MarlaJoy Rubin Weisshaar, violinist, joined Pacific Symphony's second violin section in 2002. She is also a Teaching Artist for the Symphony's Class Act program and teaches violin privately, as well. Marla began studying the violin at age 3 with Mary Manaster in her native city of San Diego. When she was 10, her family moved to North Carolina, where she continued her musical studies and made her debut at 15 playing Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto with the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra. She earned her High School Diploma and Bachelor of Music Degrees from the North Carolina School of the Arts. While she was there, she held titled positions (Concertmaster and Principal Second Violin) in many of the local orchestras. In 2000, Marla moved to Pittsburgh, where she obtained her Master of Music Degree at Carnegie Mellon University, under the mentorship of Andrés Cárdenes. In addition to her symphonic and teaching schedule, Weisshaar enjoys musical opportunities in which she can combine her classical skills with improvisation. Weisshaar plays on a violin, which was made in 1984 by her mother-in-law, Rena Weisshaar. She lives in Costa Mesa with her husband, Dan, and their son, Maximilian Johannes, who was born in August, 2009.