Laila Zakzook

A spirited interpreter of chamber music, Egyptian-American violist Laila Zakzook won the 2014 Lillian Fuchs Chamber Music Competition and the Honors Quartet Scholarship at the Colburn School of Performing Arts. Also committed to the performance of new music, Laila has given the Canadian premier of “In Manus Tuas,” by Caroline Shaw. In 2013, Laila performed with Mika and Richard Stoltzman in “Duet,” by Steve Reich in Carnegie Hall. Laila has held principal and assistant principal positions under the batons of conductors such as Leonard Slatkin and Philippe Entremont, within the Banff Festival Orchestra, Manhattan School of Music Orchestras, Oberlin Wind Ensemble, and the Colburn School of Performing Arts Chamber Orchestra. Recently, Laila appeared at Carnegie Hall with the Mimesis Ensemble in the premiere performance and subsequent recording of Sumeida’s Song by Mohammed Fairouz. In 2011 and 2013, Laila held residencies at The Banff Centre. Laila has also participated in The Heifetz International Music Institute, Zephyr International Chamber Music Course and Festival, and The NYU String Quartet Seminar. This year Laila completed her studies at The Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music, having previously studied at The Manhattan School of Music and The Oberlin Conservatory. Laila has worked closely with teachers such as Steven Dann, Karen Ritscher and John Hayhurst, and performed in masterclasses for Kim Kashkashian, Robert Vernon, Carol Rodland, Jeffrey Irvine, Gilad Karni, among others.