Biography
Alan Austin joined the Shepherd School staff in January 2025 after a three-decade career as the General and Artistic Director of the Olshan Texas Music Festival—a premier summer festival and training program, which he guided to national prominence during his tenure. In his current role as the Orchestra Manager for the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, he remains dedicated to mentoring the next generation of classical music professionals.
An accomplished violinist and a founding member of the Grammy-nominated ensemble Ars Lyrica Houston, Alan performs regularly. He has served as concertmaster for Ars Lyrica Houston, Bach Society Houston, and the Texas Bach Collegium, and has performed with the Texas Baroque Ensemble, the Baroque Chamber Orchestra of Denver, the Dallas Bach Society, Mercury Baroque, Early Music Southwest, La follia, and the Texas Early Music Project. Furthermore, he has served as an instructor of Baroque violin at the University of Houston's Moores School of Music.
His performances have been recorded on the Dorian, Zephyr, Gothic, Sono Luminos, and MSR Classics labels.