Nisanne Howell, violin

Nisanne Howell is in her fifth season as Concertmaster of the Lake Forest Symphony. A member of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra since 1986 and a former member of the Boston Symphony, she brings a wealth of orchestral experience to our stage. She also has been Concertmaster of the Joffrey Ballet and Acting Concermaster of the L’Orchestra Symphonique de Quebec, and currently plays with the Ars Viva Symphony Orchestra.

Nisanne studied with Carroll Genn at Eastman School (pre-college) and attended Juilliard and the Curtis Institute where she studied with Ivan Galamian and privately with Jasha Heifetz. She has been a soloist with the Chicago Symphony under Sir George Solti; the Hudson Valley Philharmonic under Neville Mariner; L’Orchestra Symphonique de Quebec under James DePriest; and with the Rochester Philharmonic, the Erie Philharmonic, and the New York Christmas String Seminar Orchestra under Alexander Schneider in Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center.

She is an active chamber musician in the Chicago area and lives in Evanston with her husband Thomas Howell, former First Horn of the Chicago Symphony, and their four children, Tony, Philip, Loretta and Teddy.

Steven Houser, cello

Steven Houser, a native of Michigan, began playing the cello at age 13, being entirely self-taught for five years. His first cello lessons began at the onset of his college years, first at Olivet College in Michigan and then later at DePaul University in Chicago where he studied with Frank Miller, the Principal Cellist with the Chicago Symphony.

Houser has been Principal Cellist with many of the finest ensembles in the Chicago area including the Chicago String Ensemble, Symphony of the Shores, Metropolis Symphony, Bach Society, Civic Orchestra of Chicago, and the Chicago Sinfonietta.

Currently, Steven is Principal Cellist with the Park Ridge Civic Orchestra, Northbrook Symphony, and his longest association has been with the most wonderful Lake Forest Symphony, as well as Assistant Principal Cellist with the Symphony 2, Ars Viva Orchestra, and Mr. Houser has played in the Grant Park Symphony since 1989.


< back to concert page Nisanne Howell, violin Nisanne Howell is in her fifth season as Concertmaster of the Lake Forest Symphony. A member of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra since 1986 and a former member of the Boston Symphony, she brings a wealth of orchestral experience to our stage. She also has been Concertmaster of the Joffrey Ballet and Acting Concermaster of the L’Orchestra Symphonique de Quebec, and currently plays with the Ars Viva Symphony Orchestra. Nisanne studied with Carroll Genn at Eastman School (pre-college) and attended Juilliard and the Curtis Institute where she studied with Ivan Galamian and privately with Jasha Heifetz. She has been a soloist with the Chicago Symphony under Sir George Solti; the Hudson Valley Philharmonic under Neville Mariner; L’Orchestra Symphonique de Quebec under James DePriest; and with the Rochester Philharmonic, the Erie Philharmonic, and the New York Christmas String Seminar Orchestra under Alexander Schneider in Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center. She is an active chamber musician in the Chicago area and lives in Evanston with her husband Thomas Howell, former First Horn of the Chicago Symphony, and their four children, Tony, Philip, Loretta and Teddy. Steven Houser, cello Steven Houser, a native of Michigan, began playing the cello at age 13, being entirely self-taught for five years. His first cello lessons began at the onset of his college years, first at Olivet College in Michigan and then later at DePaul University in Chicago where he studied with Frank Miller, the Principal Cellist with the Chicago Symphony. Houser has been Principal Cellist with many of the finest ensembles in the Chicago area including the Chicago String Ensemble, Symphony of the Shores, Metropolis Symphony, Bach Society, Civic Orchestra of Chicago, and the Chicago Sinfonietta. Currently, Steven is Principal Cellist with the Park Ridge Civic Orchestra, Northbrook Symphony, and his longest association has been with the most wonderful Lake Forest Symphony, as well as Assistant Principal Cellist with the Symphony 2, Ars Viva Orchestra, and Mr. Houser has played in the Grant Park Symphony since 1989.	Alan Heatherington on our soloists: "Audience members who know these musicians as warmly engaging and communicative principals will be thrilled to experience their brilliance as accomplished solo artists."