Vanessa Moss
Vanessa Moss is a violinist, chamber musician, educator, and orchestral leader based in the Pacific Northwest who believes that music, at its core, is a vehicle for connection and community. Guided by this philosophy, she has built a career alongside musicians who share these values, serving as a founding member of the Seattle-based Glass House String Quartet and as Artistic Director of Sempre Chamber Music, where she curated performances that brought world-class chamber music to audiences throughout Central Washington. Her chamber music career has taken her from intimate concert halls and festivals throughout the region to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, where she and her quartet performed for river runners and fellow adventurers along the Colorado River.
As Concertmaster of the Walla Walla Symphony and Mid-Columbia Symphony, Moss believes the most impactful performances emerge when musicians contribute their voices in an environment of trust, psychological safety, and shared musical intention. Maintaining a robust freelancing career, Moss performs regularly with orchestras throughout the Pacific Northwest, including the Spokane Symphony, Northwest Sinfonietta, and the Yakima Symphony. Her performing career has led to engagements across the United States and abroad, including international tours to South Korea with the Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra and China with the American Festival Orchestra. In 2024, she served as Principal Second Violin of the Edeta Arts Festival Orchestra in Valencia, Spain. Additional appearances include performances with Andrea Bocelli, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and Music of Square Enix. As a violin soloist, she has performed Vaughan Williams' The Lark Ascending, Piazzolla's Las Cuatro Estaciones Porteñas, and Max Richter's Recomposed by Max Richter: Vivaldi – The Four Seasons.
Moss is grateful for the education she has received from teachers, colleagues, and collaborators throughout her career. She studied violin at Central Washington University with Carrie Rehkopf-Michel, quartet playing with the Kairos String Quartet, and has received concertmaster mentorship from Denise Dillenbeck.
Moss maintains a thriving private violin studio in Ellensburg, Washington, where she teaches students ranging from beginners to advanced young artists. Her students regularly advance to state-level Solo & Ensemble competitions, participate in All-State and All-Northwest ensembles, win concerto competitions, pursue collegiate music studies, and go on to serve as leaders in their own musical communities. While she celebrates these accomplishments, she considers her greatest success helping students develop curiosity, self-discipline, and a lifelong love of learning that enriches every aspect of their lives.
When not practicing or rehearsing, Vanessa can be found running long distances and exploring the geological wonders of the Pacific Northwest. She lives in Ellensburg with her husband, percussionist Josh Gianola, their black lab Gilly, and two cats.