Jennifer Bourianoff

Jennifer Bourianoff ~ beloved daughter, sister, aunt, friend and teacher died on December 27, 2011 at Seton Hospital after a short illness. Surviving her are her parents, Dr. George Bourianoff and Rev. Linda Bourianoff, her sister Michelle Bourianoff and husband Juan Zalles, sister Angela Bourianoff, nephews Zachary, Alexander and Matthew Zalles, aunt Kathy Bredeson and her husband James Bredeson, uncle Dr. Gleb Bourianoff, as well as cousins Jameson and Jeremiah Bredeson. She is preceded in death by her paternal grandparents, Lillian and Gleb Bourianoff, her maternal grandparents Jean and Cater Cowley and nephew Vincent Zalles.

A native Austinite, Jennifer was born on February 27, 1970 at St. David's Hospital. She attended Casis Elementary, O.Henry Junior High and graduated from S.F. Austin High School in 1987. She attended Cleveland Institute of Music. She received a Bachelor of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music in 1991, where she was a member of Phi Kappa Phi. After graduation from CIM, she entered the University of Texas at Austin and received a Master's Degree of Music with Honors. Throughout her career, she studied with such renowned teachers as Vincent Fritelli, David Cerone, Jascha Brodsky, David Updegraff and Eugene Gratovitch and performed in Master Classes presented by Isaac Stern, Pinchas Zukerman, and Dorothy Delay.

Jennifer was a talented musician and performer who displayed a gift for music at an early age. She started studying piano at the age of 2, and violin at the age of 7. She served as the Assistant Concertmaster of the Austin Symphony Orchestra and as Assistant Concertmaster of the Britt Festival Orchestra in Oregon. She was a founding member of Hyde Park Strings, and performed as leader and soloist with the Chamber Soloists of Austin, A. Mozart Fest as well as performing as a member of the Santa Fe Pro Musica Chamber Orchestra, the Austin Lyric Opera and the Austin Chamber Music Center. She served on the faculty at St. Stephen's Episcopal School, the University of Texas at Austin, Texas Lutheran University, and the American Festival for the Arts as Professor of violin/viola and chamber music. She was invited to perform chamber music at the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires in 1997 and in 2001 at the VIII International Festival de Otono in Mexico. In 2005, Jennifer performed at the White House in Washington D.C. with Viva Trio.

She was also a gifted teacher who loved her students and helping them achieve their goals. She was awarded Outstanding Musician by the Austin Critics Table and Teachers Who Make a Difference by Fox 7 News, as well as Educator of the Year from the Austin Under 40 Awards.

A dedicated Christian, Jennifer was an active member in Hyde Park Presbyterian Church. She was an ordained Elder in the church. She loved animals, cooking and spending time with close friends and family. Jennifer was deeply loved and her determination and passion for her music and life will be greatly missed by her family and friends.

Visitation will be at Weed–Corley-Fish Funeral Home on North Lamar from 4-6 pm December 30. The graveside service will be at 9:30 am December 31 at Austin Memorial Park Cemetery. The memorial service will be held on Saturday, December 31 at 11am at Westminster Presbyterian Church with Rev. Dr. Fred Morgan and Rev. Bill Clark officiating.

Pallbearers will be Nathan Sloan, Lee Sloan, Bobby Thompson, Juan Zalles, Steve Bray, Thresher Klier and Brett Bachus.

Her family wishes to thank the ICU staff in pod A at Seton Medical Center, especially Drs. Hartford, Bissett, and Hines and nurses Casey and Julie for their special care.

Memorials may be made to Hyde Park Presbyterian Church or the Austin Symphony Educational Fund.