About

Hailed as “particularly outstanding” (Chattanooga Times Free Press) violinist Josh Holritz has established a reputation for his dynamic versatility as a concertmaster, soloist, chamber musician, studio artist, and educator.

Josh currently serves as Concertmaster of both the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera and the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra. He began his tenure with the CSO as Associate Concertmaster in 2014, served as Acting Concertmaster from 2019 to 2025, and assumed the Concertmaster position in 2025 under CSO Music Director Ilya Ram. Josh was appointed as Concertmaster of the Huntsville Symphony in 2022 by HSO Music Director Gregory Vajda. His orchestral experience includes past positions with the Glens Falls and Greensboro Symphony Orchestras, as well as guest concertmaster appearances with the Peoria and Bryan Symphony Orchestras and Macon Pops. He is also a regular substitute with the Charleston, Nashville, and Atlanta Symphony Orchestras, and Nashville Opera.

As a soloist, Josh’s engagements include performances with the Chattanooga Youth Symphony, Huntsville Youth Orchestra, Southern Adventist University Orchestra, The Masterworks Festival, National Music Festival, and both the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera and Huntsville Symphony Orchestra.

An avid chamber musician, Josh spent a decade performing with the CSO String Quintet, several years with the Bay View String Quartet, and frequently collaborates with his wife, flutist Kristen Holritz, as the duo Schaafritz. A recent highlight includes performing a complete cycle of Beethoven’s Sonatas for Violin and Piano with pianist ChoEun Lee.

An advocate for contemporary music and improvisation, Josh’s doctoral dissertation, A Player’s Guide: Lera Auerbach’s 24 Preludes for Violin and Piano, Op. 46, includes a complete recording of the work. His free improvisation can be heard on the album Blow-Fi, and he has collaborated on world premieres of chamber works by Douglas Hedwig, Jonathan McNair, Nicole Chamberlain, and Anthony Patterson. Josh also performs with Nashville’s contemporary ensemble Intersection and is a sought-after studio musician, recording for film, television, and video game soundtracks.

As a dedicated educator and mentor, Josh has helped shape the next generation of musicians during his time on the faculties of The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Lee University, Southern Adventist University, and Covenant College. He has also served as a faculty artist at the Tennessee Governor’s School for the Arts and the Bay View Music Festival.

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