About

Hailed as “particularly outstanding” (Chattanooga Times Free Press), violinist Josh Holritz enjoys an exciting and varied career spanning the gamut of performing and teaching.

Recently appointed as Concertmaster of the Hunstville Symphony Orchestra, Josh began his tenure with the HSO in September of 2022. Josh also serves as the Associate Concertmaster of the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera, a position he has held since 2014. Previous memberships include the Glens Falls and Greensboro Symphony Orchestras. Josh has performed as guest Concertmaster for the Peoria and Bryan Symphony Orchestras and Macon Pops. He also regularly substitutes with the Charleston, Nashville, and Atlanta Symphony Orchestras and Nashville Opera.

An avid chamber musician, Josh performs weekly with the CSO String Quintet in their effort to bring classical music to local schools and the greater Chattanooga community. Josh also performs as a part of the duo Schaafritz with his wife, CSO principal flutist, Kristen Holritz. Other recent collaborations include performances of the complete Beethoven Sonatas for Piano and Violin with Lee University professor Dr. ChoEun Lee. 

Josh is an advocate for contemporary music and improvisation. His doctoral dissertation, entitled “A Player’s Guide: Lera Auerbach’s 24 Preludes for Violin and Piano, Op. 46”, includes a complete recording of Auerbach’s Op. 46 preludes. Josh’s free improvisation work can be heard on Spotify under the album title Blow- Fi. Recent world premiers include chamber works by Chattanooga composers Douglas Hedwig (Moveable Borders 2017) and Jonathan McNair (All a-Cryin’ 2017). Josh has also collaborated on multiple projects with the Nashville based contemporary ensemble Intersection. As an active studio musician in Nashville, Josh has played on numerous soundtracks for many of today’s popular films, television shows, and video games. 

Josh is dedicated to training the next generation of musicians and currently serves as Adjunct Instructor of Violin and Viola for The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Adjunct Instructor of Violin at Southern Adventist University, and Adjunct Professor at Covenant College where he teaches violin, viola, and chamber music. He has also served on faculty for the Tennessee Governor’s School for the Arts and is currently a faculty artist for the Bay View Music Festival. 

Josh holds a B.M. from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, a M.M. from the University of Minnesota, and a D.M.A. from the University of Georgia.