Faculty

Profile

Praised for her “beautiful tone and nuanced phrasing” (Boston Musical Intelligencer), violinist Rebecca Fischer is sought after as a highly expressive, intuitive performer of solo, chamber music and chamber orchestra repertoire. She is the concertmaster of Ensemble Baroklyn, a group run by pianist Simone Dinnerstein specializing in the music of J.S. Bach. Ms. Fischer has premiered works for solo violin and singing violinist by composers Lisa Bielawa, Nico Muhly, Paola Prestini, Mathew Fuerst, Augusta Read Thomas, Byron Au Yong, Pierre Jalbert and others. Recent solo recital engagements include Columbia University’s Miller Theater Pop-Up series, The Stone, and the University of Oregon. Ms. Fischer is a member of The Afield, a multidisciplinary collaboration with visual artist/writer Anthony Hawley combining new and original compositions for violin, voice, and electronics with video and other media. 

First-violinist of the Chiara String Quartet for 18 years until the group’s final season in 2018, Ms. Fischer recorded and performed numerous works, held residencies at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Harvard University, and premiered many major new works by composers such as Philip Glass and Gabriela Lena Frank. Performance highlights include the complete Bartók Quartets by heart at Chicago’s Ravinia Festival, several complete Beethoven quartet cycles, and collaborations with such artists as the Juilliard and Saint Lawrence Quartets, Roger Tapping, Robert Levin, and the electronic duo Matmos. Ms. Fischer has recorded for Azica Records (the complete string quartets of Brahms and Bartók) and New Amsterdam Records (the string quartets of Jefferson Friedman, a Grammy-nominated album).

Committed to working with musicians and artists of all kinds, Ms. Fischer has given masterclasses and run workshops at Carnegie Hall, Rice University, Seoul National University, Peabody Conservatory, the University of Michigan, and San Francisco Conservatory, among others, and she served for over a decade on the faculty of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She teaches violin and chamber music at the Mannes School of Music and at Greenwood Music Camp, where she is Associate Director. Her writing on artistry and creativity is published regularly in Strings Magazine, and she is currently working on a book of personal essays.

Degrees Held

Bachelor of Arts--Columbia University

Master of Music--The Juilliard School

Artist Diploma--The Juilliard School

Recent Publications

"State of Mind: How Musicians Can Leverage the Benefits of Mental Practice" in Strings Magazine (Jan/Feb 2020)

"Tips for Thoughtful Practicing" in Strings Magazine (Feb 2019)

"How Playing with Character Brings Beauty & Purpose to Musical Expression" in Strings Magazine (Mar 2018)

Research Interests

violin artistry, chamber music, creative and efficient practicing