Violist Joan DerHovsepian became a member of the Houston Symphony in 1999, after serving two seasons as Principal Violist of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra.  She is an Artist Teacher of Viola at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, instructing students in viola orchestral repertoire and chamber music.  Ms. DerHovsepian is an active performer of chamber music in Houston, including the Context, Mukuru, Greenbrier and Musiqa concert series.  She spends her summers in Wyoming at the Grand Teton Music Festival and in Wisconsin as Principal Violist of the Peninsula Music Festival.  As a member of the Everest Quartet, Ms. DerHovsepian concertized throughout the U.S. and Canada and won top prizes in the Banff and Fischoff competitions, as well as held the string quartet residency with the Midland-Odessa Symphony.  She played in the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra from 1992-94.  Ms. DerHovsepian won second prize in the 1995 William Primrose Memorial Scholarship Competition.