Violinist Katherine McLin enjoys an extremely varied and prolific performing career as a concerto soloist, recitalist, and chamber and orchestral musician. Since her debut with the Oregon Symphony at the age of 15, Professor McLin made more than 150 appearances as soloist with orchestras across the country. Recent appearances include Piazzolla Four Seasons with ProMusica Chamber Orchestra (OH), Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto with Symphony of the West Valley (AZ), Vivaldi Summer with the Chintimini Chamber Orchestra (OR), Sibelius Violin Concerto with the Tempe Symphony Orchestra (AZ), Joel Puckett Short Stories with the University of Michigan Wind Ensemble and the world premiere performance of a double concerto for violin and piano, Twofold Dreams, by Lera Auerbach (with the composer at the piano) with ProMusica. In the 2022-23 upcoming season, Professor McLin’s performances include Brahms Violin Concerto with the Symphony of the West Valley, Bach Concerto in E Major with the Arizona Philharmonic, and Max Richter Four Seasons Recomposed with the ProMusica Chamber Orchestra.
Since 2007, Professor McLin serves as Concertmaster of the ProMusica Chamber Orchestra in Columbus, Ohio. With Music Director David Danzmayr, Creative Partner and Principal Guest Artist Vadim Gluzman, and a core of 31 players commuting from around the country, ProMusica presents seven subscription concert series throughout the year as well as a summer festival and chamber music series. She also serves as Concertmaster of the Arizona Philharmonic Orchestra with Music Director Peter Bay. In the past she has served as Concertmaster of the Brevard Music Center Orchestra, the Michigan Sinfonietta, and Principal Second Violin of the Michigan Opera Theater Orchestra.
As a member of the McLin/Campbell Duo with pianist Andrew Campbell and frequent chamber music collaborator with colleagues around the world, McLin performs extensively throughout the United States and abroad. She is a frequent guest artist at summer chamber music festivals, including the Saarburg Chamber Music Festival (Germany), Interharmony International Festival of Music (Italy), Chintimini Chamber Music Festival (OR), FOOSA (CA), and Festival of the Black Hills (SD) with the Orlando Chamber Players. She has also served as a featured performer in numerous national and international conferences, including the American String Teacher’s Association, International Double Reed Society, International Clarinet Association, International Schoenberg Conference, National MTNA (Music Teacher’s National Association) Conference, IPAC (International Percussive Arts Conference), and SEAMUS (Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the U.S.).
Professor McLin appears on 19 compact disc recordings under the Summit, Centaur, and Opus One labels. Additionally, her live and recorded performances have been broadcast on NPR’s Performance Today, NYC’s WQXR (Bob Sherman’s “Listening Room” program), and local television and radio stations throughout the country.
A frequent guest recitalist and clinician, Professor McLin presented the featured pre-college violin master class at the American String Teacher’s Association National Conference in 2008. In addition, she has given master classes at more than 50 music schools across the country and abroad, including the University of Michigan, Trinity College (London), North Carolina School for the Arts, Boston University, Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt, Carnegie Mellon University, and University of Colorado at Boulder, to name a few.
A committed and passionate teacher, Professor McLin was awarded the Evelyn Smith Professorship in Music at Arizona State University in 2016, a three-year endowed position that recognizes a faculty member who demonstrates outstanding leadership in their field. In 2004, she was awarded the Distinguished Teacher Award for the College of Fine Arts at ASU, chosen from over 170 faculty, and was a finalist for the 2007 university-wide ASU Professor of the Year award.
Professor McLin received her doctorate in violin performance from the University of Michigan as a student of Paul Kantor. She holds additional performance degrees from Indiana University and the Oberlin College Conservatory, and for three years was an orchestral fellowship recipient at the Aspen Music Festival. Her former teachers include Franco Gulli, Josef Gingold, and Kathleen Winkler. She plays on a 1734 Sanctus Seraphin violin, on loan from an anonymous foundation.