Katherine McLin

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 has made over 100 appearances as soloist with orchestras across the country. Recent and upcoming appearances include both Piazzolla Four Seasons and Max Richter Four Seasons Recomposed with the ProMusica Chamber Orchestra (OH), Brahms Violin Concerto with Symphony of the West Valley (AZ), and Mendelssohn Violin Concerto with the Arizona Philharmonic.

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 34 players from around the country, ProMusica presents seven subscription concert series throughout the year as well as a summer festival and chamber music series. Recent collaborations include a diverse and dynamic roster of guest artists and composers including Gil Shaham, Johannes Moser, Rhiannon Giddens, Garrick Ohlsson, Andy Akiho, Lera Auerbach and, in May 2024, a residency with Jon Batiste including the commission and world premiere of a work with the composer at the piano. Professor McLin also serves as Concertmaster of the Arizona Philharmonic Orchestra with Music Director Peter Bay and in the past served as Concertmaster of the Brevard Music Center Orchestra and the Michigan Sinfonietta, as well as 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. A frequent guest artist at summer chamber music festivals, she currently teaches at the Rocky Ridge Festival in Colorado and performs with the Oregon Bach Festival Modern Orchestra. She held previous positions with 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. Professor McLin 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 Collegiate Violin master class at the American String Teacher’s Association National Conference in 2024. 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 has twice been invited by the American String Teachers Association to present the featured violin master class at their yearly national conference, most recently in 2024 in Louisville, KY. She was awarded the Evelyn Smith Professorship in Music at Arizona State University in 2016, an endowed position that recognizes a faculty member who demonstrates outstanding leadership in their field. She also received the Distinguished Teacher Award for the Herberger College of Fine Arts (chosen from over 170 faculty) in 2004 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.