Hometown:
Brooklyn, New York
Education:
Rice University – The Shepherd School of Music, expected to graduate Fall 2023 with a Bachelor of Music degree
Alan and Kathy Sonnanstine Chair
Bio:
Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, August Haller is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree at Rice University in Houston, Texas. Outside of school, he has performed with the Houston Symphony and various outreach chamber concerts. He also has past festival experience at the Spoleto Festival USA and the National Orchestral Institute. In his free time, August enjoys trying new foods, playing board games, and exploring the outdoors with friends.
What is something interesting that people may not know about you?
Coming from New York, a good bagel with cream cheese may just about be my favorite food in the world. Going to school in Houston, there isn’t a decent bagel shop anywhere in the city; so, to satisfy my craving, I asked my parents to send me a package of H&H bagels with lox and schmear from NYC. When they arrived, I had to store them in the freezer to keep since I had an extra busy week and didn’t have time to cook at home. On Saturday morning, I was so excited to have my bagel, that I refused to wait for it to thaw properly, and I tried to slice the bagel while it was still frozen. I ended up slicing a decent chunk of my finger off by mistake instead, and needed to go to Urgent Care to get stitches for it! Long story short, there isn’t much I wouldn’t do for a taste of home.
Name three of your favorite composers:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Johannes Brahms, John Williams
When taking a break from music-making, what is your favorite thing to do?
I love to eat delicious food! Whether that’s trying a new restaurant or making a great meal at home, I always appreciate good grub.
What are you most looking forward to this summer with the NRO?
Although I’m always excited at the opportunity to play great orchestral music with amazing colleagues, I’m most looking forward to being able to do that in such a beautiful place as the mountains of Breckenridge, CO. Getting to share that experience with people, and making friends while doing it, can’t be beat!