Violinist Victoria Stewart is the founder and executive director of Arco Ensemble, a virtuoso classical string orchestra performing concerts of the classic string orchestra repertoire and premiers of new music with such stellar conductors as Gerard Schwarz and Jorge Mester. The group recorded the concertos of Bach with world-renowned violinist Elmar Oliveira in October 2009. Ms Stewart also performs regularly with many musical organizations in New York and New Jersey, including the Glimmerglass Festival Orchestra, the New Jersey Festival Orchestra, Teatro Grattacielo, and the Cecilia Chorus. She has made premiere recordings with the Bronx Arts Ensemble and with the Glimmerglass Opera. Former positions include Principal Second Violin of the New Jersey Symphony and of the Colonial Symphony, Concertmaster of Carolina Opera, Assistant Concertmaster the New Jersey State Opera and of the Texas Opera Theater, andregular performer with Houston Grand Opera and New York City Opera. As a recipient of the Fulbright Performing Artist Award (a senior lectureship), she performed as Coconcertmaster of the Seoul Philharmonic and appeared as soloist with that orchestra and the Pusan Symphony. Her varied chamber music performances include appearances in major venues and summer festivals, including the Sejong Cultural Center in Seoul, the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Recital Hall, the Grand Teton Festival, and the Glimmerglass Opera Festival. Between 2002 and 2014 she performed regularly on the highly acclaimed Concert Artist Performance Series at Kean University. Ms. Stewart has degrees from the University of Houston and Baylor University, and did graduate work at the Juilliard School. Her major teachers were Oscar Shumsky, Joseph Fuchs, and Fredell Lack. She has taught on the faculties of Baylor University and Drew University, and is currently on the faculty of Kean University.