Cam Audras, viola
Polymathic at heart, Cam Audras believes musicians possess the power to serve as advocates for social good. Audras has served as Principal Violist with the Santa Barbara Chamber Players, the California Young Artists Symphony, and Symphony of the Vines. Additionally, he holds substitute positions with the Santa Barbara Symphony, New West Symphony, Long Beach Symphony, Santa Cruz Symphony, and Rogue Valley Symphony. Audras has claimed top prizes in the Performing Arts Scholarship Foundation Competition, Valley Talent Music Scholarship Competition, and Henry Schwab Violin and Viola Competition. Festival appearances have included the Center Stage Strings Music Festival at the University of Michigan, Credo Chamber Music Festival at Oberlin Conservatory of Music, Bowdoin International Music Festival, and Manchester Music Festival. He has performed in masterclasses for Kim Kashkashian, Rachel Barton Pine, and Dimitri Murrath, and his principal teachers were Jonathan Moerschel, Che-Yen (Brian) Chen, Yura Lee, and Helen Callus. Audras graduated from the University of Southern California (USC) Thornton School of Music with a degree in viola performance, and was honored to be selected as the USC Thornton School strings department’s outstanding undergraduate. He completed a second degree in environmental studies. His "Resilience Project” won a grant from the USC Arts and Climate Collective. This climate action performance series features dance, an original soundtrack, and poignant slam poetry. He holds Master’s degrees in Viola Performance and Environmental Science and Management from the University of California, Santa Barbara. A passionate educator, Cam serves on the viola faculty at Westmont College, and enjoys bringing up the next generation of young artists in his Santa Barbara-based private teaching studio.