Who We Are

Laura Cividino, Violin

Born in 1983, violinist Laura Cividino received her violin diploma in 2004 with prof. Diego Masutti and piano diploma in 2005 with prof. Ugo Cividino, both at the J. Tomadini Conservatory of Music in Udine, Italy. She continued her studies in Klagenfurt, Austria, with Professor Helfried Fister and in March 2008 received a violin diploma from that school. She graduated with a Master in Violin Performance with Professor Andrzey Grabiec at the University of Houston, Moores School of Music in May 2012. In February 2014 she received her viola diploma with Luca Morassutti at the G. Tartini Conservatory of Music in Trieste, Italy.

During her career she has performed in various cities in Italy, Austria, France, Spain, Portugal, Slovenia, China, Colombia, Chile and the United States. She has been a member of the OAO (Orchester Akademie Ossiach), and of the SFK (Slovenia, Friuli, Kaerntner) in Austria, the Piccola Accademia in Italy, Clear Lake Symphony, Houston Sinfonietta, the Moores School of Music Orchestras, YOA (Youth Orchestra of the Americas) in 2012, Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra, “Mercury – the orchestra redefined,” Bach Society Houston, Austin Baroque Orchestra and the Symphony of Southeast Texas in the United States. She took part at the masterclasses of Gustav Mayer, Helfried Fister, Rainer Kussmaul, Igor Ozim, Andrzej Grabiec, Giovanni Guglielmo, Lorenzo Fava, Isabelle Ballot, Rainer Honeck, Joseph Silverstein, Stephen Shipps, Lucie Robert and, for chamber music, Alois Posch, Sean Y. Wang, Domenico Nordio, Alberto Vianello, James Dunham, the Debussy Quartet, and Timothy Hester.

She is currently teaching and freelancing in Houston as a violinist and a violist. She is also a founding member of the Houston-based Carya String Quartet, a group dedicated to creating community through chamber music concerts and educational programs, which is in its fourth season of activity.

HANNAH DEPLAZES, Cello

Originally from North Dakota, Hannah graduated from Minot State University in 2021 with a Bachelor’s degree in Music Performance, then from University of Houston Moore’s School of Music in 2023 with Master’s degree in Music Performance. She has studied cello since the age of 8 with multiple teachers in the United States and Germany. Hannah has attended several summer festivals in the United States and Europe including the Eastman Cello Institute, Dakota Chamber Music, University of Utah Chamber Music Workshop, High Peaks Music Festival, and Texas Music Festival: Orchestral Institute. She has also competed in several competitions like MTNA, the national Jugend Musiziert Wettbewerb, and won two solo competitions which resulted in solo performances with the Minot Symphony Orchestra. Currently, she performs and teaches privately in Houston and works as a coach with the Pearland Chamber Strings and Pearland Youth Orchestra.

Rainey Weber, viola

An active and versatile performer, violist Rainey Weber is based in Houston, Texas, where she is currently the violist of the Carya String Quartet and St. Andrew’s Strings. Highlights from recent seasons include the premiere of Suite Terra Nostra with the Terra Nostra Ensemble at the 14th Annual Latin American Cultural Week in New York City in November of 2019, and performing five of Beethoven’s String Quartets as part of the 2017-2018 Beethoven For All Series with Da Camera Chamber Music and Jazz. Ms. Weber has been a fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center and the Aspen Music Festival and School, and as a founding member of the Judson String Quartet, she served as the violist for the 2014 Quartet-in-Residence Program at the Interlochen Summer Arts Camp, where she performed, taught privately, and mentored students in the Advanced String Quartet Institute. 

Committed to education and community engagement, Ms. Weber has collaborated extensively on the development of educational outreach programs for preschoolers, elementary school students, middle school students, and adults. She also serves as President of the Board for the Houston Viola Society, is a sectional coach and teaching artist for the Houston Youth Symphony, and maintains a private studio of viola and violin students. Ms. Weber has a Masters of Music in viola performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where she was a student of Lynne Ramsey. She earned her bachelor’s degree (magna cum laude) at Rice University, under the study of James Dunham.

Ms. Weber plays on modern viola, made by Minnesota luthier, William Bartruff. When she is not performing or teaching, she spends her time attempting to garden, running, or with her two cats. 

claire n. Gallagher, Violin

A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Claire N. Gallagher is a dynamic performer, collaborator, and educator based in the Houston area. A versatile musician, Claire is active as a chamber and orchestral player, and is a fierce advocate of contemporary music in all settings. She joined the Carya String Quartet in their fourth season and looks forward to continue bringing their community-based chamber music performances and educational programs to audiences across the Houston area.

Claire is a founding member of the cross-country-based Oasi Trio, a clarinet/violin/piano ensemble dedicated to the performance of new music, as well as the Achelois Collective, an all-women contemporary chamber group committed to community-engaged performance and promoting works by underrepresented composers. Claire also greatly enjoys collaborating with artists of other mediums to create dynamic, multidisciplinary performances.

In Houston, Claire performs regularly with the Symphony of Southeast Texas. While at the University of Houston, she played with the AURA Contemporary Ensemble and frequently led the Moores School Symphony Orchestra as concertmaster. Claire has had the opportunity to perform in both solo and chamber music masterclasses for acclaimed musicians including Rachel Barton Pine, Kristóf Baráti, the Aizuri Quartet, and the Calidore String Quartet. 

A passionate teacher as well as performer, Claire maintains a busy private teaching studio, working with students of all ages and levels. She received her Master of Music and Certificate in Music Performance from the University of Houston, and Bachelor of Music from the University of Michigan. Her primary teachers include Dr. Kirsten Yon, Stephen Shipps, and Lorien Benet Hart. She plays a Joseph Curtin violin built in 2000.

Outside of music, Claire loves to perfect her dessert baking skills, travel to new places, and decode the NY Times Sunday crossword.