Brandin Kreuder recently began a one-year appointment with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra as a member of the viola section. Prior to this he toured for seven weeks with the band Hawthorne Heights and a 12-piece orchestra, traveling all over America by bus. In recent years Brandin has performed with ensembles including the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra, the Spoleto Festival Orchestra USA, and the New World Symphony Orchestra. He has shared the stage with many celebrated musicians including John Williams, Yuja Wang, Kristin Chenoweth, and Pinchas Zukerman.

Prior to the pandemic Brandin held a position as a guest entertainer with the Holland America cruise line, which included their premier itinerary – the 2020 Grand World Voyage. Brandin holds a master’s degree in viola performance from the University of Miami Frost School of Music; and dual bachelor’s degrees in violin performance and studio art from the Lawrence University Conservatory of Music. His primary mentors include Jodi Levitz, Dr. Samantha George, Scott Flavin, Chauncey Patterson, and Patricia Anders.

Outside of his career Brandin is passionate about world travel. He has been to 40 countries and all seven continents. In 2022 he lived in Sydney, Australia on a working holiday visa, where he became part of the freelance scene and also worked in a cafe. This winter he will spend two months backpacking through Central America – where he will focus on El Salvador, Guatemala, and Belize. Brandin is also an avid photographer, and he enjoys traveling with his Fujifilm X100V. You can follow his adventures on Instagram – @thelaststandby, and on his blog – thelaststandby.com.