An active Bay Area violist, Elizabeth Prior is the principal violist with the Santa Rosa Symphony and a member of the New Century Chamber Orchestra. Elizabeth is also the Associate Principal Violist with the Marin Symphony, season substitute with the San Francisco Ballet and season contracted violist with the San Francisco Opera. She performs regularly with the San Francisco Symphony and Pittsburgh Symphony PA. Other orchestral credits include Freiburg Philharmonic (Associate principal) and the Cape Town Symphony. She has recently worked with the Las Vegas philharmonic and the Reno Phil. She used to play regularly with Südwestfunk (Southwest Radio, Germany, ) Stuttgart Radio, Basel Symphony, and the Mannheim Opera Orchestras.

A native of South Africa, she was a prizewinner in the International String Competition in Pretoria and gave her debut at Carnegie Hall with the Russian Chamber Orchestra. She toured regularly as a soloist with the Chamber Ensemble of Cologne in France and was recently featured with the Santa Rosa Symphony. Other solo and chamber music engagements include: founder of the Broderick Ensemble, Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival; Sun Valley Summer Symphony, Midsummer Mozart and “Chamber Music San Francisco” She is a member of the Farallon Quintet. She performs regularly on solo recitals in the San Francisco Bay Area and performed internationally for more than a decade with Maestro Donald Runnicles on the piano.

She recently launched her new album, “Viola Romance” with Miles Graber, piano which can be found on Spotify and Apple music.

What is your hometown?

Durban, South Africa

How long have you performed with New Century?

I was a substitute since  the mid 2000’s and won the job in 2013

What do you love about New Century?

I love playing in a group that is slightly larger than a string quartet. I especially love it when our collective resonating sound feels so moving and emotional.

What is your favorite New Century memory?

Playing in Northern Germany at the end of our 2019 tour and the entire group being given yellow sunflowers on stage.

How did you start learning your instrument, or who inspired you to begin?

I discovered the violin and the Suzuki method on a commercial break when I was watching Sesame Street in Madison Wisconsin as a child. Allegedly I asked my parents if I could do what those children were doing. My parents found out about this Suzuki music school and signed me up and my mother kept me focused and consistent  throughout my childhood.

What do you like to do when you're not being a musician? What are your hobbies?

I love to travel.   I love being out in nature as much as possible and go on long hikes. I belong to a gym where I can do Yoga, pilates and swim.

I belong to an all women’s investment group and we love investing and dabbling in buying and selling interesting stock.. I also run a book club and always have a book or two that I am reading. I also always have a knitting or crocheting project on the go.

What's your favorite Bay Area place (restaurant, park, etc.)?

I love Baker Beach at anytime of the day or month.