Isabel Opat

About Isabel

Isabel Opat is a 17 year old violinist from Southlake, TX.  She currently attends Booker T. Washington HSPVA in Dallas, TX. Isabel began playing in 2012 and has since been accepted into and played with several youth orchestras, including the Fort Worth Youth Orchestra, where she is currently concertmaster, and the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra.  Past teachers include former Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra concertmaster, Loren Laing, Alison Stringer, and Cleveland Institute of Music professor and former Dallas Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster, Jan Sloman. While living abroad, she auditioned for and was accepted into the National Youth Orchestras of Scotland, and the Royal National Conservatoire of Scotland - Junior Conservatoire. Since returning to Texas, Isabel has both placed and won her division in several concerto competitions, and she was one of 112 violinists chosen out of over 7,000 to play in the 2022, 2023, and 2024  TMEA All State Orchestras in San Antonio, TX. 

In addition to being a classical violinist, Isabel has recently picked up mariachi violin. Since joining, she has ranked 1 in TMEA All Region High School Mariachi Ensemble and has competed in the TAME and UIL State Mariachi Competitions. This new addition to her musical range has given her the opportunity to perform at the Meyerson Symphony Center and the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House. 

Isabel teaches violin to beginner, intermediate, and advanced students, as well as coaches them in their practice endeavours. In addition to being a teacher, she has also performed in various ensembles as a violinist at weddings, cocktail hours, and other events in venues such as the Meyerson Symphony Center and Winspear Opera House in Dallas, and the Bass Performance Hall and Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth.