Welcome to the VMAAI
2024 VMAAI Competition Judges
Click a judge's picture to read their biography:
Laura Cásarez
Tone - Violin
Candice Amato
Tone - Violin/Viola
Christopher Germain
Workmanship and Varnish
TBA
Tone - Cello
Emmy Tisdel Lohr
Tone - Violin
Christopher Germain
Workmanship and Varnish
Christopher Germain makes award-winning violins, violas and cellos from his studio in Philadelphia, PA. Mr. Germain graduated from the Chicago School of Violin Making in 1985. From 1985 to 1991 he worked for the Chicago firms, Kenneth Warren & Son Ltd. and Bein and Fushi Inc., focusing on restorations of rare stringed instruments. In 1995, Mr. Germain was invited by legendary restorer Vahahn Nigogosian to be an instructor at the Oberlin Restoration Workshop. Mr. Germain became director of the VSA/Oberlin Violinmaker’s Workshop in 1997, which recently celebrated it’s 20th Anniversary.
Mr. Germain has served as the President of The American Federation of Violin and Bowmakers as well at The Violin Society of America and has also served on the Governing Boards of both organizations. In 2006, he organized The American Violin, a historical perspective on the history of violin making, which took place at The Library of Congress in Washington DC. He is co-author of The American Violin (2016 AFVBM). In addition, Mr. Germain is the author of numerous other articles, which have appeared in publications and scholarly journals, such as The Journal of The Violin Society of America, VSA Letters, The Strad magazine, Strings and others.
Mr. Germain is also a member of Entente Internationale Maitres Luthiers et Archetiers d’Art and has served as judge on numerous international violin making competitions, including The Violin Society of America International Competition, the International Triennale in Cremona, Italy, the China International Violinmaking Competition and others. He has lectured on violinmaking and demonstrated his craft at venues around the world.
Laura Cásarez
Tone - Violin
Originally from Houston, TX, violinist Laura Cásarez moved to Tucson in 2017 and joined the Tucson Symphony Orchestra in 2019. She currently holds the position of Assistant Principal Second Violin and is also a member of the TSO String Quintet.
In addition to these roles, Laura performs with other local ensembles such as True Concord Voices and Orchestra, Tucson Pops Orchestra, and Borderlands Ensemble. She is also featured frequently on chamber music programs with the Santa Cruz Foundation for the Performing Arts in Patagonia, Arizona.
Prior to joining the TSO, Laura graduated with her Master’s degree at The University of Arizona, where she was a member of the award-winning Graduate String Quartet, Quartet Lyrique. She previously completed her Bachelor of Music at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, graduating with an award for “Distinction in Research and Creative Works.”
In addition to her performance schedule, Laura runs a private teaching studio, works as a chamber music coach for Tucson Adult Chamber Players with Arizona Friends of Chamber Music, works as an Assistant Librarian for the TSO Music Library, and serves as Union Steward for the local chapter of the American Federation of Musicians.
Emmy Tisdel Lohr
Tone - Violin
Emmy Tisdel Lohr is a member of the second violin section in the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, as well as a doctoral student at t the University of Arizona. She was a P.E.O. Scholar for the 2022-23 academic year, and is also a former University of Arizona Doctoral Fellow. Emmy graduated from Oberlin Conservatory with a Bachelor’s degree in Music, from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University with a Master of Music, and from Schulich School of Music at McGill University with an Artists’ Diploma and a Graduate Diploma in Music Performance. She is a co-founder of Ensemble Urbain, a conductorless chamber orchestra based in Montreal; she is a faculty member for the SA’ Oaxaca strings international music festival, which provides free chamber music tutoring to students based in Mexico; and a member of Austin Camerata, an interdisciplinary chamber music organization based in Austin, Texas. Former teachers include Tim Kantor, Jinjoo Cho, Kenneth Goldsmith, David Bowlin, Samantha George, and Katie Brooks
Candice Amato
Tone - Violin/Viola
Candice has a versatile career as an orchestral musician, chamber musician, and teacher. Originally from North Potomac, Maryland, she moved to Tucson, Arizona in 2014 to start her career with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, where she currently holds the position of Assistant Principal Viola. She has also performed with the Phoenix Symphony, Arizona Friends of Chamber Music, and the Santa Cruz Foundation for the Performing Arts. She has served as a visiting faculty member at the University of Arizona's Fred Fox School of Music, where she taught viola lessons, orchestral repertoire classes, and chamber music.
Candice received a Bachelor of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music and a Master of Music degree from the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University. Summer festival appearances include the Aspen Music Festival (CO), Aldeburgh Festival (UK), Britten-Pears Programme (UK), National Orchestral Institute (MD), Manchester Music Festival (VT), and Castleton Opera Festival (VA). Candice plays on a viola made by Georges Chanot I in 1878, a bow made by James Tubbs c. 1890, and a modern bow made by Donald Cohen.
