Maria Sampen, Associate Professor of Violin at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington, enjoys a vibrant musical career as a soloist, chamber musician, orchestral performer, recording artist and teacher. She is in demand as a performer of both standard repertoire and new and experimental works. Her performing engagements have taken her around the world, and she has played in Europe, Asia, Canada and all over the United States.

In addition to her busy performing schedule, Sampen is a dedicated teacher. In her nine years at University of Puget Sound, she has twice received the university’s Thomas A. Davis Teaching Award for excellence in teaching (2005 and 2008). In 2008, Sampen also received the University’s John Lantz Senior Fellowship for Research and Advanced Study.

Sampen holds bachelor and doctoral degrees from University of Michigan and a Master of Music degree from Rice University. Her major teachers include Paul Kantor, Kenneth Goldsmith, and Paul Makara.

Sampen and her husband, Tim Christie, spend summers performing at the Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival in Eastern Washington (wwcmf.org) and the Brevard Music Festival in North Carolina (brevardmusic.org). Sampen was a fellow at the Aspen Music Festival and the Tanglewood Music Festival. She has also attended the Mozarteum Sommerakademie in Salzburg, Austria. Her string quartet held residencies at the Banff Centre for the Arts in Canada, and the Musicorda Festival in Massachusetts.

During the academic year, Sampen performs frequently with her new music group, Brave New Works (bravenewworks.org), the IRIS Orchestra (Germantown, Tennessee), and the Puget Sound Piano Trio.