Abigail Karr

Noted for “balancing passion with precision” and “intrepid” leadership, violinst Abigail Karr holds Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, studying violin with the late Sergiu Luca, and a degree in historical performance from The Juilliard School. Karr appears with many ensembles, including the Handel and Haydn Society of Boston (as frequent principal player and soloist) and the Trinity Baroque Orchestra of Manhattan. An active chamber musician, noted for the “focused direction” she brings to performances, she is the founder and director of Gretchen’s Muse, a chamber ensemble dedicated to bringing the music of the 18th century to life through exciting, historically informed performances; the group has been praised for its “near-telepathic synchronicity” and the “palpable collective chemistry between such individually accomplished bow-wielders.” She was also a founding member of the Rosetta String Trio, which, in addition to its commitment to historical performance, commissioned and premiered three new works for string trio. With keyboardist Yi-heng Yang, she has recorded Mendelssohn’s complete works for violin and piano; the album is the first period instrument recording of this repertoire, and has been praised for “set[ting] a standard for performers, instruments, and recording technique.” The duo has performed at the Frederick Historical Collection in Ashburnham, MA, the La Grua Center in Stonington, CT, and the renowned Drew University Concert Hall in Madison, NJ. Karr’s solo and chamber music performances have drawn praise from such publications as Toronto NOW Magazine, the New York Times, and the Boston Musical Intelligencer. She is a faculty member at Lucy Moses School, and participates in “Concerts in Motion,” an organization which brings live in-home concerts to New York’s most vulnerable residents.