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Second Violin

Mary Garcia Grant

Mary Grant received her undergraduate degree in violin performance from Rice University, where she studied with Raphael Fliegel. She received a master’s degree from Queens College-City University of New York, where she studied with Ruth Waterman and Ani Kavafian. While in New York City, she played with the National Orchestral Association, a training orchestra for young musicians. She also studied baroque violin with Nancy Wilson. She has played with the Jeunesses Musicales World Orchestra in Europe and the National Repertory Orchestra in Colorado. Grant has been a violinist with the Kansas City Symphony since 1989 and was a founding member of Summerfest. She teaches violin through Urban Strings and the Kansas City Suzuki Academy. Mary lives with her husband, Jim, and cats, Cedric and Ruth, in Stilwell, Kansas. In their spare time, she and Jim enjoy gardening, hiking, traveling and spending time with their 7 grandchildren.


Mary Garcia Grant

Mary Grant received her undergraduate degree in violin performance from Rice University, where she studied with Raphael Fliegel. She received a master’s degree from Queens College-City University of New York, where she studied with Ruth Waterman and Ani Kavafian. While in New York City, she played with the National Orchestral Association, a training orchestra for young musicians. She also studied baroque violin with Nancy Wilson. She has played with the Jeunesses Musicales World Orchestra in Europe and the National Repertory Orchestra in Colorado. Grant has been a violinist with the Kansas City Symphony since 1989 and was a founding member of Summerfest. She teaches violin through Urban Strings and the Kansas City Suzuki Academy. Mary lives with her husband, Jim, and cats, Cedric and Ruth, in Stilwell, Kansas. In their spare time, she and Jim enjoy gardening, hiking, traveling and spending time with their 7 grandchildren.

My greatest musical accomplishment is deciding every day, every time I picked up the violin, that music making – practicing for myself, performing for others, and teaching students – remains intrinsically important to me.

Architect. Editor. Gardener.

The people who have inspired me lately are some of the newer players in our orchestra. They are incredible musicians who have recently graduated from music school or who have moved here from other orchestras. Their commitment to excellence and their dedication to practicing and preparedness inspire me daily.

I play with the Kansas City Chamber Orchestra and at my church, St. Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church.

Yes. But my younger sister has a degree in arts administration and my brother-in-law is the Executive Director of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra.

Ian Coleman. He’s very funny. We would definitely go out and be served by others (I would not be doing the serving.) His wife and my husband would come along, too, with all of our friends.

I live with my husband Jim, in Stilwell, Kansas. We have two cats. I sew, teach violin, work in the garden, and read. I also enjoy spending time with my friends and grandchildren. In the past few years I helped edit the  translation of two Korean books — one, on early Buddhism and another, a set of one man’s personal reflections on history and life. My husband and I really liked to travel before 2020. We spent our honeymoon in Africa, and our more recent adventures include travel to China, Korea, Scotland, Istanbul and Mexico. It’s been an adjustment during 2020, not traveling, but instead I have learned to play chess with my husband and, recently, I have begun to win with increasing frequency.

I get to work with really interesting, genuinely thoughtful people who are passionate about their work.

Patience, understanding, and flexibility of thought.