Laura Cividino

Italian-born violinist Laura Cividino performs regularly with the Houston New Arts Movement, Bach Society Houston, Austin Baroque Orchestra, and the Symphony of South-East Texas. She is also a founder of the Carya String Quartet, which focuses its activity on educational programs and performances in the outskirts of the city of Houston. Previously, she founded the Calliope String Quartet, performing two concert tours that included visits to Italy, Austria, and Slovenia in the summers of 2015 and 2017. For many years Ms. Cividino has also been a member of a piano trio with her father Ugo Cividino and her brother Luca. This ensemble has concertized extensively throughout Europe, including at Fonseca University (2006) in Salamanca Spain, at the Gulbenkian Foundation (2000) in Lisbon, Portugal, in the Concordia Theatre of Pordenone, Italy, and in the G. da Udine Theatre in Udine, Italy (2004). In Italy, as a member of string orchestra Piccola Accademia conducted by Professor Alberto Vianello, Ms. Cividino participated in two CD recordings: “Concerti per viola d’amore” and “J.S.Bach 2000.” She has also recorded for the Austrian ORF and for the American KUHA. Ms. Cividino has been a featured soloist with the Houston Sinfonietta (Sibelius Concerto), and the Clear Lake Symphony (W.A. Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante for Violin and Viola). A dedicated teacher as well as a performer, Ms. Cividino has been a member of the faculty of the international music festival “Musicagiovani” in Majano, Italy, since 2005. In May 2012, she performed concerts and gave Masterclasses in Medellin, Colombia.

Ms. Cividino received her violin diploma in 2004 with prof. Diego Masutti and piano diploma in 2005 with prof. Ugo Cividino, both at the J. Tomadini Conservatory of Music in Udine, Italy. She continued her studies in Klagenfurt, Austria, with Professor Helfried Fister, and in March 2008 she received a violin diploma from that school. In May 2012, Ms. Cividino graduated with a Masters degree from the University of Houston, Moores School of Music, where she studied violin in the class of Professor Andrzej Grabiec. In February 2014, she received her viola diploma at the G. Tartini Conservatory of Music in Trieste, Italy. During her regular musical studies she also completed courses in the Willems Pedagogy method and graduated with a master diploma in 2002. 

Throughout her education and career, Ms. Cividino has had many opportunities to travel and tour. In June 2003, she won an Italian scholarship to participate in the Texas Music Festival in Houston, Texas. In the same year she became part of the interregional orchestra SFK, later touring China as principal violin of this orchestra (2008). In the 2009-2010 season, Ms. Cividino joined the Orchestra Academy Ossiach (youth orchestra founded by members of the Wiener Philharmoniker), and in 2012 she toured Chile with YOA-Youth Orchestra of the Americas. 

Ms. Cividino has also actively participated in chamber music and solo competitions throughout the years. In 2007, her Mirror Quintet participated in the first international Competition “Quintetti d’Europa” and was awarded Distinguished Prize. In 2008, together with Theresa Althuber, Gregor Hrabar, and Luca Cividino she founded the ISA ensemble which performed during the opening concert of the prestigious international festival “Musicagiovani 2008”, as well as in one of the concerts of the World Willems Congress in Ljubljana, Slovenia. In 2009, the ISA ensemble performed in Vienna, Austria, for the University of Music. One of the great accomplishments of the ISA ensemble was winning the second prize (first not awarded) of the Alpe Adria Competition. Once in Houston, Ms. Cividino won the Concerto Competition, section strings, at the University of Houston, subsequently performing J. Sibelius Violin Concerto with the University Orchestra, conducted by maestro Franz Anton Krager in April 2012.

Ms. Cividino considers teaching an incredible privilege and responsibility, but also a great opportunity for growth as both teacher and students learn from each other in the process.  She is excited to be a part of the incredibly dynamic faculty at the International Music Academy.