members of the Miami String Quartet, Cathy and Robby Robinson.

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