Paula E. Bird, an accomplished violinist and pianist, received her J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law, her M.M. from Texas State University, and is a summa cum laude graduate of the University of Texas at San Antonio. She also studied music performance (violin and piano) at Temple University in Philadelphia with Helen Kwalwasser and Marian Filar, where Bird received the Dean's Outstanding Achievement Award.Bird is a member of the prestigious Artisan Quartet, which recently made its successful Carnegie Hall Debut in March 2012. The Artisan Quartet maintains a rigorous performing schedule in the Central Texas Area and is poised to complete its "Genius at Play" series, which is the complete cycle of Beethoven string quartets, including Beethoven's string quartet transcription of his piano sonata no. 9 and his Grosse Fuga. Under the auspices of the Austin Symphony, the Artisan Quartet will present the Artisan chamber series in the 2013-2015 seasons.
A former member of the San Antonio Symphony and the Austin Lyric Opera, Bird has been a member of numerous professional symphony orchestras in Pennsylvania and Texas, including the Harrisburg, Waco, Victoria, and Corpus Christi Symphonies. Bird has also played with the Winters Chamber Orchestra (Soloist and Assistant Concertmaster) and the Laredo Philharmonic. Bird has performed in numerous master classes as a violinist and pianist with Jaime Laredo, Elmar Oliveira, Leonard Rosen, Franco Gulli, and Eugene Fodor.
Bird currently plays first violin with the Austin Symphony Orchestra and serves as Associate Concertmaster and Master Class Clinician with the Sunriver Music Festival in Oregon. She is also a principal player, soloist, and chamber player with the Conspirare Choir and the Victoria Bach Festival under the direction of Craig Hella Johnson. Bird has performed in Hungary, Austria, Czech Republic, England, Wales, Scotland, and performed and taught in Italy as a member of the Rome Festival Orchestra.
Paula currently teaches theory, chamber music, private violin lessons, Mariachi violin sectionals, and String Techniques classes at Texas State University and is a member of the Texas State University Faculty String Quartet. She is also a certified teacher of Dr. Suzuki’s Talent Education Method and maintains an extensive private studio in Wimberley, TX. In addition to her responsibilities with Texas State University, including the University Summer Strings Camp, Bird is a faculty member of the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio summer camp and was the Director of the former Texas State University Suzuki String Institute. As a pianist, Bird has accompanied recitalists at UTSA and SAC in San Antonio, Indiana University, Des Moines Metro Opera, and Texas Lutheran College. Bird was also the accompanist for the San Antonio Symphony's Operation Opera and for Richard Stoltzman (clarinet) in school concerts for the Austin Symphony.
