Press Room

HAMPTON ROADS, VA [August 12, 2019] For Anna Bishop, joining the Virginia Symphony Orchestra feels like coming home. Bishop is the daughter of VSO section violinist Lesa McCoy Bishop, now in her thirty-first year with the VSO, and the late Tim Bishop, who was an integral member of the Virginia Symphony’s percussion section for thirty years.

Anna Bishop was raised in Virginia Beach, often accompanying her parents to rehearsals and performances, and attended the Governor’s School for the Arts. She holds a B.M. from Virginia Commonwealth University and attended the graduate program at Chicago College of Performing Arts on scholarship. Her principal teachers have been Susanna Klein and MingHuan Xu.

Prior to joining the VSO, she performed at several prestigious festivals, including the Garth Newel Music Institute, Brevard Music Center, Colorado Quartet Institute and the Nova Scotia International Young Artist Program.  She has been a member of the Richmond Symphony, Civic Orchestra of Chicago, and Opera on the James, and continues to perform with the Williamsburg Symphony and Williamsburg Opera.

“I’m honored to have come back full circle to my VSO family now as a colleague,” says Bishop.

Anna is also a studio violinist and teacher. Her playing is featured on the podcast, S-Town, created by Serial and This American Life. She lives in Richmond with her husband, two cats, and retired greyhound.

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As the region’s most celebrated musical, educational and entrepreneurial arts organization, the Virginia Symphony Orchestra continues to challenge expectations and push the boundaries of what an American orchestra can be – even as it approaches its 100th anniversary in 2020.

At the heart of the VSO’s narrative is innovation.  In 1991 the VSO made a very bold move in appointing the gifted young American conductor JoAnn Falletta as its music director. Since then, the orchestra has received national attention for its unique mission serving a home area of 1.7 million across the diverse communities of southeastern Virginia.  Through appearances at the Kennedy Center and Carnegie Hall and commitment to adventurous programming, the VSO and its musicians have been highlighted in the media including The New York Times, The Washington Post, National Public Radio and BBC Worldwide News.

As the largest arts performing organization in southeastern Virginia, the VSO and VSO Chorus present more than 150 concerts and events to educate, enlighten and entertain more than 100,000 residents and visitors each year. Recent innovations include health and wellness programs, including interactive therapeutic experiences for people living with Alzheimer’s and dementia.  As it approaches its Centennial year, the Orchestra and its legions of fans look forward with anticipation as the VSO conducts a worldwide search for its next music director.