Violist Laura Manko Sahin has performed as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player throughout the United States, Europe, and the Middle East. Following her concerto debut with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in 2005, she has soloed with the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra, New England Repertory Orchestra, Oure Pleasure Singers, University of North Carolina School of the Arts Symphony Orchestra, and the Boston University Choir. Laura was formerly the Principal violist of the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra and violist of the Boston Harp Trio. She has been a member of the Knoxville and Winston-Salem Symphony Orchestras. While living abroad in Ankara, Turkey Laura was the violist of the Bilkent Piano Quartet and Nodus Contemporary Music Ensemble, as well as a section violist with the Bilkent Symphony Orchestra - Turkey's premiere touring orchestra. 

Previously, Laura was a faculty member of viola and chamber music at Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey. As an advocate for youth music education, she has been on the string faculties of the Boston University Tanglewood Institute, New Mexico School of Music, Rivers School Conservatory, Boston School of Music Arts, and the Community Music School - UNC School of the Arts. Laura has coached orchestral sectionals and chamber music for the El Camino Youth Symphony, Ankara Youth Symphony Orchestra, Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras, Winston-Salem Youth Symphony Orchestra, and the Knoxville Youth Symphony Orchestra.

Laura recently moved to West New York, NJ where she teaches at Skidmore College and Montclair State University - Extension Division. She is a violist with Santa Fe Pro Musica, and founding member of the Hubbard Quartet. Laura is a substitute violist with the Phantom of the Opera Orchestra and the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra, as well as guest principal violist with the Glens Falls Symphony and Garden State Philharmonic. During the summers, she is on viola and chamber music faculty at Luzerne Music Center and a resident artist at the Meeting House Chamber Music Festival. Laura plays on a 1963 Jago Peternella viola. 

Photo Credit: Kiha Moore