Deborah Austin is a freelance pianist for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra (DSO) and is an accompanist, and coach for the DSO’s nationally recognized “Young Strings” program. She performs frequently for the DSO Nasher chamber music series and is staff accompanist for the DSO sponsored “Lynn Harrell” competition. She has served as accompanist for several national and Texas state competitions. Ms. Austin also teaches adult piano students in Dallas.

Ms. Austin has worked with the students of Jascha Heifetz, Ivan Galamian, Jan Mark Sloman, Itzhak Perlman, Midori, and Nathanial Rosen. She has accompanied in master classes for Midori, Pinchas Zukerman, Shlomo Mintz, Arnold Steinhardt, Jaime Laredo, Elmar Oliveira, Ani Kavafian, Rachel Barton, Stephanie Chase, Fredell Lack, Alisa Weilerstein, and others.

Ms. Austin performs regularly with Dallas/Fort Worth professionals and students of all instruments, specializing in violin repertoire. She has performed in many U.S. cities, as well as Canada. Ms. Austin was the soloist in the North American premier of Robert X. Rodriguez’s Piano Concerto #2, and has recorded on the CoDa and DBH labels.

Ms. Austin completed her Bachelor of Music degree, magna cum laude, as well as her Master of Music degree in piano performance at SMU. She began her study of the piano at age 3, and by nine, she added cello. The choice of second instrument was fortuitous, allowing her to develop a heightened sensitivity and awareness in the performance of the stringed instrument repertoire, with which she is now extensively involved.

At SMU, Ms. Austin continued her study of cello. She also did extensive work in piano pedagogy, chamber music, accompanying, and orchestral playing. She received the Paul Vellucci Award for outstanding senior pianist and the Sigma Alpha Iota Award for outstanding ensemble player.