Christina Castelli, Violin

Biography

American violinist Christina Castelli has garnered international acclaim for her compelling concerto and recital performances throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and South America. Ms. Castelli has been a featured soloist with many orchestras, including the Cleveland Orchestra and the Atlanta, National, Seattle, Colorado, Pittsburgh, Nashville, New Jersey, and Alabama Symphonies. Abroad, she has appeared with the Belgian National Orchestra, National Orchestra of Colombia, and Chilean Regional Philharmonic.

Ms. Castelli has appeared in such prominent venues as Carnegie Hall, where she made her recital debut in 2004, and the Kennedy Center. Highlights of her current season include her debut on Ravinia's Rising Stars series.

Among her many awards, Ms. Castelli was named a 2001 Laureate of the Queen Elisabeth International Violin Competition in Brussels, the only American-born violinist Laureate in that year. In addition, Ms. Castelli was named a Presidential Scholar in the Arts in 1996, receiving a gold medallion from President Bill Clinton. She has been granted first prize in numerous competitions, including the William Primrose International Viola Competition, Juilliard Concerto Competition, and Chicago's Holland-America Music Society Competition.

Born in a suburb of Chicago, Ms. Castelli began studying the violin with Edward Kreitman, continuing her studies with Roland and Almita Vamos. She earned her bachelor's degree with honors in chemistry from Harvard University and her master's degree in violin performance from The Juilliard School, where she studied violin with Dorothy DeLay. Ms. Castelli performs on a violin crafted by Giovanni Grancino of Milan in 1709.