Lauren Pokorzynski
Visiting Assistant Professor of Music - Violin
WFPA 173
Dr. Lauren Pokorzynski is a dynamic violinist and dedicated educator, equally at home on stage as a chamber musician, orchestral leader, and soloist. In 2023, she was appointed violinist of the Quapaw Quartet in Little Rock, AR for the 2023–24 season. She currently performs with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas, and this fall she steps into the role of Concertmaster for the Conway Symphony Orchestra. Lauren has also appeared as Guest Concertmaster with the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra.
Previously based in Texas, Lauren was Principal Second Violin of the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra from 2019–2023. Her past roles include Concertmaster of the Texas Tech University Symphony Orchestra, Associate Concertmaster of both the Lubbock Chamber Orchestra and the West Texas Symphony, and Principal Second Violin with Chamber Music Amarillo.
As a soloist, Lauren has performed with the Texas Tech University New Music Ensemble (“NOW”), the Lubbock Chamber Orchestra, and the Benzie Symphony Orchestra. She won the Texas Tech Concerto Competition with her performance of Korngold’s Violin Concerto and has premiered a range of contemporary works, including collaborations with Amusement Park Studios and a multimedia ballet titled Click.
Her recording credits include the 2024 album Shifting Directions with the Texas Tech Contemporary Ensemble (Navona Records), and a featured performance on Interlochen Public Radio’s “In Studio A.” She also served as Concertmaster on the MSR Classics recording of the Stephenson Trumpet Concerto.
Lauren spends her summers performing with the Bellingham Festival Orchestra in Washington and has appeared with the L. Mattson Chamber Collective in Colorado. She’s also served on the faculty of the Hot Springs Music Festival, Mozart in the Knobs, and the Faulkner Chamber Music Festival.
A passionate teacher and lifelong learner, Lauren holds degrees from the University of Colorado at Boulder (B.M. with high honors) and Texas Tech University (M.M. and D.M.A.). Her doctoral research, A Holistic Approach to Reframing Tension in Violin Performance, is already helping violinists reimagine their relationship with tension and technique.
Originally from Michigan, Lauren has a deep love for the water and feels most at peace near a shoreline. She shares her life with her partner, James, and their three beloved dogs — Mabel, Eleanor, and Ida — her constant companions and biggest fans.