Lisa L. Hansen

Violin, Viola Teacher, Parent

Lisa Hansen

SAA Member

As an active freelancer in the greater Chicago area, Lisa Hansen was a member of the Elgin and Rockford symphonies, a substitute violinist for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the concertmaster of the Kishwaukee Symphony. A native of southeastern Ohio, she holds a Bachelor of Music degree in violin performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music, a Master of Music degree in violin performance from the University of Michigan, and a Performer’s Certificate from Northern Illinois University. Her main teachers include Kari Gunderson, David Russell, Paul Kantor, and Shmuel Ashkenasi.

Lisa completed long term Suzuki teacher training with Michele George at CIM, and has also done training with Edmund Sprunger, Susan Baer, Ronda Cole, Cathryn Lee, Joseph Kaminsky, Elizabeth Stuen-Walker, and Sera Smolen (Creative Ability Development). In March of 2017, she was the first teacher in Oregon to be awarded the Certificate of Achievement, Level 1 from the Suzuki Association of the Americas. She has completed levels 1A/B in progress towards the Dalcroze Certificate, studying with Jeremy Dittus and the Dalcroze School of the Rockies.

Lisa has participated in various music festivals such as Tanglewood, Spoleto U.S.A. and Italy, ENCORE, Sarasota, Colorado Music Festival, Shira Festival in Jerusalem, and the Cascade Music Festival. In addition to orchestral playing, she has made solo appearances with the Oregon Symphony, National Repertory Orchestra, the Kishwaukee Symphony, the Southeastern Ohio Symphony Orchestra, and the University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra. She has appeared in the Chamber Music on Tap series, performed for Hillary Clinton with the Avalon String Quartet, has performed with Third Angle, and was a founding member of the Ethos Quartet. She has been an adjudicator in the past for the MTNA competition, and has taught master classes and workshops throughout Oregon.

Lisa joined the Oregon Symphony in 1999. She resigned in 2006 and maintains an active private studio. She resides in Portland, Oregon, with her husband, Jeff, and is enjoying her journey as a Suzuki parent to her son Zane, and daughter, Sloane, both violinists.