Avangeline “Ava” Cossé

Avangeline “Ava” Cossé is 16 years old and is from Houston, TX. She began playing violin at 2 ½ years of age, and currently studies with Mrs. Lisa Shihoten at the Rice University Music Preparatory School.  Ava is a junior at J. Frank Dobie High School performing in the Chamber Varsity Orchestra under the direction of Angela Badon, Stephen Payne and Tam Duong.  This past summer, Ava attended the Sewanee Music Festival. She was a member of the Cumberland Orchestra where she served as Concertmaster and Principal 2nd violin.  She was also one of ten students chosen to participate in the concerto lab program where she performed as a soloist with orchestra.  Ava is an alumni of the Sphinx Performance Academy at the Curtis and Cleveland Institutes of music. Ava has consecutively earned positions in the TMEA Region 19 Symphony Orchestra since 2017.  She is a 2023 Texas All-State Orchestra member. When she is not practicing, Ava enjoys spending time with her friends, playing cello and piano, composing/ arranging music, playing soccer, and spoiling her dog Fermata with treats.