Biography

Dr. Lynn Vartan is an internationally renowned music performer and educator, known for her collaborative performances and artistry as well as her dynamic warmth and energy on stage. She has been multiple times Grammy nominated and was a performer on an album that was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Music. She has been invited internationally to perform and teach in Vietnam, Cambodia, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Mexico, Columbia, England, Romania, Estonia, Sweden, Norway, Ireland and Denmark among others, and is currently a US Fulbright Specialist. Dr. Vartan is endorsed by the Paiste Corporation, Remo Inc. and Marimba One, and has a signature series of marimba mallets developed for her with Marimba One.

As a concerto soloist Lynn has performed with various orchestras including the Hubei Opera and Dance Company of Wuhan, China, the Sierra Wind Symphony, The Helena Symphony, The Cheyanne Symphony, The Orchestra of Southern Utah, Southwest Chamber Music, and has premiered new concertos by both American and Chinese composers. She has participated in cultural exchange projects such as the “World Percussion Group,” “Ascending Dragon” Project in Vietnam, “The Dream of Helen “project and China and the “East Meets West” project designed around her as a soloist in Wuhan, China.

As a new music percussionist Lynn has worked with Michael Colgrass, Vinny Golia, Arthur Jarvinen, Ursula Oppens, Joan Tower, Glen Velez, Xtet, James Newton, Chinary Ung, the Hilliard Ensemble, the Tambuco Percussion Ensemble and Grammy Award-winning Southwest Chamber Music. She has commissioned and/or performed nearly 50 new works for percussion by composers such as Donald Crockett, William Kraft, Carlos Rafael Rivera, Steve Hoey, Veronika Krausas, Erica Muhl, Arthur Jarvinen, Sean Heim, Jeff Holmes, Keith Bradshaw and Shaun Naidoo. Lynn has recorded on the ECM New Series, Albany Records, Cuneifroms Records, Bridge Records New World Records, Lian Records, Yarlung Records, and Cambria. Her current chamber music projects include Darkwood Duo (clarinet and percussion), Duo Vís (violin and percussion) and Duo LinLynn (percussion duo).

Lynn is currently Professor of Percussion Interarts at Texas A&M University, where she build programs and projects that bring together the worlds of music with dance, film, design, theatre and all the visual and performing arts.

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Growing up as a child in Fresno, Lynn was dancing, singing and always performing. Her Armenian heritage provided the backdrop for her first audiences. With cousins, aunts and uncles she would insist they watch her latest play or dance show, even if it was in the backyard and 110 degrees outside.

Lynn took piano lessons from a young age, and when her teacher could get her to sit still on the piano bench, she loved to sight-read all the new music that came in to the studio. She had yet to learn the art of practicing, preferring to see how she could challenge herself and learn things fast. After some forays into flute and violin, she found great variety in the percussion family of instruments, exploring new sounds and new directions in presenting music that she loved. Eventually that passion would take over and become her inspiration in life, personally and professionally.

Lynn travelled extensively internationally as a young girl, it is that exposure to other countries and cultures has embedded a world curiosity that goes hand in hand with her music. She continues to explore, collaborate and find connections between music, people and the creative arts.