Violist Shanda Lowery-Sachs has Died

Lowery-Sachs had been a member of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra since 2001

Violist Shanda Lowery-Sachs, who had been a member of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) viola section since 2001, has passed away following a prolonged battle with cancer.

Hailing originally from Porterville, CA, Lowery-Sachs first began learning the violin and piano from her mother, who was a cellist. She attended the Interlochen Arts Academy for high school and continued on to the University of Puget Sound — where she received her bachelor's degree on the violin.

Lowery-Sachs then officially made the switch to the viola, receiving a master's degree from Rice University — where she studied with Roberto Diaz, Martha Katz, and Wayne Brooks.

Out of graduate school, she took the Assistant Principal position with the Virginia Symphony, and later moved on to the Rochester Philharmonic, before taking up her position in the DSO. She listed her personal highlights with the orchestra including its 2001 European tour and the 2013 Carnegie Hall performance — as well as the 2005 concert when her then-boyfriend proposed to her on stage!

"We feel a great loss today following the passing of our dear friend and colleague, Shanda Lowery-Sachs, who passed away peacefully this week following a long battle with cancer," the Detroit Symphony Orchestra said in a statement.

"Shanda was a member of the DSO viola section since 2001, traveling with the orchestra for tours of Europe in 2001 and Asia in 2017, and bringing consummate artistry to the Orchestra Hall stage and community venues each week. Everyone who knew Shanda felt her strength, warmth, passion, empathy, and humor, and she will be greatly missed."

Our condolences to Lowery-Sachs's family, friends, and colleagues.